Ed Helicopter Jones
03-30-2009, 07:52 PM
Final ’08-’09 Regular Season West Playoff Seedings....unofficially.
Here’s how I see the last couple of weeks of the regular season breaking down and the seedings 1-8 in the West:
1. LA Lakers 63-19 - I see Phil Jackson letting the team zenfully coast towards the post season finishing 5-4 in their final nine games. More or less assured the second best record in the league, and guaranteed the best record in the West, the team won’t have much to play for, so why risk another injury at this point in the season.
2T. San Antonio Spurs 55-27 – When you look at the Spurs’ remaining schedule, you could argue that they should be able to go 8-1 in their remaining nine games (4 at home and 5 on the road). The only tough road game is at Cleveland. Homecourt challenges include Utah, Portland and then the Hornets on the last day of the regular season. Every other game should be a check in the win column….note the emphasis on “should”. I predict 7-2 though, as I’m sure the Spurs will manage to give up a game to a scrub team before it’s all said and done. The Spurs have a one game advantage in conference play over Denver at this point but the two are virtually even and it appears they’ll remain deadlocked all the way to the post season. The Spurs won't finish lower than the 3 seed, though, as they and Denver will emerge from the pack over these last few games.
2T. Denver 55-27 – With the way the Nuggets are playing right now, they are poised to end the season on a 7 of 8 game run. Their only tough home game is Utah, and they play Portland and the Lakers on the road. I’m thinking LA will be in coast mode by then, and Denver will take that one making Portland or Utah their last loss of the regular season. For the Spurs sake I hope Denver stumbles more than once, but their schedule is probably the only one of the contenders that I’d say is more favorable than the Spurs.
4. Houston 53-29 – Houston has a pretty tough stretch of games, including road games at Phoenix, the Lakers and Dallas, and only three remaining home games, including contests with Orlando and Portland. I figure they’ll drop 3 of those along the way to finish the regular season 5-3 and be all alone as the 4 seed. Houston vs. New Orleans will be a nice first round matchup, and either team should test LA in round 2.
5T. New Orleans 52-30 – With ten games left, the Hornets have a fairly tough remainder to their schedule. A home and home series with Dallas, and road games at Houston, San Antonio and Miami highlight their remaining calendar. In spite of their improved play I’m going to say 7-3 is about the best they can expect. They have better conference and division records than Portland, though, so they should secure the 5 seed.
5T. Portland 52-30 – Portland has nine games left punctuated by games at Houston, at San Antonio, and at home against the Lakers, the Nuggets and the Jazz. Six and three is a reasonable prediction for how they’ll wind up, and play as the six seed. It will be interesting to see how this young, energized team will play against either San Antonio or Denver in round one.
7. Utah 51-31 – Utah might have the toughest stretch of games remaining of any Western team. They play 6 of their 10 remaining games on the road including games at Denver, at Portland, at the Hornets, at the Mavs, and at San Antonio. I’m generously giving them a 6-4 finish and 51 wins. Lock them in as the seven seed at this point.
8. Dallas 50-32 - Dallas is as unpredictable as the Spurs. They can play great ball one night and crappy the next. With nine games left, the Mavs have the advantage of only having 3 of those on the road. The Hornets are their last remaining road game against a playoff team. The do have home games against those same Hornets, Houston, Utah, Miami and Phoenix, but the Mavs have played fairly well at home. 7-2 is a pretty safe prediction for them, but even with such a strong finish I think they’ll still end up a game behind the Jazz for the 8th spot.
9. Phoenix 45-37 – With Dallas’ favorable remaining schedule, Phoenix may as well be happy with a role as a spoiler, because this team is lottery bound as they fade five games out of the playoff hunt by season’s end.
Here’s how I see the last couple of weeks of the regular season breaking down and the seedings 1-8 in the West:
1. LA Lakers 63-19 - I see Phil Jackson letting the team zenfully coast towards the post season finishing 5-4 in their final nine games. More or less assured the second best record in the league, and guaranteed the best record in the West, the team won’t have much to play for, so why risk another injury at this point in the season.
2T. San Antonio Spurs 55-27 – When you look at the Spurs’ remaining schedule, you could argue that they should be able to go 8-1 in their remaining nine games (4 at home and 5 on the road). The only tough road game is at Cleveland. Homecourt challenges include Utah, Portland and then the Hornets on the last day of the regular season. Every other game should be a check in the win column….note the emphasis on “should”. I predict 7-2 though, as I’m sure the Spurs will manage to give up a game to a scrub team before it’s all said and done. The Spurs have a one game advantage in conference play over Denver at this point but the two are virtually even and it appears they’ll remain deadlocked all the way to the post season. The Spurs won't finish lower than the 3 seed, though, as they and Denver will emerge from the pack over these last few games.
2T. Denver 55-27 – With the way the Nuggets are playing right now, they are poised to end the season on a 7 of 8 game run. Their only tough home game is Utah, and they play Portland and the Lakers on the road. I’m thinking LA will be in coast mode by then, and Denver will take that one making Portland or Utah their last loss of the regular season. For the Spurs sake I hope Denver stumbles more than once, but their schedule is probably the only one of the contenders that I’d say is more favorable than the Spurs.
4. Houston 53-29 – Houston has a pretty tough stretch of games, including road games at Phoenix, the Lakers and Dallas, and only three remaining home games, including contests with Orlando and Portland. I figure they’ll drop 3 of those along the way to finish the regular season 5-3 and be all alone as the 4 seed. Houston vs. New Orleans will be a nice first round matchup, and either team should test LA in round 2.
5T. New Orleans 52-30 – With ten games left, the Hornets have a fairly tough remainder to their schedule. A home and home series with Dallas, and road games at Houston, San Antonio and Miami highlight their remaining calendar. In spite of their improved play I’m going to say 7-3 is about the best they can expect. They have better conference and division records than Portland, though, so they should secure the 5 seed.
5T. Portland 52-30 – Portland has nine games left punctuated by games at Houston, at San Antonio, and at home against the Lakers, the Nuggets and the Jazz. Six and three is a reasonable prediction for how they’ll wind up, and play as the six seed. It will be interesting to see how this young, energized team will play against either San Antonio or Denver in round one.
7. Utah 51-31 – Utah might have the toughest stretch of games remaining of any Western team. They play 6 of their 10 remaining games on the road including games at Denver, at Portland, at the Hornets, at the Mavs, and at San Antonio. I’m generously giving them a 6-4 finish and 51 wins. Lock them in as the seven seed at this point.
8. Dallas 50-32 - Dallas is as unpredictable as the Spurs. They can play great ball one night and crappy the next. With nine games left, the Mavs have the advantage of only having 3 of those on the road. The Hornets are their last remaining road game against a playoff team. The do have home games against those same Hornets, Houston, Utah, Miami and Phoenix, but the Mavs have played fairly well at home. 7-2 is a pretty safe prediction for them, but even with such a strong finish I think they’ll still end up a game behind the Jazz for the 8th spot.
9. Phoenix 45-37 – With Dallas’ favorable remaining schedule, Phoenix may as well be happy with a role as a spoiler, because this team is lottery bound as they fade five games out of the playoff hunt by season’s end.