I was bored this afternoon so I took some time to look at the schedule for the 1-9 seeds in the west through 3/7. Here is my prediction for the standings when we wake up on 3/8. Our Rockets will be the 6th seed despite not losing a game, but we will only be 1 game out of 3rd! LAL 44-18 PHO 44-18 SAS 42-19 NO 42-19 DAL 42-20 HOU 41-20 UTA 41-21 GS 38-23 DEN 35-26 Here is the schedule for each of the teams during through 3/7: HOU 41-20 chi W was W mem W den W ind W @dal W (Dallas plays SAS, LAL, UTA on the road and then finally us in DAL. I don't think they'll have much left in the tank for us, so our streak continues.) UTA 41-21 @min W det W @no W @mem W dal L min W @pho L LAL 44-18 @ sea W por W mia W @por W dal L @sac W lac W SAS 42-19 atl W dal L @mil W @nj W nj W ind W @den L DAL 42-20 @ min W chi W @sas W sac W @lal W @uta W hou L PHO 44-18 det L @mem W @no W phi W por W @den W uta W NO 42-19 was W pho L uta L @was W @ny W atl W nj W GS 38-23 sea W phi W por W @atl L @cha W @mia W DEN 35-26 det L @sea W lal L @hou L pho L sas W
Good lord at GS' upcoming schedule. Those games should almost be a lock for them. This has to be the craziest season I've ever been through. If you have a bad WEEK, you could literally be out of the playoff race. Much less a bad month or anything close to it. I mean, one bad road trip could leave you outside looking in. Of the schedules listed, ours is one of the easiest. I don't like Denver but we should win and I definitely don't like Dallas regardless of what they have been through. The rest of our schedule does not look so nice though. I'm bracing for a rough March.
P.S. I feel bad for the Nuggets. Lakers/Rockets/Suns/Spurs ... one right after the other. Hopefully that will be an 0-4 trip for them and will put them well behind everyone.
I'm fast developing some mad dislike for the Warriors. What the hell is up with their schedule? Everytime I notice them, it seems like they're playing some easy game while the rest of the West playoff teams beat each other up silly. Then there's them beating teams that they aren't supposed to beat, such as the Celtics and was it Phoenix? Just drop out of the playoff race already Other than them, I really like our upcoming schedule. Of course we still need Denver and the GSW to lose some games...that'll make everyone breathe easier with a little cushion for the 7th spot that we're in.
What a miraculous turnaround of our form since the new year... all I can say is, if we can keep up the effort, we can be first in the league - we're only 3 games behind!!
Isn't Utah supposed to be at least 4th because they lead their conference table regardless of our record?
The Lakers won't lose to Dallas. In fact the Rockets could go 10-0 and still be 3 games behind the Lakers. The Lakers look to have the easiest schedule here on in and they should end up with the best record in the league. The Rockets if the maintain there play could be second. They should pass Dallas this week and more importantly are close enough to the top that will control their on destiny. Dallas has a tough schedule and could drop to 8. That's right Golden State will pass them in March but then I think Golden State will drop back to 8 with their brutal end of season matchups. Who knows Denver might even jump past GS if they have fallen to far back. If Rockets win division they will face Dallas in the 1st round. Lakers vs Golden State. Spurs vs New Orleans and Phoenix vs Utah. Second Round Spurs vs Rockets, Phoenix vs Lakers . WC finals Lakers vs Rockets. If Bynum is back that will be the real championship game. The Rockets
Golden State is a gimmick team, they will win any they are not supposed to and conversely lose many they are not supposed to.
Utah would automatically get rights to the 4th spot for leading their division. That makes your standings results as follows: LAL 44-18 PHO 44-18 SAS 42-19 UTA 41-21 NO 42-19 DAL 42-20 HOU 41-20 GS 38-23 DEN 35-26
Just a little curious, what makes you think that the new Mavericks will win 3 tough games against SAS, LAL and UTA on the road in the next 2 weeks?
So Rox will still be 7th after 6 additional straight wins. I am expecting some teams in front us will fall, most likely NO, just the same as Portland team. So I think Rox will move up to 6th place after two weeks.
The insertion of one Jason Kidd into their lineup. They have a couple more games to get familiar with eachother before they start that road swing. As for SAS, they can't count on Ginobili to keep doing what he has been doing, and I expect some bumps as they re-integrate Parker. As for NO, I do have them dropping some games, but I don't expect them to tank a la POR, so they will remain ahead for a little while longer. BTW, PHO lost to DET already as I predicted
Yea and also why does he thing the Jazz (one of best home teams, but worst road teams outta these teams, will beat NOs in NOs, just because we did (we are very good road team BTW) doesn't mean Jazz will. All I know is that winning these conference games are more important this year than I think I have ever seen... Come on NOs lost last night and dropped from 1 to 5, when the hell else could we have ever said that this late in the season.
I think Spurs may win all 7 in a row, not so sure about the Dallas run nor Denver, both teams look weak right now, about Houston schedule i agree.
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In spite of their win over Memphis, Dallas is in shaky position right now. Golden State is also in a shaky position -- center Andris Biedrins is out indefinitely, and their gimmick offense/zero defense is going to cost them a few. If I were a Suns fan, I'd be worried too. The Detroit Pistons just exposed why I never liked the Shaq trade for them: their perimeter shooting has been significantly impacted, they lack the floor spacing that has made them so lethal with their spread offense, and despite all the hoopla about Shaq getting defensive rebounds and throwing outlet passes, it's clear that their fast breaking game isn't what it used to be anymore. They're in a rough stretch. It's entirely within the realm of possibility that by next week we'll either be tied with or ahead of the Suns record wise. The stars have realigned in the West. It's no longer business as usual.