The west is almost too competitive. There are 9 teams on track to win 50+ games and one of them might actually miss the playoffs. Think about it, a 50 win team might actually miss the playoffs! Current playoff picture in the West: LA Lakers vs. Golden State Warriros SA Spurs vs. Houston Rockets Dallas Mavericks vs. Phoenix Suns Utah Jazz vs. NO Hornets I can't wait for the Western Conference Playoffs.
Houston looks as if they will drop-out, so heres what I think the playoffs will look like L.A Lakers - Denver San Antonio - Golden State Phoenix - New Orleans Dallas - Utah
I still find it so funny that the 8th best team in the West would be the 4th best team in the East. Pretty pathetic. Right now, every team in the Western Conference Playoffs has a record above 62%. And two teams out of it above 50%. Meanwhile, the East have just 3 teams above 62%, and two other teams (in the playoffs) above 50%. And yet, the East has the two teams with the best records in the league. That makes my head hurt.
<table class="iptable" width="100%"><tbody><tr><th colspan="2" align="left" nowrap="nowrap">Western Conference</th><th>W</th><th>L</th><th>Pct.</th><th>GB</th></tr> <tr valign="top"> <td class="row1" align="right">1</td> <td class="row1"> LA LAKERS</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">45</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">19</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">.703</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">-</td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td class="row2" align="right">2</td> <td class="row2"> SAN ANTONIO</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">44</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">19</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">.698</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">1/2</td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td class="row1" align="right">3</td> <td class="row1"> HOUSTON</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">43</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">20</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">.683</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">1 1/2</td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td class="row2" align="right">4</td> <td class="row2"> UTAH</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">42</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">23</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">.646</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">3 1/2</td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td class="row1" align="right">5</td> <td class="row1"> NEW ORLEANS</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">42</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">20</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">.677</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">2</td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td class="row2" align="right">6</td> <td class="row2"> PHOENIX</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">42</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">22</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">.656</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">3</td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td class="row1" align="right">7</td> <td class="row1"> DALLAS</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">41</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">23</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">.641</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">4</td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td class="row2" align="right">8</td> <td class="row2"> GOLDEN STATE</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">39</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">23</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">.629</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">5</td> </tr> <tr valign="top"><th colspan="6" style="height: 4px;"></th></tr><tr valign="top"> <td class="row1" align="right">9</td> <td class="row1"> DENVER</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">37</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">26</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">.587</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">7 1/2</td> </tr> </tbody> </table>
<u>Games today involving teams in the race</u> Rockets (#3) @ Hawks Spurs (#2) @ Hornets (#5) Jazz (#4) @ Bucks Bobcats @ Mavs (#7) Grizzlies @ Nuggets (#9) Raptors @ Warriors (#8)
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jonah @ Feb 26 2008, 07:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Houston looks as if they will drop-out, so heres what I think the playoffs will look like</div> how quickly things change
The Nuggets have 37 wins right now and would be out of the playoffs. In the East, there will most likely be at least one playoff team that doesn't reach 37 wins.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (cpawfan @ Mar 12 2008, 08:56 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>The Nuggets have 37 wins right now and would be out of the playoffs. In the East, there will most likely be at least one playoff team that doesn't reach 37 wins.</div> How funny would it be if a team that wins close to 40 games out west makes a jump in the lottery and picks before a team that struggles to win 30 games.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (cpawfan @ Mar 12 2008, 09:49 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><u>Games today involving teams in the race</u> Rockets (#3) @ Hawks Spurs (#2) @ Hornets (#5) Jazz (#4) @ Bucks Bobcats @ Mavs (#7) Grizzlies @ Nuggets (#9) Raptors @ Warriors (#8)</div> Rockets won Hornets beat the Spurs Mavs won Jazz won Nuggets won Warriors won
<table class="iptable" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <th colspan="2" align="left" nowrap="nowrap">Western Conference</th><th>W</th><th>L</th><th>Pct.</th><th>GB</th></tr> <tr valign="top"> <td class="row1" align="right">1</td> <td class="row1"> LA LAKERS</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">45</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">19</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">.703</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">-</td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td class="row2" align="right">2</td> <td class="row2"> HOUSTON</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">44</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">20</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">.688</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">1</td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td class="row1" align="right">3</td> <td class="row1"> SAN ANTONIO</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">44</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">20</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">.688</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">1</td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td class="row2" align="right">4</td> <td class="row2"> UTAH</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">43</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">23</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">.652</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">3</td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td class="row1" align="right">5</td> <td class="row1"> NEW ORLEANS</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">43</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">20</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">.683</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">1 1/2</td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td class="row2" align="right">6</td> <td class="row2"> PHOENIX</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">42</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">22</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">.656</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">3</td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td class="row1" align="right">7</td> <td class="row1"> DALLAS</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">42</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">23</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">.646</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">3 1/2</td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td class="row2" align="right">8</td> <td class="row2"> GOLDEN STATE</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">40</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">23</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">.635</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">4 1/2</td> </tr> <tr valign="top"><th colspan="6" style="height: 4px;"> </th></tr> <tr valign="top"> <td class="row1" align="right">9</td> <td class="row1"> DENVER</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">38</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">26</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">.594</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">7</td> </tr> </tbody> </table>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dre @ Mar 13 2008, 01:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Denver needs to step it up.</div> Yep. Every time they start to make a move forward, they shoot themselves in the foot. The losses in Chicago and Milwaukee after the trade deadline will likely keep them out of the playoffs.
