If Utah goes 2-2, beating Oklahoma City and Portland in its last four games it would have the tiebreaker over Minnesota because of a better division record. Portland needs to lose their last game to Utah to try to get Minnesota in the play-in instead of a sagging Utah team.
4 games is plenty to flip a 1.5 game lead. Blazers flipped a 3.5 game deficit in 8 bubble games. I remember once, the Knicks were up 5 games on Boston with 5 games left in the early 90s. Boston won 5 and Knicks lost 5. Boston won division. Jazz could easily go 1-3 the rest of the way. All Minnesota would have to do is win their remaining 3 games (all at home). Jazz going to play-in.
Utah is 13-5 at home this calendar year so maybe they're not as bad as they're looking lately because all of their recent 6 losses were on the road. Utah plays three games at home before their last game in Portland.
The jazz have three games at home including one against Oklahoma City before playing Portland in Portland. I guess it's possible they go 1-3.
Yep, the Jazz are always tough at home and they have more playoff experience. I would not worry about the Pelicans winning that game.
From what I've seen of the Pelicans, Clippers, Wolves and I guess the Jazz and even the Spurs. I still think the chances that the Pelicans make it through the play ins and into the playoffs are very very slim. I don't know why some in here think the Wolves are a game that the Pelicans should win on the road but I definitely don't and obviously the Clippers aren't. I think there's a far far better chance that San Antonio beats the Pels in the first game than the Pels beating their opponent if they make it to the second game.
Normally with these matchups were talking about them in the context of a 7 game series where the better team wins, or if the series is close both teams have a lot of strengths and are roughly evenly matched. But a single game winner takes all is very unpredictable. Even if lets say the Jazz would win 95% of the time in a playoff series against the Pelicans, for a single game what would those odds be, maybe 60/40? or 70/30? Certainly very possible the worse team wins. I do think odds are more likely the Pelicans miss the playoffs than make it, especially losing to the Clips and now likely not having a chance at the 8th slot. But its very plausible the Pelicans do make it.
While im happy Washington is winning to push the Pels pick down, i am worried about Minnys ability to beat NO in the second game in the PIT. Fully healthy twolves should not be losing at home to a Wizards team thats tanking.
The Kings really need to reverse King this. They can afford it they've got 2.5 games on the Lakers so they should just go ahead and win this game. I have no idea why Mitchell isn't on CJ every possession.
if the Spurs win the same number of remaining games as New Orleans, they play the 1st play-in game at home
If the Spurs and Pelicans win the same amount of games going forward the Pelicans will play at home because they're a full game up on the Spurs.
