Magic Number for the Rockets against West Playoff Contenders

so, if we , NO, LA ends up with same record, we get 3rd seed

but if we meet LA, will we have home-court?

it looks we will, it just doesn't make sense, 1st seed don't have home court over 3rd seed

 

I thought I was clear about the rules, however the rules didn't make sense to me since it determines the divison title ahead of the conference title for some odd senairio such as the 4 way tie for the first with 3 from the same divison and the worst from the 3 actually would win the conference if not for the guaranteed top 4 seed rule.

I think the NBA thinks that the division title means something in the regular season and awards the title as well. There is no such thing as regular season conference title, which is to be decided in the play-offs.

 

Division titles are decided first, then the seeding.....

I believe Houston woudl have the number 1 seed if the above scenarios play out.

DD

 

Rockets are 2-2 against the Spurs, Hornets

2-1 against the Lakers

6-5,


Hornets are 2-2 against Us, the Lakers, and Spurs

6-6

The Lakers are 1-2 against Us and the Spurs

2-2 against the Hornets

4-6,

Whatever happens today, we have the advantage over the Lakers, if we both win out -- because we beat them head to head.

Thing is we are tied with Spurs and Hornets, if the Spurs lose today we jump ship over them, if we win out, because of the same number of losses. If e come down tied with both teams on the last day of season, we automatically lose, because we are only 8-8 within division, while the other two are 10-5 and 10-6, so even if New Orleans loses that could still end up the #1 seed, because of the division.



Another thing, if you are lucky enough for 2nd or 3rd seed you get the pleasure of meeting Mavs or Suns in the first round....yippee.

If we stay ahead of Phoenix and not gain ground on anyone we play Utah again. If we fail to get number 1 seed, we get the Mavs or Suns, but if we get it we either get the Nuggets or the Warriors. I don't know why people on this board are so excited to play Denver or especially the Warriors.

We can win the #1 seed, if both N.O and S.A. lose another one, and hope we go undefeated, no matter what Lakers do....we'll have the advantage over them. If we lose another one, and other teams lose at least one more, we won't get it, because of our average division record. We would be teh fifth seed.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/fc/tgl_finder.cgi/

 

So many numbers.

So we're rooting for hte Lakers to win right?

 

The big news of the night was the Sacramento Spoilers upsetting New Orleans. The Hornet’s Magic Number drops 1. Suddenly the Southwest division title is wide open. With a Magic Number of 4, the Hornets are definitely in our sights. The Lakers moved up to the #1 spot (for today).

And everyone here seems to dismiss our 1-pt loss to the Spoilers.

 

No, we won't be #1 since the top 4 seed would be set with three division winners (including Utah with lesser record) and the second best from our divison and we are the odd one out, not eligible for the conference title simply because we are not in the top 4 for seeding consideration, even if we have the single best head to head record among the 4 teams with the best record. This is exactly what doesn't make sense to me.

 

Beautifu!!!

I want it. I want it. I want it.

 

This will make your head spin:

http://www.nba.com/statistics/playoff_picture.html

TIEBREAKER BASIS:
(-) Tie breaker not needed (better overall winning percentage)
(1) Head-to-head
(2) Conference Record
(3) vs. Teams ultimately at-or-over .500
(4) Head-to-Head cumulative point differential
(5) vCoin toss (tied teams listed alphabetically above)
x-Clinched Playoff Berth | o-Eliminated from Playoffs contention | e-Clinched Eastern Conference | w-Clinched Western Conference
nw-Clinched Northwest Division | p-Clinched Pacific Conference | sw-Clinched Southwest Division | a-Clinched Atlantic Division
c-Clinched Central Conference | se-Clinched Southeast Conference
*-Games remaining vs.Teams Over/Under .500


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Playoff Tie-Break Procedures


Ties for playoff positions (including division winners) will be broken utilizing the criteria set forth in subparagraph a. below (in the case of ties involving two teams) and subparagraph b. below (in the case of ties involving more than two teams), and the guidelines set forth in subparagraph c. below.

