We are engaged in the new battle with the Rockets, Hornets, and Spurs for these spots. Denver is out of reach, and we won't waste time talking about the L*kers. Clearly Utah, Dallas, and even the Suns (who have a chance thanks to Utah & Dallas) have fallen into the competition for the 7th & 8th slot. Blazer remaining games Sun, Apr 5 @ Houston Tue, Apr 7 @ Memphis Wed, Apr 8 @ San Antonio Fri, Apr 10 LA Lakers Sat, Apr 11 @ LA Clippers Mon, Apr 13 Oklahoma City Wed, Apr 15 Denver Spurs remaining games Sun, Apr 5 @ Cleveland Tue, Apr 7 @ Oklahoma City Wed, Apr 8 Portland Fri, Apr 10 Utah Sun, Apr 12 @ Sacramento Mon, Apr 13 @ Golden State Wed, Apr 15 New Orleans Rockets remaining games Sun, Apr 5 Portland Tue, Apr 7 Orlando Thu, Apr 9 @ Sacramento Fri, Apr 10 @ Golden State Mon, Apr 13 New Orleans Wed, Apr 15 @ Dallas Hornets remaining games Sun, Apr 5 Utah Tue, Apr 7 @ Miami Wed, Apr 8 Phoenix Fri, Apr 10 @ Dallas Sun, Apr 12 Dallas Mon, Apr 13 @ Houston Wed, Apr 15 @ San Antonio
I don't agree. Denver only has to drop one and we can catch them. Sure I am talking about running the table. But I have seen weirder things happen in the NBA, and after the heat check on Sunday, we will know a hell of a lot more about how hard this team will push for the 2 spot. If they walk into Houston and pimp that team down by 20 like they have beat the last several teams, watch out. If they don't, your scenario is more likely.
I think the battle is 3-5, Hornets will not be a threat with that schedule, imo. We got 6-1 rest of the way..3rd Anything less than that, is a crap shoot for 4th or 5th. We really need 1 of the Texas 2-step
Denver April 4th, Clippers April 5th, @Timberwolves April 8th, Thunder April 9th, @L*kers April 13th, Kings April 15th, @Portland im thinking 4-2 with them losing at lakers and portland
We have one more loss than them and we play them so I wouldn't say they are out of reach. It'd be tough, but we could catch them.
Denver could lose at Minnesota. Minnesota just beat Utah in Utah. Utah is a better home team than Denver is on the road. I'm certainly not saying it's likely, but those are the types of losses that happen sometimes and cost teams divisions (if Denver takes the division, Portland could look at their own loss to the Clippers).
I still think our best bet in the postseason is the 4th spot, with NOR as 5th, and then take on the Lakers in the second round.
With how Utah is playing, a 2/7 matchup with them would be even better, IMO. Because then Portland would have HCA in round 2, as well. I can't see this struggling Utah team beating Portland if Portland has HCA.
Please read the following, you will need to know this----- All: These are the NBA tie-break procedures for the postseason. Some things have changed from previous seasons. Please contact me with any questions. -Pete Playoff Tie-Break Procedures Ties for playoff positions (including division winners) will be broken utilizing the criteria set forth in subparagraph a. below (in the case of ties involving two teams) and subparagraph b. below (in the case of ties involving more than two teams), and the guidelines set forth in subparagraph c. below. Two Teams Tied. In the case of a tie in regular-season records involving only two teams, the following criteria will be utilized in the following order: (1) Division winner (this criterion is applied regardless of whether the tied teams are in the same division). (2) Better winning percentage in games against each other. (3) Better winning percentage against teams in own division (only if tied teams are in same division). (4) Better winning percentage against teams in own conference. (5) Better winning percentage against teams eligible for playoffs in own conference (including teams that finished the regular season tied for a playoff position). (6) Better winning percentage against teams eligible for playoffs in opposite conference (including teams that finished the regular season tied for a playoff position). (7) Better net result of total points scored less total points allowed against all opponents (“point differential”). More Than Two Teams Tied. In the case of a tie in regular season records involving more than two teams, the following criteria will be utilized in the following order: (1) Division winner (this criterion is applied regardless of whether the tied teams are in the same division). (2) Better winning percentage in all games among the tied teams. (3) Better winning percentage against teams in own division (only if all tied teams are in the same division). (4) Better winning percentage against teams in own conference. (5) Better winning percentage against teams eligible for playoffs in own conference (including teams that finished the regular season tied for a playoff position). (6) Better net result of total points scored less total points allowed against all opponents (“point