These guys always fly under the radar! They're off to a hot start just like us @ 10-3 5th in points allowed @ 94.6 7th in points per game @ 103.6 1st in rebounds per game @ 47.4 Hitting pretty much 40% of their 3's as a team They just beat the Bulls 105-87 (no Pau Gasol or DRose though) Good big man depth including Chris Kaman now - enough bodies if Lopez or Aldridge ever get into foul trouble only lost Mo Williams; doesn't look like they miss him much Defense: the overall pace has decreased by 3% from last year, and their opponents have lower FG% @ 41% this year vs 45% last year. I think they'll dominate their division since OKC is down and out for now - They're another prime candidate for home court advantage. Injury issues are unlikely to affect them too much since they're not much of a contact team - their mantra is jumpshots. Rockets need to watch out for these guys and ensure we win the season matchup for good playoff seeding.
They will be the only team in their division to make the playoffs. In recent years, they seems to always do well in the regular season, especially at the early part, and can't get very far in the playoffs.
Yeah, duh! They'll definitely make it, and that's the problem: doesn't the division winner have a guaranteed home court advantage seed spot? I can't predict OKC's remaining season but we need to plan for a bad matchup in Portland
Exactly - every game and every win counts this year! I think Kaman will give them good enough back up minutes - better than having Meyers Leonard from last year as a primary backup. Kaman can make a few jumpshots and take some fouls so I give Portland a check mark in the big man depth category
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Blazers will almost definitely win the Pacific division. OKC is still in that division years after their move from Seattle. Why is it so difficult to redraw the divisions? But anyway, you're guaranteed home court advantage in the first round if you win your division. I predict Houston will win 2 more games than Portland and finishes with the 4th best record. Sigh.
Que?? If you win your division you do NOT get homecourt. You simply get 4 seed, but can lose homecourt to 5 seed. If Houstoj finishes 2 games ahead of Portland, and is 5th with homecourt, then it means there is a team who has passed us out of SAS, Dallas, Clippers. no doubt Spurs will push hard post all star break, might be hard to hold off. But cannot see Dallas or Clippers passing us.
Well would look at that. Hmm. So no real incentive for winning your division. That makes me feel better. I want revenge on 'em.
I thought you were wrong, but you're right.. homecourt advantage goes to better record, so a #5 seed could have a better record than a #4 seed because they weren't a division winner but the #4 was "Home-court advantage in a playoff series is decided by record, not by seeding, so if the #4 and #5 teams meet in a playoff series in which the #5 team has the better record, the #5 team would have home-court advantage."