man im gonna be so pissed if Denver misses the playoffs. But hey, if they dont make it, its their fault, and hopefully Karl will be replaced.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (cpawfan @ Mar 13 2008, 12:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><u>Games today involving teams in the race</u> Warriors @ Suns</div> Suns won 123-115
<table class="iptable" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <th colspan="2" align="left" nowrap="nowrap">Western Conference</th><th>W</th><th>L</th><th>Pct.</th><th>GB</th></tr> <tr valign="top"> <td class="row1" align="right">1</td> <td class="row1"> LA LAKERS</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">45</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">19</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">.703</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">-</td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td class="row2" align="right">2</td> <td class="row2"> HOUSTON</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">44</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">20</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">.688</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">1</td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td class="row1" align="right">3</td> <td class="row1"> SAN ANTONIO</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">44</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">20</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">.688</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">1</td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td class="row2" align="right">4</td> <td class="row2"> UTAH</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">43</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">23</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">.652</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">3</td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td class="row1" align="right">5</td> <td class="row1"> NEW ORLEANS</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">43</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">20</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">.683</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">1 1/2</td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td class="row2" align="right">6</td> <td class="row2"> PHOENIX</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">43</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">22</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">.662</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">2 1/2</td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td class="row1" align="right">7</td> <td class="row1"> DALLAS</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">42</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">23</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">.646</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">3 1/2</td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td class="row2" align="right">8</td> <td class="row2"> GOLDEN STATE</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">40</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">24</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">.625</td> <td class="row2" nowrap="nowrap">5</td> </tr> <tr valign="top"><th colspan="6" style="height: 4px;"> </th></tr> <tr valign="top"> <td class="row1" align="right">9</td> <td class="row1"> DENVER</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">38</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">26</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">.594</td> <td class="row1" nowrap="nowrap">7</td> </tr> </tbody> </table>
<u>Games today involving teams in the race</u> Jazz (#4) @ Celtics Spurs (#3) @ Pistons Lakers (#1) @ Hornets (#5) Pacers @ Dallas (#7) Bobcats @ Rockets (#2) Raptors @ Nuggets (#9)
The West is just too nuts this year. The top 10 teams almost never lose unless they're playing another top 10 west team. Insane. Warriors had kind of a big loss last night. Denver can win tonight and gain a whole game on them and they also lose a game on Phoenix. Granted they still have some room either way, they need to win those games down the stretch against the other 6-9 seeded teams in the west. FWIW they were in the game to the end even on the road on the second game of a back to back and with only Baron showing up to play. Still counts as a loss in the W/L column though. As for tonight's games. Jazz aren't a very good road team so the Celtics outghta be favored. For some reason though I think the Jazz will at least play this game very close if not win. I think the bobcats have a small chance of beating the Rockets. They've been playing well lately, rebound the ball very well, and defend very well when they want. They're sort of like a poor man's Rockets but on a given night they're capable of beating anyone because they can really control the boards, play physical defense, and if they're hitting shots too they're very tough. Denver should put the Raps away but the Raps aren't too bad so they could steal one. Dallas will kill Indy.
