Magic Number for the Rockets against West Playoff Contenders

I really want this scenario to play out. It would be the fitting end to this epic race and the crazy seeding rules. We don't win our division but we get the #1 seed.

I don't think it's quite sunk in to a lot of pundits that this is an option. They keep talking about LA winning out and getting the #1 seed, and I would laugh so hard when they realize that Houston would be the top seed.

 

I want us to win out, the Hornets to win out, and the Lakers to win out. Then the Hornets are the Southwest division winner. We're not a division winner and we get the #1 seed.

That's a fitting end to this crazy, epic 2007-2008 Playoff race.

 

Multiple team tie breaks are confusing. I feel like I should get a minor in hoops numerology at this point.

In the first scenario you described, you're correct but for the wrong reason. First LA is a division winner along with Utah. Then there's a three team tie between the Rockets, Spurs, and Hornets. A division winner must be picked first. The Hornets and Spurs have better division records than the Rockets, so Houston is out of the tie break. If NO lost to Dallas, then the Hornets and Spurs have identical division records so it goes to conference records, where the Hornets win. New Orleans is the Southwest division champ.

Now you have to pick the winningest team that didn't win a division. SA and Houston are tied at the top, but Houston loses that Tie Break because of SA's superior division record. So they get a top 4 seed. We are left at #5, but with home court over the Jazz.

As far as seeding 1-3, if LA beats SA, they would all have split their seasons series 2-2 against one another. All 3 would have identical records of 4-4 against one another. So it goes to conference record, where LA wins out. Then it goes to a 2 team tie break to seed SA and NO. New Orleans wins this tie break as described earlier because of a better conference record. So LA is #1, NO is #2, and SA is #3.

In my condition 1, the Spurs are out of the equation, and the Hornets, Lakers, and Rockets are 57-25. Hornets win their division along with the Jazz and Lakers, and the Rockets get a top 4 seed due to have the best record of the teams remaining. Then when 1-4 is seeded, it's a three team tie break that we win over the Hornets and Lakers, so we get the #1 seed. The Hornets lose the 2 team tie break to the Lakers, so they are the #3 seed, and the Lakers are the #2 seed.

Always use the Order of Operations when deciding how they play out. There is an order to assigning the tie breaks, which teams are eligible for certain tie breaks, etc. It's overly complicated, but hopefully Stern will fix it this offseason.

 

We are. It was just a semantic thing. The Rockets wouldn't fall to #5 in a 4 team tie break because "we are the worst among the three teams from SW". We fall because the Lakers win their division, the Hornets win the three team tie break over us and the Spurs to win the Southwest. Then we lose a two team tie break to the Spurs and don't get a top 4 spot while the Spurs do.

I'm just trying to hammer the tie break and seeding rules home in this thread. They are confusing, but if you understand how they work, it all makes sense.

 

I'm reposting the Tie Break and Seeding rules because there certainly seems to be some confusion happening on the board and in this thread. I also have a better understanding of them as well. Thanks to all who participated in finetuning the seeding rules and tie break criteria (<B>davidghall</B>, <B>BucMan55</B>, <B>Cannonball</B>)

So how does this all work?

<B>Order of Operations</B>
The important thing to remember with seeding is that there is an order to apply them. So how do the Seeds get divvied up?
<B>1.</B> Determine the Division winners. For each Division, look at the Division teams and select the best team. If 2 teams are tied, use 2 Team Tie Break rules.
<B>2.</B> From the remaining 5 teams, select the winningest team. If 2 teams are tied, use 2 Team Tie Break rules. If 3 or more are tied, go to the Multiple Team Tie Break rules. Pick the top team.
<B>3.</B> Take the 4 teams selected and seed them 1-4 by record. If teams are tied go to Tie Break rules to determine who gets the higher seed.
<B>4.</B> Look at the 4 teams left and seed them 5-8 by record. If teams are tied go to Tie Break rules to determine who gets the higher seed.
<B>5.</B> Award home court in each round to the team with the best record. If teams are tied, use the 2 Team Tie Break rules to determine who wins.

<B>2 Team Tie Breakers</B>
<B>1.</B> Better record in head-to-head games
<B>2.</B> Higher winning percentage within division (if teams are in the same division)
<B>3.</B> Higher winning percentage in conference games
<B>4.</B> Higher winning percentage against playoff teams in own conference
<B>5.</B> Higher winning percentage against playoff teams in opposite conference
<B>6.</B> Higher point differential between points scored and points allowed

<B>Multiple Team Tie Breakers</B>
<B>1.</B> Best head-to-head winning percentage among all teams tied
<B>2.</B> Highest winning percentage within division (if teams are in the same division)
<B>3.</B> Highest winning percentage in conference games
<B>4.</B> Highest winning percentage against playoff teams in own conference
<B>5.</B> Highest point differential between points scored and points allowed

<B>Important:</B> Once a Multiple Team Tie Break has been winnowed down to just two teams, 2 Team Tie Break rules are used to order those two teams.

 

I would love to see that, and I'm definitely rooting for the Sacramento Spoilers from here out, for the Jazz when the play the Spurs, and for the Mavs to trip up the Hornets.

But you have to admit that winning the #1 when we didin't win our division is just poetically beautiful. I don't know whether Stern would laugh or blow a gasket, and I couldn't wait to hear how Laker Nation reacts.