maybe stern will give rubio a bunch of make-up calls to make up for the koby foul on his end-of-the game 3 :grin:
Not trying to be that guy, but just can't see any way Lakers don't make the playoffs. We are in a unique spot to observe with our final game against LAL, but I can't imagine we get any calls that game.
Looks like the Lakers. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_Csk79NyUm8?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
I honestly think it's going to come down to the Rockets game. Win, and they're in. Lose, and they're out. It would be ultra sweet to be the reason why the Lakers don't make it in.
Tyrone Corbin was too dumb to even play him more than 15 minutes a game to begin with. Not a huge loss, for this season at least.
Lakers possibly have more than the playoffs on the line. If the Lakers fail to make the playoffs it is not a slam dunk that Howard comes back. Yes, the Lakers are the premium team for free agents, but playing second fiddle to a 35 year old Kobe with ALL old teammates doesn't sound that appealing.
Because I like potential upsests and competitve basketball perhaps? Nobody outside of Utah wants to see the Jazz in the playoffs. Even if they do make it they'll get swept by either the Thunder or Spurs. Nothing about Utah intersts me. They have zero chance of advancing and have no stars or players that are exciting to watch. Can you imagine Spurs vs Utah? What a snoozefest. No real basketball fan wants that.
Lakers will make it. These last couple of games we will see the usual favorable suspect calls for the fake-show
The Lakers have a chance to win a first round series....the Jazz 0%. That is why I want them to go 4-0 and then we *****in destroy them on the national TV and eliminate them from the playoffs.
I'm a Laker fan and I want the Jazz to take it. We're not making it to the Finals anyway and there's no joy in being mediocre. D'Antoni needs to go, Phil Jackson needs to take over, and this slow ass team should be running the triangle. Not making the playoffs is the catalyst to make those things happen.
Magic number for Jazz is 4 Magic number for Lakers is 6 Utah has Thieves, Wolves, @Wolves, @Grizz Lakers have Hornets, @Blazers, Warriors, Spurs, Rockets I'd put Utah at 2-2. With their difficulties on the road and much better play at home, I wouldn't be surprised to see them take OKC at home and lose on the road to the Wolves. It's more likely that they lose tonight and take both from the Wolves. They will almost certainly lose on the road to a Grizzlies team that will likely be fighting for 3-5 playoff seeding in their final game. The Lakers will likely face an inspired effort from the Warriors and Rockets who will go down the wire battling for the #6 spot and the opportunity to avoid SA\OKC. The Spurs and Pop won't really care about a late season victory. At that point, it's all about having players healthy, and I wouldn't at all be surprised to see the Lakers blow a JV Spurs squad. I see them dropping one of the back-to-back combo of Hornets and @Blazers. Let's see if Kobe can play 45+ minutes back-to-back and be effective. That's a tough road for Lakers to go 4-1, which they'd have to do if Utah finished 2-2 for a final record of 43-39. I'm going to say Jazz get in due to that tie breaker edge. I could see them tied, but I think it'll be difficult and unlikely for the Lakers to edge them out by a game.
As an anti-Laker, this is one thing that pulls me to want them in the playoffs: They might keep D'Antoni. If he stays, it guarantees the Lakers will not be legit contenders. Next season Kobe will be older and Nash will be on his last legs. But the worst possible thing for the Lakers would be to keep D'Antoni. (Pau is a definite goner so don't even consider that one).
If the Lakers win tonight, I think they're definitely in. (And that 4-1/5-0 doesn't look so unreasonable all-the-sudden.) GS tonight Spurs Sunday Rockets Wednesday Jazz: Minnesota Monday, Memphis Wednesday
This is where so many people are confused. The Lakers have no more of a chance than the Jazz to win in the first round. This is not a good team, and although they have a "mystique" and some ref help no doubt, they aren't going to suddenly turn it around just because it's the playoffs. Actually they are more apt to do worse because they are going to be so gassed since dantoni doesn't use his bench. If any team has a chance at a playoffs upset it's the Warriors, just because of the way they play.
