duncan228
04-01-2010, 07:50 PM
Five Best Games Left on NBA Schedule (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=tsn-fivebestgamesleftonn)
SportingNews
We’re in the crunch time of the NBA regular season, with only 13 dates left on the schedule (there are no games Monday, so feel free to twiddle your thumbs that night). But with playoff spots, seeding, reputations and individual accolades still to be decided, there are many games of supreme importance remaining on the docket.
Here are five of the best:
Utah Jazz at Los Angeles Lakers, April 2: With only seven games left, Utah has little hope of overtaking the Lakers’ 4 1/2-game lead for the top seed in the West. But this game still matters for both teams’ reputations heading into the postseason.
For the Lakers, it’s a chance to prove they’re still the class of the conference. Yes, Staples Center isn’t the road, and a win by a slight margin probably wouldn’t mean much in the greater scheme of things, but a dominant win Friday night could start a period of sustained dominance and push L.A. into the playoffs on a hot streak. Utah’s a legitimate squad with aspirations to win the conference, so this is a nice opportunity for the Lakers to show they still mean business.
However, those aspirations have largely gone unremarked upon by league observers, who have instead opted to push the Nuggets and Mavericks as the most likely challengers to the defending champs. The Jazz have been excellent, though, and are playing far superior basketball to Denver right now. A win on the Lakers’ home floor would send a message that they deserve notice as a top team in the West, even if their record already proves that point.
Boston Celtics at Milwaukee Bucks, April 10: This one is technically two games, as these teams also play in Boston four days later on the last day of the season. And while these games matter for Milwaukee’s seed, they will likely say more about the Celtics’ ability to perform in the playoffs, particularly as it relates to their battle for the No. 3 seed with Atlanta.
Let’s be frank here: the Celtics are not going to win the East. But finishing third would make the playoffs much more manageable, as they stand little chance to beat Cleveland in the second round. Orlando’s tough, too, but that’s a team the Celtics can contemplate battling with in May.
There’s also a chance that the Hawks will have already passed the Celtics by this point. In that case, these games are likely previews of the 4/5 first-round matchup in the East. Should that happen, don’t expect each team to tip its hand too much.
Chicago Bulls at Toronto Raptors, April 11: Look, whoever gets the eighth spot in the East is probably going to be swept by the Cavs in the first round. Chicago and Toronto are not particularly good teams, and they cannot rightfully be expected to win more than one or two token games against Cleveland. The Raptors are two games ahead of the Bulls, so this is a big one for that playoff spot.
But it still matters, particularly for 2010 free agency. The Raptors want to hold on to Chris Bosh by all means necessary, and that will be much easier if they make the playoffs this season. Likewise, the Bulls are looking to pick up a major free agent this summer, and while having Derrick Rose on the roster makes them relatively attractive anyway, they’ll look a lot better if they can say they’ve made the postseason two years in a row. Image is everything, people, even if you can’t win a playoff game.
Oklahoma City Thunder at Golden State Warriors, April 11: Don’t worry, the Warriors are not suddenly battling for playoff position, although this game could factor into Don Nelson’s battle for the significant-only-to-him all-time wins record.
This game’s on the list because of Kevin Durant and his quest for the scoring title. Durant’s currently 0.2 ppg behind LeBron James for the lead, but with LeBron likely to sit out several games toward the end of the season with the East sewn up, Durant will have several chances to score enough to dethrone the King. This is his best chance: a game against a team that plays four guards and couldn’t care less about defense. Plus, it’s in Oakland, so it may actually be close enough for Durant to play the fourth quarter.
Denver Nuggets at Phoenix Suns, April 13: The No. 2-8 spots in the West are so cluttered that it’s entirely unclear what this game will actually mean for seeding, but it’s fair to guess that both teams will be looking to move up with a win.
Right now, these teams are moving in different directions. Phoenix has won nine in a row, but Denver is struggling with George Karl getting cancer treatments and Kenyon Martin potentially not returning this season. In two weeks, perhaps the tables will have turned.
But either way, this game will be a chance for one team to enter the playoffs with a win over an excellent team. In a conference with eight legitimate playoff teams, any extra advantage helps.
