I'm distraught. For certain. And, realistically, can a James'-less team win it all? I say no, not with the current back-ups at point.
But....we have THREE NBA players on this team. We can still do some major damage. Hoping the last home crowd on senior day goes nuts. We get one more conference win and I think we'll get the #4 seed and a bye-bye. Let's hope and pray.
This team can still get it done though.
I think you should change your title to we have four healthly NBA caliber players. Midway throught the game tonight I started thinking the player with the most NBA potential on the team is Butler. He is taller, longer and quicker than Hayward. He has a nose for the ball and seems to improve every game. Project him out two years with more muscle and he is the best pro prospect on the team.
Jimmy Butler could be a legitimate star next season.
But the answer to "Why can't we win again?" is the loss on DJ on defense.
Because we have Horizon League talent at the pg and center position. That's just the cruel reality.