1 Lakers vs. 8 Jazz -- Jazz have a lot of away games against playoff teams. That means at least 4 losses. 2 Nuggets vs. 7 Mavericks -- Mavs jump to 7th, Nuggets stay 2nd due to their easy schedule. 3 Spurs vs. 6 Hornets -- Spurs have a relatively light schedule and the Hornets have a rough one. 4 Rockets vs. 5 Blazers -- Leftovers.
Based on Manu's injury, here are my revised predictions: 1 Lakers vs 8 Hornets 2 Nuggets vs 7 Jazz 3 Rockets vs 6 Mavericks 4 Blazers vs 5 Spurs What's changed: (1) Manu's injury will push the Spurs down and the Rockets and Blazers will move past them. One game of particular mention: I'm now assuming the Blazers will win in San Antonio on Thursday instead of losing. (2) The Hornets are stinky. The loss to the Jazz makes me drop them into #8 past both the Mavs and Jazz. Basically, I'm dropping both the Spurs and Hornets two slots lower than before. This changes the whole dynamic of the playoffs. Now it's almost a guaranteed stroll for the Lakers into the Finals. I think the Rockets have a decent chance at the WCFs. If the Rockets and Nuggets were to lose to the Mavs and Jazz, we could all jump off the same building together. Both sets of fans would be very devastated.
why do you all think that utah is going to finish behind dallas? the jazz will not play against the lakers in the 1st, they won't let themselves, they'll find a way to win some of those games and play denver or san antonio, we'll play either portland or new orleans, both teams we can dominate.
Lakers vs. Mavs --------------------- Lakers vs Blazers Spurs vs Blazers --------------------------------------------- Blazers vs Rockets ---------------- Rockets Nuggets vs Jazz --------------------- Nuggets vs Rockets Rockets vs Hornets
lakers - mavs ------- lakers nuggets - jazz/hornets ------- nuggets spurs - jazz/hornets ------- spurs rox - blazers ------- no jinx
1. Lakers 8. Jazz 2. Denver 7. Dallas 3. Rockets 6. Hornets 4. Spurs 5. Blazers This would be the ideal matchup for us IMO. Beat the hornets 4-1, beat the nuggets pretty handily and HOPE that spurs/blazers can take out the lakers. I think the Blazers will beat the spurs if thats the match up though.
Here's mine: 1 Lakers vs 8 Hornets 2 Rockets vs 7 Jazz 3 Nuggets vs 6 Mavericks 4 Blazers vs 5 Spurs But if we lose tonight, we switch places w/the Nuggets. The following is a great link posed elsewhere on the BBS that facilitates the various scenarios - http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/playoff...=D015001404514445140104500015510&24=D00011010
1st round: Lakers vs Mavs Nuggets vs Blazers Rockets vs Hornets Spurs vs Jazz 2nd round Lakers vs Jazz Rockets vs Nuggets WCF Rockets vs Jazz WC Champion Rockets Final Rockets vs Cavs Rockets win 4-2
1ST rd: 1. LAL 2. DEN 3. HOU 4. SA 5. POR 6. NO 7. UTA 8. DAL QF 1. LAL 5. POR 3. HOU 7. UTA WCF 1. LAL 3. HOU
For some odd reason, why do I feel the Blazers might go deep into the playoffs, if they don't us in one of the early rounds. I'm surprise more people aren't picking them, especially since beating them in Rose Garden is very hard to do. Last 5 games: Utah Jazz (49-50 wins) (2-3, 3-2), they'll lose at least 2 games (vs. Dallas, SA, and LA) Dallas Mavs (49-50) (3-2, 4-1), 1.Lakers - 8. Mavs/Jazz (tiebreaker loser) 2. Denver - 7. Mavs/Jazz (tiebreaker winner) 3. Houston - 6. New Orleans 4. San Antonio, Portland (whoever wins tonight will get the 4th seed, most likely). Lakers beat Mavs in 5 games, Lakers beat Jazz in 6 games Nuggets beats Mavs in 6 games, Jazz beat Nuggets in 7 games Rockets beat Hornets in 5 games Trailblazers beat Spurs in 7
I'm with A3PO on this: Everyone is looking at the Jazz schedule and saying how tough it is and how they'll be the 7th or 8th seed. However, nobody seems to be talking about New Orleans' remaining schedule: Phoenix @ Dallas Dallas @ Houston (2nd night of back to back) @ San Antonio There is a VERY GOOD chance New Orleans could be the 8th seed, especially since they play the current 8th seed (Dallas) twice in the remaining 5 games. Houston could very likely pull into the 3rd spot, which would be nice, but that would probably cause them to face the Jazz or even Dallas in the first round.
It is TOTALLY IMPOSSIBLE to figure out who will play who lol There is only 4 games left and almost all playoff teams are playing each other that it can go either way and i have given up on predicting it lol
The Blazers currently have a winning record against exactly no other playoff teams in the West. Even the Lakers, who I am increasingly hearing the Blazers match up well against, for some unknown reason, they're currently 1-2 against. Add in the fact that the Blazers currently will NOT have home court advantage, and are young and lacking playoff experience, and it shouldn't be surprising that not many expect them to go deep. If the Rockets finish the season 3-1 or better, as they should, I am confident they will have either the 2,3, or 4 seed and play either the Blazers, Hornets, or Jazz! in the same vein, Dallas also has a hard finishing schedule. Utah, NO, @ NO, Minnesota, Houston Basically, every playoff team has a hard remaining schedule. Of the ones that matter, I'd say hardest to easiest would be: 1. Hornets 2. Mavs 3. Jazz 4. Blazers 5. Spurs 6. Rockets 7. Nuggets
The way I see it, right now Dallas has a chance to move up to probably the 7th spot, with New Orleans in 8th, and Utah in 6th. What I think could very well end up happening is the Rockets having to make a decision on that final game whether they want to finish in 3rd, winning the division, and playing the Jazz as their reward.....or losing on the road to the Mavs, and getting the 4th seed, and getting the Blazers.
Portland is one of the hottest teams in the league right now and they are just as tough to beat at home as the Jazz. Plus they are going to be fearless on the road. I wanna face Mavs, Hornets, Spurs, Jazz, Blazers in that order.
Blazers have a horrible record on the road like Utah. So long as we face anyone but Lakers and Jazz we will be in the second round. But if we get 2nd or 3rd seed then we can avoid the Lakers until the WCF. The best thing would be if Jazz remains 7th seed and faces the Nuggets. Nuggets will kill them then we can hope to play them in the second round. But since Hornets have the toughest schedule followed by Dallas, I don't see that happening.
Latest prediction: 1 Lakers vs. 8 Hornets 2 Nuggets vs. 7 Jazz 3 Blazers vs. 6 Mavericks 4 Spurs vs. 5 Rockets The Nuggets will split their last 2 games, losing at Portland to finish with 28 losses. Their home game Monday against the Kings will sew up #2. Spurs, Rockets & Blazers already have 28 losses. The Blazers will win their final 2 home games. Without Yao, the Rockets will not beat both the Hornets at home & (esp) the Mavs on the road and may very well lose both. Even if the Spurs win all 3 remaining games, they lose the tie-breaker to Portland because the Blazers won the season series 3-1. At the bottom, I think the Mavs will win tomorrow in New Orleans to lock up #6. I also think the Hornets will also lose to the Rockets in Houston. Assuming the Jazz win out, they will finish with the same record as the Hornets and win the tie-breaker. A lot of things are still fluid. Yao possibly missing the final 2 games and the Lakers not taking their last game against Utah seriously throw things up in the air.
