According to my math, our magic number is 24, any combination of 24 Portland wins and/or Phoenix losses put us in the playoffs. When will that happen? Let's look at the remaining schedules: Portland Tue, Feb 24 Portland @ Houston 8:30 PM Wed, Feb 25 Portland @ San Antonio 8:30 PM Fri, Feb 27 Portland @ Minnesota 8:00 PM Sun, Mar 1 San Antonio @ Portland 8:00 PM Wed, Mar 4 Indiana @ Portland 10:00 PM Thu, Mar 5 Portland @ Denver 10:30 PM Sat, Mar 7 Minnesota @ Portland 10:00 PM Mon, Mar 9 LA Lakers @ Portland 10:00 PM Wed, Mar 11 Dallas @ Portland 10:00 PM Fri, Mar 13 New Jersey @ Portland 10:00 PM Sun, Mar 15 Portland @ Atlanta 1:00 PM Mon, Mar 16 Portland @ Memphis 8:00 PM Wed, Mar 18 Portland @ Indiana 7:00 PM Thu, Mar 19 Portland @ Cleveland 8:00 PM Sat, Mar 21 Portland @ Milwaukee 8:30 PM Mon, Mar 23 Philadelphia @ Portland 10:00 PM Thu, Mar 26 Phoenix @ Portland 10:30 PM Sat, Mar 28 Memphis @ Portland 10:00 PM Tue, Mar 31 Utah @ Portland 10:00 PM Fri, Apr 3 Portland @ Oklahoma City 8:00 PM Sun, Apr 5 Portland @ Houston 7:00 PM Tue, Apr 7 Portland @ Memphis 8:00 PM Wed, Apr 8 Portland @ San Antonio 8:00 PM Fri, Apr 10 LA Lakers @ Portland 10:00 PM Sat, Apr 11 Portland @ LA Clippers 10:30 PM Mon, Apr 13 Oklahoma City @ Portland 10:00 PM Wed, Apr 15 Denver @ Portland 10:30 PM Phoenix Tue, Feb 24 Charlotte @ Phoenix 9:00 PM Thu, Feb 26 Phoenix @ LA Lakers 10:30 PM Fri, Feb 27 Toronto @ Phoenix 9:00 PM Sun, Mar 1 LA Lakers @ Phoenix 3:30 PM Tue, Mar 3 Phoenix @ Orlando 7:00 PM Wed, Mar 4 Phoenix @ Miami 7:30 PM Fri, Mar 6 Phoenix @ Houston 8:30 PM Sun, Mar 8 Phoenix @ San Antonio 3:30 PM Tue, Mar 10 Dallas @ Phoenix 10:00 PM Thu, Mar 12 Cleveland @ Phoenix 10:30 PM Sat, Mar 14 Oklahoma City @ Phoenix 10:00 PM Sun, Mar 15 Phoenix @ Golden State 9:00 PM Wed, Mar 18 Philadelphia @ Phoenix 10:00 PM Sat, Mar 21 Washington @ Phoenix 10:00 PM Mon, Mar 23 Denver @ Phoenix 10:00 PM Wed, Mar 25 Utah @ Phoenix 10:30 PM Thu, Mar 26 Phoenix @ Portland 10:30 PM Sat, Mar 28 Phoenix @ Utah 9:00 PM Sun, Mar 29 Phoenix @ Sacramento 9:00 PM Wed, Apr 1 Houston @ Phoenix 10:00 PM Fri, Apr 3 Sacramento @ Phoenix 10:00 PM Sun, Apr 5 Phoenix @ Dallas 3:30 PM Wed, Apr 8 Phoenix @ New Orleans 8:00 PM Fri, Apr 10 Phoenix @ Memphis 8:00 PM Sat, Apr 11 Phoenix @ Minnesota 8:00 PM Mon, Apr 13 Memphis @ Phoenix 10:00 PM Wed, Apr 15 Golden State @ Phoenix 10:30 PM So, these are all of the relevant games: Playoff Magic Tue, Feb 24 Portland @ Houston 8:30 PM Tue, Feb 24 Charlotte @ Phoenix 9:00 PM Wed, Feb 25 Portland @ San Antonio 8:30 PM Thu, Feb 26 Phoenix @ LA Lakers 10:30 PM Fri, Feb 27 Portland @ Minnesota 8:00 PM Fri, Feb 27 Toronto @ Phoenix 9:00 PM Sun, Mar 1 LA Lakers @ Phoenix 3:30 PM Sun, Mar 1 San Antonio @ Portland 8:00 PM Tue, Mar 3 Phoenix @ Orlando 7:00 PM Wed, Mar 4 Phoenix @ Miami 7:30 PM Wed, Mar 4 Indiana @ Portland 10:00 PM Thu, Mar 5 Portland @ Denver 10:30 PM Fri, Mar 6 Phoenix @ Houston 8:30 PM Sat, Mar 7 Minnesota @ Portland 10:00 PM Sun, Mar 8 Phoenix @ San Antonio 3:30 PM Mon, Mar 9 LA Lakers @ Portland 10:00 PM Tue, Mar 10 Dallas @ Phoenix 10:00 PM Wed, Mar 11 Dallas @ Portland 10:00 PM Thu, Mar 12 Cleveland @ Phoenix 10:30 PM Fri, Mar 