a. Two Teams b. More Than Two Teams Tied
(1) Better winning percentage in games against each other. (1) Better winning percentage in all games among the tied teams.
(2) Better winning percentage against teams in own division (only if tied teams are in same division). (2) Better winning percentage against teams in own division (only if all tied teams are in the same division).
(3) Better winning percentage against teams in own conference. (3) Better winning percentage against teams in own conference.
(4) Better winning percentage against teams eligible for playoffs in own conference (including teams that finished the regular season tied for a playoff position). (4) Better winning percentage against teams eligible for playoffs in own conference (including teams that finished the regular season tied for a playoff position).
(5) Better winning percentage against teams eligible for playoffs in opposite conference (including teams that finished the regular season tied for a playoff position). (5) Better net result of total points scored less total points allowed against all opponents (“point differential”).
(6) Better net result of total points scored less total points allowed against all opponents (“point differential”).

c. Guidelines For Applying Tie-Break Criteria.
The following guidelines shall be used when applying the above criteria to break ties for playoff positions:

(1) (a) Since the three division winners receive the first three playoff positions, ties to determine the division winners must be broken before any other ties.
(b) When a tie must be broken to determine a division winner, the results of the tie-break shall be used to determine only the division winner and its playoff position, not any other playoff position(s).

(2) If a tie involves more than two teams, the tie-break criteria in subparagraph b. shall be applied in the order set forth therein until the first to occur of the following:
(a) Each of the tied teams has a different winning percentage or point differential under the applicable tiebreak criterion (a “complete” breaking of the tie). In this circumstance, the team with the best winning percentage or point differential under the criterion will be awarded the best playoff position, the team with the next-best winning percentage or point differential will be awarded the next-best playoff position, and so on, and no further application of the tie-break criteria will be required.
(b) One or more (but not all) of the tied teams has a different winning percentage or point differential under the applicable tie-break criterion (a “partial” breaking of the tie). In this circumstance: (x) any team(s) that performed better under the applicable criterion than any other team(s) will be awarded a higher playoff position than such other team(s); and (y) teams that had equivalent performance under the applicable criterion will remain tied, and such remaining tie(s) will be broken by applying, from the beginning, the criteria in subparagraph a.(1)-(6) above (for any remaining tie involving only two teams) or subparagraph b.(1)-(5) above (for any remaining tie involving more than two teams) and the guidelines set forth in this subparagraph c.

(3) If application of the criteria in subparagraph a. or b. does not result in the breaking of a tie, the playoff positions of the tied teams will be determined by a random drawing.

 

Technically we are and we are not. If they win today (and if we win tonight) that just puts SA up against Utah the first round and we get to date with Suns. Phoenix and Dallas are pretty much locked in their positions unless someone bombs out. We can't jump ship over LA unless Hornets lose again. If we sweep the next three games, at Denver, at Utah, and LA Clippers.

We will win the division, if we probably end up in first, because we have to finish one game ahead of both SA or NO, no ties...we lose tie breakers to both teams.

 

Exactly.

 

Is it correct to say that if we win our last 3 games, we will become Stern's "Perfect Storm"?

 

No. If Houston wins out and LA wins out, Houston will be the 1 seed. Regardless of anything New Orleans does. Lakers being tied with us prevents NO from getting the 1 seed.

3 team TB between NO, LA, and HOU goes to HOU. 4-3 beats 4-4(NO) and 3-4(LA).

Thats why everyone is in such a tizzy. Its actually possible for the Rockets to get the number 1 seed without winning their division!

 

I don't understand how the Rockets could be the #1 seed and NOT win the division. Since New Orleans would have already won the tie breaker for the division, why would we be seeded higher?

Please explain this. So confused.

 

The divison champs are only guarenteed for one of the top 4 seeds. The best non divison champ wins the fourth spot. After that, seed the top 4 teams. If tied, using the tie breaker rule where head to head records are above any other tie-breakers.

 

Division winners get automatic top 4 seed bid. Then the team with the next best record gets thrown in and you seed them 1-4. Now, you have the 4 teams which in this case would be HOU, NO, LA, and UTA. Utah has the weakest record so they are automatically 4th. The other three are tied so you go with a 3 team tie break. Which Houston wins by virtue of having the best record in games among the 3 tied teams.

 

Wow. So we lose one tie-breaker (division), and win another (head to head to head). That blows my mind, but I guess you're right!

 

I think I understand the reference well, which doesn't explain my sceinario. ScriboErgoSum already explained it pretty well. I was talking about the rules doesn't make sense for the current potential situation that the 4 teams tie for the top with three out of the four come from the same divison, and the odd one out for the top 4 seed actually would win the conference if applying the tie-breakers rule #1.