differential”). Guidelines For Applying Tie-Break Criteria. The following guidelines shall be used when applying the above criteria to break ties for playoff positions: (1) (a) Ties to determine the division winners must be broken before any other ties. (b) When a tie must be broken to determine a division winner, the results of the tie-break shall be used to determine only the division winner, and not for any other purpose. (2) If a tie involves more than two teams, the tie-break criteria in subparagraph b. shall be applied in the order set forth therein until the first to occur of the following: (a) Each of the tied teams has a different winning percentage or point differential under the applicable tiebreak criterion (a “complete” breaking of the tie). In this circumstance, the team with the best winning percentage or point differential under the criterion will be awarded the best playoff position, the team with the next-best winning percentage or point differential will be awarded the next-best playoff position, and so on, and no further application of the tie-break criteria will be required. (b) One or more (but not all) of the tied teams has a different winning percentage or point differential under the applicable tie-break criterion (a “partial” breaking of the tie). In this circumstance: (x) any team(s) that performed better under the applicable criterion than any other team(s) will be awarded a higher playoff position than such other team(s); and (y) teams that had equivalent performance under the applicable criterion will remain tied, and such remaining tie(s) will be broken by applying, from the beginning, the criteria in subparagraph a.(1)-(6) above (for any remaining tie involving only two teams) or subparagraph b.(1)-(5) above (for any remaining tie involving more than two teams) and the guidelines set forth in this subparagraph (3) If application of the criteria in subparagraph a. or b. does not result in the breaking of a tie, the playoff positions of the tied teams will be determined by a random drawing. Peter D. Newmann NBA Research and Information Specialist ESPN, Inc.
Denver really isn't that great of a team. They've been known to stumble for no reason at all. Yes they've been playing hot and I doubt they will drop out of the top 3, but they're not for sure as anything.
Not impossible, the way this team is playing. Which is incredible. It should be close to impossible, considering the 4 very tough games left.
5 team crammed into a 2.5 game spread. That makes for some exciting basketball, but on another level it is darned frustrating. All those games Oden missed...would a healthy Oden have meant 1 or 2 more wins? (and please spare me the diatribes about how his injuries are an excuse, not a problem) Equally galling....what the hell was KP thinking? "I can't hit a HR, so I'll take my ball and go home!" Why couldn't he swallow his pride long enough to make a modest deal...not a "Pritchslap", but one that could have netted us a few more wins. People keep coming up with some variation of "wait till next year." Bull! We had an opening, and didn't go for it. A year from now, we may be looking back on this as a missed opportunity.
Which deal that was available should he have taken? (And please spare me the diatribes about how there were certainly deals that would have helped and not been too expensive. Name them and provide a non-rumour source that they were available. Then, if I agree that they were good deals, I'll join you in being galled.)
A trade might have cost us 1-2 games as well while the new player transitioned in. It's not like that scenario doesn't occur every year. 1-2 games with this tight of a race could have been costly.
Ya, to complain about no trade considering how we are playing is pretty ridiculous. Also, other teams have had injuries, what if they hadn't? Same thing.
You know darn well you are setting an impossible standard. You are assuming that not one team out of 29 was willing to trade with Portland.....and you want a non-media source to prove it. I don't accept that assumption. Furthermore, this is a situation where fans *have* no source of info, other than the media. Case in point: we know for a fact that NO wanted to trade Chandler. All we have, however, are media reports (EG SI.com) that Chandler's health was merely a pretext for OKC backing out of the deal. OKC's actions left NO in the lurch and scrambling for an alternative. What "non-rumor" proof do you have that KP tried to take advantage of the situation by brokering a 3-way trade? See, two can play that game!
3 way deal with what? OKC wanted a good big. Chandler is/was one. What could Portland offer OKC and NO in the bigs department? I very much doubt OKC would have any interest in Frye/Ike and Portland was not going to give LMA/Oden up - so what way was there for Portland to get in there to steal TC?
