2013-2014 Magic Numbers against the Western Conference

it would be nice to clinch the 4th seed with at least 3 games remaining so we could rest our starters for a week

 

Love this thread. Just one very minor suggestion:
Since we cannot catch the Spurs, should they get a one-word description instead of their magic number since it would make that bit of info immediately apparent? Maybe just "Uncatchable". Or you could do your creative bit on those teams too: "Un-ropeable", "Rode off", "Spurred".

 

OK, so let's just say IF the Rockets make it to the NBA Finals, would we have home court advantage vs. the Heat or the Pacers ? Since we split the series, what is the tie-breaker ... overall win record, or win record vs. the other conference ?

 

I think it's

1. Overall win record
2. Head to head record
3. Conference record

we would lose to both if we tied since we won't be able to beat their conference records

 

I agree, i really want to play Portland to start the playoffs, sometimes though their players get hot and give us fits but we do match up well against and i think can beat them with homecourt ad.

 

you'd have to think they'd jag a couple of games due to their hot streaks, but a 7 game series surely stands in our favour!

 

Kings/Portland tied at 97 with 42s left...

 

No magic number gained on Portland. Need to win two more in the last 4 games. I have a feeling that the Rockets will lose in Minny just to make us nervous.

 

Rockets have a history of never making it easy, regardless of percentages.

If Portland runs the table, you are correct we will have to win two games of the remaining four. It almost makes the Minny game a must win.

 

But that's the opposite of what it does.

 

Minnesota isn't a must win, at least not technically. But it's gonna be close to panic time if the Rockets lose tomorrow night. New Orleans at home is a winnable game of course. But if we're still missing Dwight and Bev and playing for the 4th time in 5 nights, we could struggle in that one(remember, we barely beat short-handed Denver at home the other day and that was with a rested Rockets team). It is worth noting that New Orleans will be on the 2nd night of a B2B(and 3rd game in 4 nights), so at least they'll be almost as fatigued as the Rockets.

After New Orleans, we face San Antonio at home 2 days later(our 5th game in 7 nights). All along we've been assuming that Pop would rest his starters because they'd have nothing to play for. But with the Spurs losing in Minnesota the other day and OKC winning at the Clippers last night, suddenly the #1 seed isn't exactly set in stone. That game against the Rockets next Monday may actually have some significance for San Antonio. We'll know for sure after they play the Mavs and Suns before then.

And at New Orleans to close out the season sure as hell ain't a gimme. The Pelicans are respectable at home and have recent wins over Miami and the Clippers. That being said, they have lost 6 in a row(tanking time?), so the Rockets would be the favorite in that game.

 

Considering the Spurs still get to play the Lakers at home, OKC has no shot at the #1 seed. The Rockets will be favored in every one of those games. Then of course you're assuming Portland will win all of their games, one of which they'll be the underdog (vs the Warriors @ home).

 

The Spurs should be able to secure the #1 seed, but it's not a lock. Their next 3 games(before the layup against the Lakers in the finale) are at Dallas, home against Phoenix, and at the Rockets. It goes without saying that the Mavs and Suns have a lot on the line in their respective games. And the Spurs will be without Parker for at least tonight's game in Dallas.

It's still a longshot, but it's not an impossible scenario that the Spurs drop their next two, OKC wins their upcoming games, Portland wins in Utah and at home against the Warriors, and the Rockets fail to win both of their next two at Minnesota and at home against New Orleans. That would mean that there's a lot on the line Monday night for both us and San Antonio.

 

Even if the Spurs rest their starters in the last game, it's not necessarily a given win. The Spurs are known to be able to win games without their main guys.

 

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/04/10/anthony-davis-eric-gordon-out-for-rest-of-season/

good news since we play them twice

 

That confirms my suspicions. They're in full tank mode now. They have lost 6 in a row which is pretty bad for a team that hasn't been too far below .500 most of the season.

That's great news for the Rockets. It means home court in Round 1 is all but guaranteed unless the team really screws up(like they nearly did against Denver). But at the same time, you don't wanna have the 4th seed still unresolved heading into that final game. Beat the T'Wolves tomorrow and then knock off the short-handed Pelicans Saturday night and clinch it once and for all(especially since I'll be at that game:grin.

 

4th seed is wrapped up now...

 

I assume nothing. It is the Rockets we are talking about. I am watching GS defend the Nuggets vs. the Rockets defending them last night. Night and Day. Remember, Rockets make scrubs into stars….for other teams.