Uh, yes it can. The Rockets Magic Number is 5 for home court advantage in the first round over the Jazz. A Rockets win over the Jazz will decrease the magic number by 2 since it would include both a Rockets win and a Jazz loss. Here's why the Magic Number is not 4. If the Rockets win their next 3 games and lose to Utah, they'll finish at 52-30. If the Jazz go 3-1 in their next 4 games, then beat the Rockets, they'll finish 52-30, and get the tiebreaker over the Rockets. That scenario involved 4 Rockets wins and/or Jazz losses and still didn't clinch anything for the Rockets. The Magic Number is 5 with 4 games to go. Likewise, the Astros Magic Number is currently 158 with 155 games to go. Teams not in the lead always have Magic Numbers greater than the number of games left. That is why they "need help" by having other teams lose their games.
the tiebreak will come back to haunt us the best scenario would be for the rox to be miraculously up by 2 games going into the finale. it could happen given the way jazzholes are playing
Really? I love it when people make predictions like these. This was from the 4th of April. Hmmmm. Utah still have to play Dallas and Phoenix back-2-back as well as Denver (all this week). We might seal the homecourt even before the last game. P.S. Since we are predicting, I'll predict that we take out Golden State in the 2nd round of the playoffs in five games.
Dallas clinched already, they will probably be resting...Utah can still lose a game and control their own destiny. Houston controls their own destiny but must finish ahead of Utah. DD
GS absolutely handed Utah their heads on a platter. I hope GS make it to the playoffs because they've been great against Dallas this year. It'll be a reunion of sorts also for Don Nelson going against his former team and Avery.
as was already discussed the line before you quoted in that post, winning the 3 games counts as one each towards the magic number. Winning against Utah counts as 2 (1 win for us, loss for them). 1+1+1+2 = 5.
Dude. You're saying GS plays Dallas, beats them, and then we take them out in 5??? I'd love to see it happen but uh...quit smoking man!
I think the real idea behind Golden State playing dallas is one the story line of Nellie coaching against his former team, and secondly Golden state has played dallas well this season. Not well like they are going to win the series, but well where they make them work and maybe steal a game, keep dallas from being completely fresh for our second round matchup.
Well, Dallas is a deep team, so it's not all that bad, but today's report is that according to Avery Dirk + Stack will play against Utah, but other starters will be rested.
Houston indeed is in control of her fate. Although Dallas have clinched, by tradition teams like this do not start resting players until the last to games. The Dallas_Utah game is slated for this Friday. I am sure Dallas would want to play hard but of course not over exert themselves. My call is Utah loses at least two of their next 3 games (Den, DAL and Phx). Cheers.
In the past, other teams have waited until the final couple games to rest starters, but AJ has announced the rest & relaxation program is already underway in Fallas.
That would be pretty sweet if the Jazz ended up losing two of their next three games. That would indicate they are having a quite few problems leading to an ultimately early exit from the playoffs. Even if we win out and Utah goes 3-1, earning home court, we will have enough headway going into the playoffs to beat them. Either way, Houston just needs to buckle down and pushed like they never have.
Even if Golden State looses to Dallas, they will at least wear them down. Who knows, maybe it will go 7 games. I live in Dallas and I'll be rooting for Golden State every game. miracles happen. remember the camera shot of Mutumbo on the ground holding the ball after the 8th seeded Denver beat the 1st seeded Sonics?
