if new orleans can beat Houston and san antonio on the road which is extremely unlikely it would give us a number three seed and we would be matched up against new orleans. I would take them with home court. They just beat dallas today which is great. This would be ideal we would miss LA in the second round. Go new orleans!!
What I don't understand, is that: If we lose the NW division, how could we possibly get the 3rd seed? I thought the three division leaders were the top three seeds? I know it doesn't necessarily effect HCA, but I don't see how we could get 3rd.
top 3 division leaders are given 1 of the first four seeds. Say we have a better record than san antonio and Houston we get third for sure. Home court is given but not top three seeds. Division leaders only get priority in tiebreakers not if we have a better recored. understand? The rule was altered a few years back when division winners had a very crappy record it dosn't make since for them to get a higher seed than a team with a better record but they do get home court.
Technically yes it's top four seeds. But if the division winner is the 4th seed and has a worse record then the 5th seed they do not get HCA. I view it as winning the division only guarantees a top 5 seed. But winning the division does provide some tie breaker benefits.
If we could finish in third, I would be psyched, although I'm still licking my chops at playing the Spurs without Manu and a hobbled Duncan.
With their playoff experience and knack for winning the championship in odd number years, how many of us would have even considered that possibility earlier in the season?
I don't think the Blazers could beat a healthy Spurs team (not due to a magical "knack" for winning in odd-numbered years, but because they're talented and experienced). But missing one of their three best players and with their best player hobbled, they're a much weaker team.
Today is a HUGE day for us. Not only do we need to win... Houston plays at home vs New Orleans, and a banged up SA team goes into Golden State (I hope they are healthy) which is a very tough place to win... all we need is for one of them to faulter.
I can see NOH winning, I can even see SAS losing - but something epic will have to happen for Denver to lose tonight, imho.
Well, that's why I said "implodes" not "loses." Maybe Billups and Carmelo will get tossed early for going into the stands to fight fans. (Yes, I know this is in Denver. I never said it was likely.)
As well as the Blazers winning, I'll be rooting for the Hornets and Kings, and the Wolves and Jazz to let the Jazz move back above the Mavs. I won't decide who I want to win the Spurs-Warriors game until I see how the Nuggets-Kings and Rockets-Hornets games are going. If both those games go the way I want, I'll root for the Spurs because we'll be in control of our own destiny as far as winning the division goes, and if we win the division, we won't lose that tiebreaker against the Spurs anymore and will win the head to head tiebreaker, so I will want them to stay tied with us and get the 3rd seed, bumping the Nuggets and Rockets down into a 4th/5th battle to see who gets to be crushed by the Lakers. If the Nuggets win, I'll want both the Rockets and Spurs to lose so we can get the 3rd seed.
As I stated in another thread last week, even without Manu, I wouldn't take the Spurs lightly in the 1st round - especially if the Blazer don't have HCA. The Spurs look bad right now, becuase they've lost Manu and Duncan can't play back-to-back games. Duncan looked awful agaistthe Blazers, but that was the 1st time since early February that he tried to play the 2nd night of a back-to-back. The night before, was vintage Duncan (26/15/3). He's still a great player - when he has a chance to rest his knees between games. And, in the playoffs there are no back-to-backs. In fact 2 or 3 days off between games is fairly common. The Spurs, even without Manu are dangerous with a rested Duncan and a healthy Parker. BNM
I agree. The Spurs are going to be tough. The Lakers should really send fans to the Spurs/Blazers series - because they do not want to see the Blazers in the 2nd round.
