Game Thread GAME# 74: CLIPPERS@ BLAZERS - APRIL 1, 2015 - WEDNESDAY, 7:00 PM (PST), KGW & NBATV

This is a HUGE game. Seeds 2-6 in the West are still up for grabs. With 5 teams fighting it out and 39 combined games left, there are just too many scenarios to even guess who finishes where. But...

The Clippers have the easiest remaining schedule of the 5. They only have 7 games left, and only two against playoff teams (POR and MEM). Their other games are pretty much gimmes (2 against LAL, 2 against DEN and the last game of the year against PHO - who will be eliminated from the playoff picture by then).

So, we REALLY need to beat them tonight if we hope to have HCA against them in the playoffs. Because we will be a division winner, we will likely have the higher seed, but if they have a better record, they get HCA. Winning tonight gives us a much better chance to have the same, or better record, than the Clipps and bumps the head-to-head record to 2-2. If we beat the Clippers tonight, they lose to MEM and beat the patsies, they finish with 54 wins and we still have a chance to have HCA against them in the first round. If we lose, they probably end up with 55 wins and hold the head-to-head tie breaker over us. We'd need to win our remaining 8 games to get HCA over them.

At this point, it's just too complicated to figure out all the potential tie breakers. It's not inconceivable that there will be a five-way tie for second in the West (or at least a 3-way pr 4-way tie), and then the tie breakers get complicated (first, you have to figure out which of MEM, HOU and SAS win the SW Division, then compare records against the other 4, etc.).

What it really comes down to is: we need to win as many of our remaining games as possible and the other 4 teams, especially the ones that already have more wins than us (MEM, HOU and LAC) need to lose as many as possible. Because head-to-head record against the other teams in a multi-way tie is the second tie breaker, if we do end up in a multi-way tie, we need HOU and SAS to be two of the teams we are tied with as we are 3-1 against SAS and 2-1 against HOU. Our 0-4 record against MEM kills us if we're involved in a multi-way tie that includes the Grizzlies.

So, beat LAC tonight, go 7-1 over our last 8 games to get to 56 wins and cheer for MEM to loose at least 3 of their final 7 games. That's the most viable scenario for grabbing the 2nd seed.

BNM

 

IOW: Just win baby. We need this one. Game of the year (so far).

 

Yep, this game has huge playoff implications.

Anyone know who the officials will be tonight? I hope we get an experienced crew that isn't as likely to capitulate to Doc's nonstop whining.

BNM

 

Tony Brothers, Tre Maddox, Sean Wright

 

Easily the biggest game of the year. Not gonna call it a must win, though. Those don't exist until elimination nights in the playoffs

 

Thanks. Found it here, myself:

http://www.nba.com/news/referee.html

BNM

 

yep! I absolutely hate this team. The way they whine all damn game is so fucking annoying! And because of their cheesy whine, I expect them to dine of the refs gullibility.

 

So what you are saying is "8-0" and we are golden!

 

Unfortunately, Tony Brothers sucks and isn't likely to T-up Doc, CP3 or Blake. Get ready for a real whine fest tonight (in other words, a typical Clippers game).

BNM

 

We need this ref to call the game!

 

I don't think your comments are correct with multi-way tie. I think the division champs are determined first (which would be us and the SW division winner) and they all are seeded above non-division champs. Then head to head record is considered between those two divisions champs. So we have the tie breaker against all of SAS, HOU, LAC, and maybe MEM with the exception being Memphis winning the Southwest division then they would have the tie breaker over us.

 

Or, David Guthrie. He gave Doc a quick T the last time we played to the Clippers to let him know he wasn't going to put up with his whining all night long.

Tony Brothers was the crew chief when Doc ripped the officials in the media after they lost a game in OKC in the playoffs last year. Hopefully, Brothers has a good memory. The thing I hate most about the non-stop whining is it eventually leads to the Clippers getting calls they shouldn't. That's what I loved about Guthrie's T the last time we played the Clippers. He basically told Doc to sit down and shut up or you'll be watching the rest of this game from the locker room. I hate it when refs are intimidated or star struck.

BNM

 

Yeah "must win" is way overused. It obviously applies to elimination games. I would also apply it to 0-2 series as no team has ever come back from 0-3 so historically speaking it is a must win. But no regular season game is as important as half a quarter of a playoff game.

Each playoff game is huge and one win instead of a loss changes the teams likehood of winning the series drastically.

 

Whining about refs makes us sound like HOU fans. Bottom line is we're pretty evenly matched right now. They're missing Crawful, we're missing Wes.

But given that they're coming off a back to back, got in late last night after a late starting game, and it's in Portland, we should still be able to take care of business no matter how much Doc et al complain. No excuses.

Three games in now, Dame has been mostly shut down by CP3 and their trapping D. Hoping he and Terry came up with a solution for that.

 

This.

 

If you don't believe the refs can't control the outcome of games, then I think you are sadly mistaken. They can make a few calls while a team is on a roll and change momentum. So even if you look at the box scores, a few bad calls in the middle of a game could completely change the dynamic of the game.

 

I say we crush every team we face and sweep the playoffs bringing the hardware home where it belongs. The Clippers don't even have their own arena! I'm still waiting for that RipCity2 thread about eating Spencer Hawes crow

 

We are not whining right now. The game has not started. We are just stating the facts. The refs are a factor in deciding close games and they all react differently to coaches and super stars. Just ask Sheed.........or Tim Donaghy

 

or Scott Foster

 

Not really whining. I don't want, or expect, favoritism from the officials. I just want the game called fairly. I specifically mentioned the strong officiating the last time we played the Clippers and am hoping for more of the same.

BNM