http://www.usatoday.com/sports/sagarin/nba0809.htm Several things to note quickly: - The Rockets have not had a difficult schedule (recall in the first couple of months of the last season the Rockets' SOS was one of the toughest in the league), despite having played 10 of 15 games on the road. - Our record against top teams isn't great, compared to lower rated Hornets and Jazz. - Orlando's 10-4 overall W-L record belies a very easy schedule, and a rather poor record against top teams (0-2 vs top 10, 3-3 vs top 16), which puts DHo's personal stats into some perspective.
Good find. The Orlando Magic are a complete sham at 10-4. They have a poorly constructed roster and a mediocre coach. Just watch when they get chewed up by a bunch of Western Conference teams next month. Without changes, they ain't goin' anywhere except out in the 1st round. The Blazers have to be feeling really good about themselves at 9-6. They are the 2nd youngest team in the NBA and have a back-breaking schedule the first 24 games. Unless injuries bite them, they have nowhere to go but up as they integrate 3 new players (I'm including Sergio) into the rotation and improve their chemistry. I felt before the season the Cavs were the best team in the East. For a change, their offense looks a lot fresher than it ever has with Mike Brown as coach. Eventually Gibson will find himself and they will really hit stride. This might be their year. At 7-8 despite playing the toughest schedule so far, maybe there is hope for the Bulls after all. I doubt it. They blew their coaching hire and eventually teams will just clamp down on Rose late in games to beat them. Not sure where they will finish, but with Chauncey at PG, Nene playing the best ball of his career, K-Mart looking spry & nasty and a re-animated George Karl at the helm, Nuggets fan have something to cheer about.
Magic will still win the Southeast division but I don't see them beating Detroit, Cleveland, or Boston. It's pretty clear they are the 4th best team in the East.
I'm not one to argue numbers, and am not about to go through every team's schedule to find strengths and weaknesses. But just randomly looking at a team like the Nuggets. Has their schedule been that hard? Well, they have played the Lakers twice, the Cavs and the Celtics, and the Jazz....and they've gone 1-4 in those games by the way. But they've also played the Clippers, Warriors, Grizzlies, Bobcats, T-Wolves, Bucks, Bulls, Spurs and Mavs. They've played 2 back to backs and 8 of their 14 games on the road (57%). Now look at the Rockets. They've played the Celtics, Blazers, Lakers, Suns, Hornets and Magic (all teams with good winning records...regardless of whether or not the Magic is there because of a soft schedule)....and they've gone 3-3 in those games. But they've also played the Grizzlies, Thunder twice, Clippers, Wizards, Heat, Mavs and Spurs. They've played 3 back to backs (5 of those 6 games on the road) and 10 out of 15 road games (67%). Yet if I'm reading it correctly, the Nuggets have the 3rd hardest schedule, while the Rockets have the 17th hardest...something doesn't make sense there...
I wouldn't put too much stock in SOS just yet. At this point in the season, if you beat a team (even if they're good) you're effecting their winning percentage significantly, which brings down your own SOS. Especially if you beat a team twice (like Oklahoma City). It won't take long for it to be relevant, but I don't feel like it is just yet.
I can't argue this, but I just want to point out that we have had 3 back-to-backs (@LAC, LAL; @Cle, @Bos; Mil, @SA), not two. We'll have our fourth (@LAC, NO) and fifth (@Min, Hou) back-to-backs this week.
