Our race for a playoff spot

Fatigue and injury concern, 51 wins is more likely.
It does not go that way perfectly.

 

Any Western playoff team can start to click and beat any of the others. That said, the Blazers and Thunder worry me a little this year. I did not like how we got manhandled by Nurkic at all. Even with Capela back, that is not a great matchup for us.

 

Nurkic still has 4year, 39 million guaranteed contract. He is better than Capela .
Blazers fear great defense. Defense can beat them.

 

It's pretty obvious

Warriors & Nuggets will fight for 1&2.
Thunder Blazers Jazz & Rockets for 3-6
Spurs Clippers & Kings for 7&8 (I guess Lakers and Timberwolves are still possible)

Nuggets are 4 games ahead of 3rd with less than 20 games to go the chances of them falling that low are minute.

Hopefully we avoid the Jazz in the 1st Rd and Warriors in the 2nd Rd.

Though if the Warriors play the Kings I wouldn't mind playing them next. After playing the fastest team I'm the NBA they might get tired.

 

I feel like this is the bracket we want:

1. Warriors
2. Denver
3. Houston
4. Portland
5. Utah
6. OKC
7. Clippers
8. Spurs

I think OKC will be the easiest match for the Rockets in round one besides the Spurs. I can’t see a realistic scenario for a Rox / Spurs matchup to happen.

I like GS, Portland and Utah all busting each other while the Rockets get OKC / Denver.

 

Man that lost against OKC really sucks and still hurts...i still can't believe we lost that game.

 

lol okc beat our **** in twice. They arent going to be a 6th seed either

 

nah, let worriers go through OKC, Utah/Portland.
i'd want some spurs/clippers/nuggets

 

OKC has the hardest post-ASB schedule in the NBA, the Jazz have the easiest. Blazers have an easy schedule and refuse to lose, Rockets look like last year's team when the league office doesn't intervene, its not unreasonable to think OKC falls to 6.

 

Why is anyone afraid of Portland? They were this good last year and then got swept in the playoffs....

 

How are you so confident about our chances in a series against OKC? I feel like they've handled us very well this year, and I think they may be the only team to get in our way of a rematch with GSW.

 

Half game back of third we need top 3 to stand a real chance.

DD

 

I'd rather not face OKC in round one, just said its not improbable that they fall to 6.

With Capela we shouldn't get out rebounded by 20 like we did in our last game against them, also: James Harden > Paul George, Chris Paul > Russell Westbrook, Clint Capela ~ Steven Adams.

 

I don’t want to face OKC because I’m tired of playing them in the first round. I want new blood. Should we match up with them I expect that we’ll wipe the floor with them like we’ve done the last couple years. They’re improved but not good enough.

If we’re fully healthy we should favor ourselves against anyone except the Warriors.

 

Oops! I meant to tag coyotetex. My bad.

@coyotetex : How are you so confident about our chances in a series against OKC? I feel like they've handled us very well this year, and I think they may be the only team to get in our way of a rematch with GSW.

 

I would like the 3 seed, but honestly don't really care much.

Only team that can beat us in a 7 game series is GS. If we play them in the 2nd round instead of the conference finals so be it. I can't for the life of me figure why people think getting the 3rd seed is so important.

 

Finishing strong is more important than seeding. Last year the team got a little sloppy at the end.

 

I think that OKC has played way over their heads this year. I think they've peaked and will be an easy out in the playoffs, especially once opposing teams sell out to stop PG. I am not afraid of the rest of their team assuming Adams can be contained by Playoff Capela.

 

They bulldozed through the first two rounds, and were 24 minutes from the finals without CP3.