13 New Jersey @ Portland 10:00 PM Sat, Mar 14 Oklahoma City @ Phoenix 10:00 PM Sun, Mar 15 Portland @ Atlanta 1:00 PM Sun, Mar 15 Phoenix @ Golden State 9:00 PM Mon, Mar 16 Portland @ Memphis 8:00 PM Wed, Mar 18 Portland @ Indiana 7:00 PM Wed, Mar 18 Philadelphia @ Phoenix 10:00 PM Thu, Mar 19 Portland @ Cleveland 8:00 PM Sat, Mar 21 Portland @ Milwaukee 8:30 PM Sat, Mar 21 Washington @ Phoenix 10:00 PM Mon, Mar 23 Philadelphia @ Portland 10:00 PM Mon, Mar 23 Denver @ Phoenix 10:00 PM Wed, Mar 25 Utah @ Phoenix 10:30 PM Thu, Mar 26 Phoenix @ Portland 10:30 PM Thu, Mar 26 Phoenix @ Portland 10:30 PM Sat, Mar 28 Phoenix @ Utah 9:00 PM Sat, Mar 28 Memphis @ Portland 10:00 PM Fri, Apr 3 Portland @ Oklahoma City 8:00 PM Sun, Mar 29 Phoenix @ Sacramento 9:00 PM Tue, Mar 31 Utah @ Portland 10:00 PM Wed, Apr 1 Houston @ Phoenix 10:00 PM Fri, Apr 3 Portland @ Oklahoma City 8:00 PM Fri, Apr 3 Sacramento @ Phoenix 10:00 PM Sun, Apr 5 Phoenix @ Dallas 3:30 PM Sun, Apr 5 Portland @ Houston 7:00 PM Tue, Apr 7 Portland @ Memphis 8:00 PM Wed, Apr 8 Portland @ San Antonio 8:00 PM Wed, Apr 8 Phoenix @ New Orleans 8:00 PM Fri, Apr 10 Phoenix @ Memphis 8:00 PM Fri, Apr 10 LA Lakers @ Portland 10:00 PM Sat, Apr 11 Phoenix @ Minnesota 8:00 PM Sat, Apr 11 Portland @ LA Clippers 10:30 PM Mon, Apr 13 Oklahoma City @ Portland 10:00 PM Mon, Apr 13 Memphis @ Phoenix 10:00 PM Wed, Apr 15 Denver @ Portland 10:30 PM Wed, Apr 15 Golden State @ Phoenix 10:30 PM Which of those games will be the first 24 to go our way? Which one will put us in the playoffs?
Nice!!! It's good to see someone who actually is working off the premise that we ARE making the playoffs and that it's just a matter of when!!! Nice work! I'd say that we won't clinch until the first week of April at best unless Phauxnix or some other team really tanks it.
I wouldn't be surprised if it was the last game of the season before the western conference play off teams are all decided. I'm a little (well, actually a lot) disappointed in Houston. Don't they know they're supposed to go away peacefully and quietly now that Tracy McGrady's season is over?
Those who don't think we're making the playoffs this season can feel free to pick some random date in 2010.
Fri, Apr 10 LA Lakers @ Portland 10:00 PM How much better would a night get? Beat the Lakers and clinch a playoff spot. That's my guess. Along with a NW Division title!
that's what i was thinking as well. of course that is only 34 combined games away(with it counting as two) so that may be a little ambitious with the 24 game magic number. but i think it does happen before the month of april.
I'm still not convinced that PHX isn't making it. NOH and DAL aren't exactly blowing the doors off, and HOU is down to Artest and Yao. Bottom line, we have to keep winning.
houston is 15-6 this season without tmac. 20-15 with him. him being in and out of the lineup and playing when he could barely even get up and down the court at times really hurt the team. the only way the rockets miss the playoffs is if yao gets hurt.
That's not necessarily a statistical oddity if it happens, though...I'm just saying with the Rockets, there is no longer room for error/injury
