Current Standings

Things could be a lot worse.

 

We are better than Portland and Denver, So at worst we get the 8 spot.

 

Just an observation---

Of all the teams just outside of the # 8 spot--the Rockets are the only team with a winning record against the Western Conference.

We also have a better winning record against the Western Conference compared to the teams in the #7 and # 8 spots



#7 Lakers 9-8 in Western Conference
#8 Blazers 4-7 in Western Conference

#9 Rockets 9-7 in Western Conference

The reasons we are not in the top 8 is because the Rox keep on getting brain farts and losing to the likes of the Bobcats, and Hawks!

http://www.nba.com/standings/team_record_comparison/conferenceNew_Std_Cnf.html

 

One thing is that the difference between western and eastern conferences doesnt seem quite as pronounced as last year, at least in the middle of the table, so that 41 or 42 might prove enough for 8th seed.

 

I seriously think we're a better team than 10, we should be at #5 at West. This team was just playing horribbly until recently when we finally come together a little bit. We could get on a row and move up to at least 6.

 

Based on what? This team should make the playoffs, but if the season has they have had has proven one thing, its that they are closer to the bottom of playoff teams in the West than the top.

 

but the rockets should have lost that game to san antonio. so, it should be 4 instead of 5

 

Until Yao figures out how to dominate a smaller more athletic frontcourt we will continue to have problems with teams like these. I really hope that Malik Badiane can play at this level as his style is exactly what our team is missing. We desparately need a frountcourt player who is agressive and athletic with a lot of heart. The MoJu PF combo is so redundant, their skills are redundant to each other as well as redundant to Padget and Yao to some degree. All of our front court players have the same weaknesses so when a team exposes those weaknesses JVG has nobody on the bench that can help. The only way to combat this is for Yao to become so dominant on offense that he creates foul problems for the oposing team, also a lot of penetration by our backcourt players to create fouls will help. Yao has not shown that he can see this need and create from his size mis-match and infact has shown the oposite in that he has trouble with smaller more athletic post players. And as far as guard penetration goes we are as weak as any team in the league in this area.

This team has potential in the core group but has some significant weaknesses that have been created by poor personel decisions as well as some good personel decisions. We traded 3 starters for 1 starter. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that we are weak where we gave up talent to get talent. The frontcourt was hit the hardest where on paper the Cato for Juwan trade looked to be in our favor. If we had Cato I feel confident that we would have won at least four of the five games mentioned above.

We are going to have to be patient with our team this season and realize that we are not Championship contenders yet and any success we are having this season is a result of our talented core in spite of significant weakness in our roster.

 

Badman is your answer?

 

My opinion, the only teams that have a lock for the playoffs are Seattle, Phenoix and SA because of they are at least 8 games ahead in the loss column. The next best is Sacramento who is only 5 games ahead of us in the loss column - very much catchtable.

As dissapointing as our record looks, there are still a lot basketball left this season for us to make a run at a good playoff position spot.

 

18-9....what could have been....

This board would be in perfact harmony.

We'd be arguing about championship this year or next, or how JVG is basketball-god sent or just God sent.

 

If ifs and buts were candy and nuts, we'd all have a very merry Christmas.