What happens if the last game of the season against Utah is meaningless? Both Utah and Houston have defined playoff seeding (regardless of who has homecourt) and they will play each other in the first round. Does JVG play the bench? I do not know if you want to show your opponent all your cards. But then again it is Van Gundy.
I was discussin this same topic with my dad the other day... if i was jeff van gundy and the last game was meaningless i would play my starters the first quarter, then go to the bench the rest of the way... i wouldnt want any of the starters to get hurt!
here is some info i found. "The National Basketball Association announced several rule changes Wednesday that will be implemented for the 2006-07 season, including a new playoff seeding system that replaces a format widely considered flawed. Last season, the Dallas Mavericks were seeded fourth despite having the second-best record in the Western Conference, and therefore drew the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs in the conference semifinals. To ensure that the top two teams in the conference do not meet earlier than the conference finals, the three division winners and the team with the next best record will be seeded according to their regular-season records. Previously, the division winners were automatically awarded the top three playoff spots."
if the last game of the season is for who gets homecourt, then it is not meaningless... p.s. have the Rockets ever been 16 games over .500 this season? We can start to play our best basketball NOW and be in a position to surpass the Jaz and take the homecourt...(as the 5th seed no less)
im not so sure about your police work there Parlett... the better record gets homecourt... the division leader gets the 4th seed... in this scenario, the Rockets, with a better record, would have the homecourt advantage as the 5th seed...
Homecourt would be huge. Utah is one of the toughest homecourt to play in. That's a very hostile environment and it really makes it tough to beat them in Utah. A game 7 in Utah is no easy task for any NBA team. That last game of the season might be huge. This might be the first 8 game series ever.
Yeah homecourt would definetley give the rockets a huge competitive advantage. Instead of playing the last homegame in salt lake and chilling till game 1 of the playoffs theyre gonna have to make that flight to houston with us with a bad taste in their mouths. We are gonna need every bit of phsycological and physical pressure that we can put on these guys to beat them...
Agreed. Its funny, because as empty as the Toyota Center has been during the regular season,(despite paid attendance) I can pretty much bet it will be as great an atmosphere as any come playoff time. Btw, we play Utah twice more, right?
lets not overlook that Utah is only three games back of the Spurs... what we dont want is the Spurs to tank and land in the 4th seed... we control our destiny... beat Utah in the next two matchups and we have the best chance of a matchup with Utah and the homecourt
You have to show me where the NBA states that a 5th seed will have homecourt over a 4th seed. I would love to have homecourt over those godless heathens but I don't see it happening. EDIT: Well that's news to me!
We'll play our starters. Utah will play their scrubs, who will immediately begin to assault our key players. After the suspensions are handed out, Utah will enter the playoffs without their 13th, 14th, and 15th men, while we will start Game 1 with a lineup of Tsakilidas/Novak/Spanoulis/Lucas/Sura (and Clarence Weatherspoon coming off the bench).
its one of the most confusing new rules to the playoff seedings... even John P Lopez of the Chronicle cant get it straight... it happened last year, Denver was the third seed as the Division winner, matched up against the Clippers as the sixth seed with a better record... the series started and ended in LA, by virtue of home court advantage
It has nothing to with seeding. The rule is whatever team has the best record, has homecourt advantage, it's always been that way and is that way now.
are you going to be at the game. I'll get you into the luxury box. we just need to trade cell phone numbers. i'm serious dude.
They may lose to Cavs again today. James played really bad the first half. He most likely will turn it on in second half. They will beat Golden State at home next. But they might lose again to Clippers in LA after that. Or so I hope.
