All times are CENTRAL<BR><table border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=5><tr style='color:#ffffff;background-color:#000099;font-size: 14px;font-family: Arial;text-shadow: 0 2px 0 rgba(0,0,0,1);'><td colspan=2 align=center><b>Visitor</b></td><td colspan=2 align=center style='border-left:1px solid #9999FF;'><b>Home</b></td><td align=center><b><nobr> Time </nobr></b></td></tr><tr style='color:#000000;background-color:#eeeeee;font-size: 12px;font-family: Arial;'><td valign=middle></td><td valign=middle>(20-30) NEW YORK<br><b>KNICKS</b></td><td valign=middle style='border-left:1px solid #cccccc;'></td><td valign=middle>(40-12) OKLAHOMA CITY<br><b>THUNDER</b></td><td valign=middle align=center>12:00 pm<BR><b>(ABC)</b></td></tr><tr style='color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-size: 12px;font-family: Arial;'><td valign=middle></td><td valign=middle>(24-25) CHICAGO<br><b>BULLS</b></td><td valign=middle style='border-left:1px solid #cccccc;'></td><td valign=middle>(18-32) LOS ANGELES<br><b>LAKERS</b></td><td valign=middle align=center>2:30 pm<BR><b>(ABC)</b></td></tr><tr style='color:#000000;background-color:#eeeeee;font-size: 12px;font-family: Arial;'><td valign=middle></td><td valign=middle>(22-27) NEW ORLEANS<br><b>PELICANS</b></td><td valign=middle style='border-left:1px solid #cccccc;'></td><td valign=middle>(22-26) BROOKLYN<br><b>NETS</b></td><td valign=middle align=center>5:00 pm</td></tr><tr style='color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-size: 12px;font-family: Arial;'><td valign=middle></td><td valign=middle>(39-10) INDIANA<br><b>PACERS</b></td><td valign=middle style='border-left:1px solid #cccccc;'></td><td valign=middle>(15-37) ORLANDO<br><b>MAGIC</b></td><td valign=middle align=center>5:00 pm</td></tr><tr style='color:#000000;background-color:#eeeeee;font-size: 12px;font-family: Arial;'><td valign=middle></td><td valign=middle>(30-21) DALLAS<br><b>MAVERICKS</b></td><td valign=middle style='border-left:1px solid #cccccc;'></td><td valign=middle>(18-33) BOSTON<br><b>CELTICS</b></td><td valign=middle align=center>5:00 pm</td></tr><tr style='color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-size: 12px;font-family: Arial;'><td valign=middle></td><td valign=middle>(17-33) SACRAMENTO<br><b>KINGS</b></td><td valign=middle style='border-left:1px solid #cccccc;'></td><td valign=middle>(24-25) WASHINGTON<br><b>WIZARDS</b></td><td valign=middle align=center>5:00 pm</td></tr><tr style='color:#000000;background-color:#eeeeee;font-size: 12px;font-family: Arial;'><td valign=middle></td><td valign=middle>(27-22) MEMPHIS<br><b>GRIZZLIES</b></td><td valign=middle style='border-left:1px solid #cccccc;'></td><td valign=middle>(17-33) CLEVELAND<br><b>CAVALIERS</b></td><td valign=middle align=center>5:00 pm</td></tr><tr style='color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-size: 12px;font-family: Arial;'><td valign=middle></td><td valign=middle>(15-36) PHILADELPHIA<br><b>SIXERS</b></td><td valign=middle style='border-left:1px solid #cccccc;'></td><td valign=middle>(35-18) LOS ANGELES<br><b>CLIPPERS</b></td><td valign=middle align=center>8:30 pm</td></tr></table>
KD 37,9,9. The most impressive thing about Durant this year isn't his scoring but it's how much of a playmaker he has become.
Hate to be pessimistic, but with our personnel, we're never going to beat the Thunder. They're a nightmare, matchup wise, for us. They have bigs and wings that can neutralize our stars, and we don't have any that could stop theirs.
Actually you are being realistic. Unless there is a trade for a significant rotation player, this isn't the Rockets' year.
I don't think you're really saying anything new, but you're probably right. OKC is more talented and matches up well with us. It's not pessimistic to say the better team would beat us. Would love for the Grizzlies to sneak in as the 8th seed and match up with OKC round 1. They could be a real threat for OKC. Golden State I guess could also get hot and knock them off if they were matched up against them as well, but I think the Thunder would still win that series.
Sad part is, Lakers are going to get a great pick in this year's loaded draft and will develop him in 3 yrs and then content again. They are in full-on tank mode.
Yea I know right. I viewed Lowry running away as "Ok ****...this is bull**** but I'm not gonna say anything and run back on D."
Barring further injuries, I suspect the Grizzlies will end up battling the Warriors for 6th seed. The Spurs and Clippers (2nd or 3rd seed) should be very worried, especially the Spurs. If WB returns to earlier season form... The Thunder's toughest draw is the Clippers, not Grizzlies, and the Warriors chance of beating them in a 7-game series is close to zero.
They brought in Steve Javie to have him emphasize how hard it is to ref and to pat them on the back/praise them.
Right. I agree. I just didn't include the Clippers because there is virtually no chance they play OKC in Round 1, but they'd definitely be the biggest threat to OKC, no doubt. It should be a fun postseason in the West. Realistically, every top seed could go down with an upset, but that largely depends on what the matchups end up being. Hard to say there will be any "easy outs".