Bulls and Cleve fighting for 2 seed versus a 5 seed that sets them in the Heat/Pistons bracket. They are tied but Bulls have the tiebreaker. Also, last 3 east seeds up for grabs: Washington can be 6th, 7th or 8th. NJ can be 6th or 7th. Orlando can be 7th or 8th. NJ is home versus Chicago, 7:30PM eastern. This will be like a playoff game for both. Chi trying to hold off the Cavs for the #2. NJ trying to get to the 6th seed to continue big mo and draw the rookie #3 seed Raptors. Mia is at Orlando, 7:00PM. Orlando should win easily, they are home and Mia is totally shutting things down to get as healthy as possible for a tough opening versus the Cavs or Bulls. For for Orlando either the Cavs/Bulls as the #2 is better than facing the #1 Pistons. Mil is at Clev, 7:00. Clev should win easy. They win and they get the #2 seed if Chicago falls. Mil can play for pride as they are locked into the 3rd best draft spot, but they are 10-30 on the road and have lots of injuries. Wash at Indy, 8:00. Wash will probably fall all the way to 8 with a loss here, they have to desperately scratch for a win. With a win they are 6 or 7 depending on what NJ does. But maybe Wash is already think draft position, that they are hopeless against any 1st round opponent. But I don't think so, I think they have some pridefull veterans. I also think Indy will be playing for a W. Very dissappointing year, last game at home, unlikely to have draft placement implications. This game could go either way. League scheduling has made things interesting!!!
People are really overrating the Heat. All these talk about Shaq being back...how many points is he averaging again since Wade went down? Wade is not gonna be 100% in the playoffs, I can totally see Heat losing in the first round. Avoiding Pistons is a good move though -_-
Its pretty compelling day for the East. Still it remarkable the difference between them and the West in terms of formidable teams. GS could be the 2nd best team behind Detroit. East is a like watching the NCAA tourny unfold, while the West is the Olympics!
The Heat are still the NBA champions. The longer they have to survive the tougher they could become. Remember what happened to the 96 Rockets when everyone had written them off and they were down 2-1 in the best of 5 in opening round versus Utah. Yes it is doubtfull they can go all the way, but don't count them out. And definetly don't count them out of being the East rep. The Bulls can play some pretty good team D and have have good guards--they are dangerous. Pistons are well rounded and a tough vet team--ECFinalist for what 4 strait years? I think any of the above have a better chance than the Jazz, Lakers, Warriors/Clips. What would be killer and is very possible all three of the best EC teams are in the same semis bracket.
do you guys think Bosh will play tonight? he rested in the last game but I could see him coming out for one final tuneup before the possible faceoff with VC and the Nets.... I'm trying to set my lineup for my fantasy team... I have two slots left- Guard and Center.... Ive got 4 guys to choose between- Bosh, Brand, Wilcox, and Kaman Kaman is out, Brand is in... its between Wilcox and Bosh
Because they got hosed with the current divisional seeding format. They have the third best record in the conference. Unfortunately, the two teams above Chicago happen to be in the same division. Since division winners + best non-division winner get 1-4 seeds, Chicago is stuck at #5. They still get homecourt though.
Hardly hosed. The still get homecourt. The draw the team with #5th best record instead of strait seeding where they would have drawn the team with the 6th best record. The fix is so much better than it was before, where Chicago would have had to open at Cleveland because the best non-division winner was slated in the 4 spot. I think the NBA got it right this time.
That was their own doing, they fell behind two teams within their own division. Chicago really has no one to blame but themselves. Who would have been hosed under last years' rules would have been Cleveland AND Chicago. Clev, despite earning the #2 record in the East would have played the #5 Bulls (who would have not had homecourt despite the #3 record) than the Pistons. In the new system both Cleve and Chicago at leats get homecourt and Cleve as the #2 record team wasn't sent in the #1 bracket. I think the current system is pretty fair, not the blantant problems with previous years.