SportingNews
We’re in the crunch time of the NBA regular season, with only 13 dates left on the schedule (there are no games Monday, so feel free to twiddle your thumbs that night). But with playoff spots, seeding, reputations and individual accolades still to be decided, there are many games of supreme importance remaining on the docket.
Here are five of the best:
Utah Jazz at Los Angeles Lakers, April 2: With only seven games left, Utah has little hope of overtaking the Lakers’ 4 1/2-game lead for the top seed in the West. But this game still matters for both teams’ reputations heading into the postseason.
For the Lakers, it’s a chance to prove they’re still the class of the conference. Yes, Staples Center isn’t the road, and a win by a slight margin probably wouldn’t mean much in the greater scheme of things, but a dominant win Friday night could start a period of sustained dominance and push L.A. into the playoffs on a hot streak. Utah’s a legitimate squad with aspirations to win the conference, so this is a nice opportunity for the Lakers to show they still mean business.
However, those aspirations have largely gone unremarked upon by league observers, who have instead opted to push the Nuggets and Mavericks as the most likely challengers to the defending champs. The Jazz have been excellent, though, and are playing far superior basketball to Denver right now. A win on the Lakers’ home floor would send a message that they deserve notice as a top team in the West, even if their record already proves that point.
Boston Celtics at Milwaukee Bucks, April 10: This one is technically two games, as these teams also play in Boston four days later on the last day of the season. And while these games matter for Milwaukee’s seed, they will likely say more about the Celtics’ ability to perform in the playoffs, particularly as it relates to their battle for the No. 3 seed with Atlanta.
Let’s be frank here: the Celtics are not going to win the East. But finishing third would make the playoffs much more manageable, as they stand little chance to beat Cleveland in the second round. Orlando’s tough, too, but that’s a team the Celtics can contemplate battling with in May.
There’s also a chance that the Hawks will have already passed the Celtics by this point. In that case, these games are likely previews of the 4/5 first-round matchup in the East. Should that happen, don’t expect each team to tip its hand too much.
Chicago Bulls at Toronto Raptors, April 11: Look, whoever gets the eighth spot in the East is probably going to be swept by the Cavs in the first round. Chicago and Toronto are not particularly good teams, and they cannot rightfully be expected to win more than one or two token games against Cleveland. The Raptors are two games ahead of the Bulls, so this is a big one for that playoff spot.
But it still matters, particularly for 2010 free agency. The Raptors want to hold on to Chris Bosh by all means necessary, and that will be much easier if they make the playoffs this season. Likewise, the Bulls are looking to pick up a major free agent this summer, and while having Derrick Rose on the roster makes them relatively attractive anyway, they’ll look a lot better if they can say they’ve made the postseason two years in a row. Image is everything, people, even if you can’t win a playoff game.
Oklahoma City Thunder at Golden State Warriors, April 11: Don’t worry, the Warriors are not suddenly battling for playoff position, although this game could factor into Don Nelson’s battle for the significant-only-to-him all-time wins record.
This game’s on the list because of Kevin Durant and his quest for the scoring title. Durant’s currently 0.2 ppg behind LeBron James for the lead, but with LeBron likely to sit out several games toward the end of the season with the East sewn up, Durant will have several chances to score enough to dethrone the King. This is his best chance: a game against a team that plays four guards and couldn’t care less about defense. Plus, it’s in Oakland, so it may actually be close enough for Durant to play the fourth quarter.
Denver Nuggets at Phoenix Suns, April 13: The No. 2-8 spots in the West are so cluttered that it’s entirely unclear what this game will actually mean for seeding, but it’s fair to guess that both teams will be looking to move up with a win.
Right now, these teams are moving in different directions. Phoenix has won nine in a row, but Denver is struggling with George Karl getting cancer treatments and Kenyon Martin potentially not returning this season. In two weeks, perhaps the tables will have turned.
But either way, this game will be a chance for one team to enter the playoffs with a win over an excellent team. In a conference with eight legitimate playoff teams, any extra advantage helps.