...and the Rockets do not play in any of them. How? Currently, the Hornets and Lakers are 7th and 8th, respectively. One thing that everyone is forgetting is that the Lakers and Hornets still play eachother THREE more times. Let me repeat, THREE MORE times the rest of the season. Ideally, I would want the Hornets to win all three games, but I'll be satisfied if the Hornets go 2-1 in those three games. A sweep by the Hornets would be such a devastating blow to the Lakers. Just as we must win the game against the Lakers, the Lakers must win the games against the Hornets. Many BBS'ers here have been getting riled up about the prospect of us ending up with the 7th spot. The only way I can see that happening is if the Lakers take two of the three games against the Hornets and we beat the Lakers and Hornets later this season. Even then, the idea is pretty farfetched, but possible. A little off topic... And wow, the last day of the season will be absolutely amazing. The Lakers play the Hornets and we play the Spurs. Those two games alone will most probably decide the 1st, 2nd, 7th and 8th spots. Some here are throwing a fit because we have the toughest remaining schedule of all the teams in the NBA. This is skewed by the fact that we still play SA three more times and Dallas two more times. If we go 3-2, or even 4-1 (which isn't as hard as it seems if we have a healthy Tmac and Yao), we should be in good shape. So I want the Hornets to beat the Lakers three times. I want the Rockets to beat the Lakers and Hornets. If this happens, consider us a lock for the 8th spot.
Thank you for bring up those important games. But you are way too optimistic. So the Rox is going to beat the Spurs and Marvs 4:1? Tell me who they are going to lose if they beat 2 of the top 3 teams so convincingly? So they are going 25:5 to end the season? You are not drinking, aren't you? With determined Kobe and PJax, the lakers is not going to fall apart. To me, the hornets is the one that the Rox will replace in the standings. Therefore I wish the lakers win three straight over hornets. Lets not forget there are other teams ahead of the Rox. What the rox can do now is playing hard and win the next game. I am still optimistic about our chance of playoffs, but man you are off the chart.
They won't, but they won't improve either. That means they will be a 0.500 team for the rest of the season. Same with NO. That means NO, LA, HOU, Utah and SAC will compete for the 7th and 8th spot. Among them HOU has the most chances, provided that no more injuries and Tmac will get his head straight VERY soon.
Shouldn't that last game against San Antonio be an easy win? I doubt Duncan will play and maybe they'll sit some other stars too.
Only if San Antonio has secured the number 1 seed or has nothing to gain by winning. If they are having to play for home court throughout the playoffs with Dallas, they will be throwing everything but the kitchen sink at us!!
They almost never go all out to gain home court advantage. Just like last year when they didn't push for it against the Suns. The Spurs are usually more concerned about health and where they are playing-wise rather than the standings.
as long as hornets have west and paul playing together they will be in the playoffs. they are also 3-0 against rocks owning the tiebreak. rocks need the fakers to lose.
i don't think any of the top playoff seeds want to play against Houston in the first round. so i doubt that San Antonio will fight tooth and nail to get the first seed just to play Houston. unless winning that game knocks Houston out of the playoffs altogether.
The only senario that Spurs will intentionally lose to Rockets is they are falling far behind Dallas in next 2 weeks, I mean, over 3 games. Then they will settle down on #4 and look into the playoffs. Then they will find the best way to create some trouble to Dallas at #1 is to let Rockets end up with #8. That could be another 7 game series like last year and it can cancel off Dallas home advantage in the second round. More favorably to them, if rockets win, Spurs will have the home advantage.
Funny how you believe the Rocks will take the Mavs to 7 games. What, you think the Rocks will beat the Mavs twice on their home floor again?
You don't have to beat them even once on their home floor to take a series to 7 games. And to win, you only have to beat them once on the road. But we actually have to make the playoffs first to even have that chance...
Confusing quote. You say you don't have to beat them once on their home floor but then you say you only have to beat them once on the road. Wouldn't their home floor be considered the road??
His statement is exactly correct. To take the series to 7, you don't have to win on the road. Taking the series to 7 still leaves the last game unplayed. Actually winning the series requires at least one road victory, so his statement is spot on.
I hope you didn't actually think that I was being literal witht that statement. The point is that last year was last year. The Mavs are much better and the Rockets aren't as good.
