If we win out and Sonics don't win more than one, we host the Sonics

You're thinking that if Denver goes ahead of Seattle at the #3 spot that Seattle will fall to the #4. If the Rockets finish with a better record than the Sonics, they should be #4 and the Sonics would then fall to #5 and play in Houston for round 1, right?

I know this sounds crazy, but that's not right. Hear me out: If Denver takes Seattle's spot at the #3 seed, Seattle would be seeded based only on their record - not by their division-leading status as they are now. Dallas has a better record than the Sonics, so they would be fourth. If Seattle loses all but one, the Kings will have a better record and thusly be ranked 5th or 6th. Same for the Rockets. So in this situation, the Sonics would probably end up being the #7 seed and playing the Spurs or Suns. The Rockets would be playing the Nuggets in Denver or maybe the Mavericks in Dallas. So the Rockets can't even play the Sonics in the first round - at the least because Dallas is guaranteed the fourth seed outside of swapping spots with the Spurs at a million to one odds. Which would still keep the Rockets from playing the Sonics in the first round.

Oh, and there's already a thread about this that discusses it from the perspective of the Rox playing the Nuggets. It's the one that's 6 threads below this one right now.

 

Well there's still the Kings. We're only 1 game back in the loss column, so we could just as easily move up to 5th. Or fall down to 7th since Denver is even with us at 31 losses. Heck if we go on a three game losing streak, we could fall all the way down to 8th. Even with only 4 games left, the playoff picture is still pretty much up in the air.

 

only one more week till we find out...

 

What he said.

Seriously, there is no possible scenario in which the Rockets would host a first round playoff series.

 

Aren't playoff homecourt advantage based on record or seeding in the first round? I recall that it was based on record and not seeding (i.e., a division winner with a lower record could be a visiting team - what might have happened if Atlantic division had stayed weak err weaker this year). Oh I found the info at ESPN.com. It is based on record.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/matchups

If this is true, then the scenario would be possible. Rockets would have to win out for a record of 51-31 and the Sonics would lose out 50-32. Also, Denver would have to have a worse record than the Sonics (i.e., not win 50 or more - don't know about tiebreakers here). I am assuming that Sacramento would have a better record than we do and win a few more games to remain the 5 seed and play at Dallas.

Umm well I had a long day at work, so I could be off here...

 

I take back what I said. I was not aware that this was the case.

That said, Sacto would have to stay in front of us and win all four of their remaining games, two of which are against Phoenix.

 

If the Sonics win their division and remain the #3 seed and we stay #6, but we end up with a better record, then we would have homecourt. Records determine home court, seedings determine the matchups.

 

That really would be absurd. We would be #6 but we would have home court advantage.

Personally I don't like it that the division winners are automatically seeded #1-3. What sense does that make? Could someone explain?

What would happen if one of the division winners had only the 9th best record in the whole conference? Would they go to the playoffs although they wouldn't deserve it (record-wise)?

 

You are forgetting the fact that if we win out, we will almost assuredly pass Sacto since they play Phoenix twice meaning the Mavs would host us.

It's possible that we host the Sonics, but I would call it highly highly unlikely.

 

it almost happened that way in the East this year:

at one point in the season, the entire Atlantic Division was playing losing basketball, but the division leader would have been the third seed regardless of the 8th seeds record at the time...


eventually, Boston got Walker and started winning, but technically the Bulls are the Easts third best team right now record wise...


CURRENTLY WASHINGTON(#6) WOULD HOST THE CELTICS(#3) IF THE PLAYOFFS STARTED TODAY

 

Doesn't really matter. We are better on the road than at home.

 

If Rockets win 3 of the remaining 4 games, they will have exactly the same record for at home and on the road .

So, Rockets are as good on the road as at home.

 

That's the killer right there. I don't think it's farfetched at all that the Rockets win their remaining 4 games and Seattle struggles to win more than one game(only New Orleans is a sure thing).

The problem is I can't imagine Sactown winning all their games to remain ahead of the Rockets. Damn, even with only 4 games left, there's still no guarantee where these teams end up. It's all Denver's fault!

 

If we win out and Sacramento wins out and Seattle only wins one of it's remaining games..... we host Seattle.

-This is because Denver is on our schedule and if they lose one then Seattle clinches their division and obtains the 3rd seed.
-We win out then our record is 51-31
-Sacremento wins out their record is 52-30 and sit at the #4
-If Seattle wins only one of their remaining games they are 51-31 and if that one win does not come against the rockets then we will have the advantage head-to-head and get homecourt against them

Home Court is definitely possible, but tricky.

 

hate to burst anyones bubble, but lets say we slip a game or two and face the spurs in round 1...

 

My bad, Sacramento sits at the #5 if they win out.

 

I remmeber last year's seedings got all messed up after Sacto went on some mad losing streak and Kobe had his miracle two buzzer beater threes to tie and then beat Portalnd in OT...