Ed Helicopter Jones
03-28-2008, 01:56 AM
I was wondering how the Spurs remaining schedule compares to the other Western conference contenders. (I've bolded the games against Western playoff contending teams) Amazingly, with under 12 games to go in the regular season you can make a prediction of the seedings with zero percent chance of accuracy in the Western conference. That being said, here's how I see the stretch run wrapping up. I love this game!!
Spurs 49-23, currently 1 game behind N.O.
Games remaining: 10 (6 home/4 road)
Games against Western playoff contenders: 6 (4 home/2 road)
Games against Eastern playoff contenders: 0
March
Fri 28 vs Minnesota
Sun 30 vs Houston
April
Tue 01 vs Golden State
Fri 04 @ Utah
Sun 06 @ Portland
Wed 09 vs Phoenix
Fri 11 vs Seattle
Sun 13 @ LA Lakers
Mon 14 @ Sacramento
Wed 16 vs Utah
Prognosis: While the remaining Spurs schedule is tough, I would rank the Hornets, Suns and perhaps the Jazz remaining schedules as tougher. The Spurs can't sleepwalk through any more games, but I think the players have finally figured that out. The road games games at Utah and LA will both be tough but if the Spurs play Spurs basketball the remainder of the season I see them losing perhaps once more at home and on the road. Should the Spurs take a couple of games off, however, they could easily slip to 6-4 or even 5-5 in this remaining 10 game stretch. Predicted final record: 57-25.
Lakers 49-23, currently 1 game behind N.O.
Games remaining: 10 (7 home/3 road)
Games against Western playoff contenders: 3 (3 home/0 road)
Games against Eastern playoff contenders: 1 (1 home/0 road)
March
Fri 28 vs Memphis
Sun 30 vs Washington
April
Wed 02 vs Portland
Fri 04 vs Dallas
Sun 06 @ Sacramento
Tue 08 @ Portland
Thu 10 @ LA Clippers
Fri 11 vs New Orleans
Sun 13 vs San Antonio
Tue 15 vs Sacramento
Prognosis: The Lakers have, by far, the easiest remaining schedule this season of any Western contender. They play seven of their remaining ten games at home and their only three games against playoff teams are all at Staples. If they had all their horses healthy and in the stable I'd say a 9-1 finish would not only be possible, but probable. Even with injuries, if they can't go 7-3 over these last ten games they aren't as great as Jim Rome says they are. Predicted final record: 56-26
Hornets 49-21, currently 1st in the West
Games remaining: 12 (4 home/8 road)
Games against Western playoff contenders: 4 (2 home/2 road)
Games against Eastern playoff contenders: 3 (0 home/3 road)
March
Fri 28 @ Boston
Sun 30 @ Toronto
April
Tue 01 @ Orlando
Wed 02 @ Miami
Fri 04 vs New York
Sun 06 vs Golden State
Tue 08 vs Utah
Wed 09 @ Minnesota
Fri 11 @ LA Lakers
Sat 12 @ Sacramento
Tue 15 vs LA Clippers
Wed 16 @ Dallas
Prognosis: New Orleans has to play eight road games out of it's remaining twelve, including games at Boston, at Orlando, at the Lakers and at Dallas. Luckily for the Hornets they get teams like Miami, New York, the T'Wolves and the Clippers sprinkled in to keep their confidence up. Circle that April 16 game against Dallas -- If the Hornets have the West sewn up will Byron Scott pull an Avery Johnson and give his first round opponent their playoff berth? Despite how great the Hornets are playing, I don't see them doing better than nine and three down this tough final stretch. Luckily for them, that should be just good enough. Predicted final record: 58-24.
Rockets 49-23, currently 1 game behind N.O.
Games remaining: 10 (3 home/7 road)
Games against Western playoff contenders: 4 (1 home/3 road)
Games against Eastern playoff contenders: 0 (0 home/0 road)
March
Sun 30 @ San Antonio
April
Tue 01 @ Sacramento
Thu 03 @ Portland
Fri 04 @ Seattle
Sun 06 @ LA Clippers
Wed 09 vs Seattle
Fri 11 vs Phoenix
Sun 13 @ Denver
Mon 14 @ Utah
Wed 16 vs LA Clippers
Prognosis: The Big Red Machine has kind of a good news/bad news thing going on with the remainder of their schedule. Bad: seven of ten remaining games on the road. Good: Two games remaining against both the Clippers and the Sonics. Bad: Three of the four games against Western playoff teams are road games. Good: The Rockets start April with five straight games against Western also-rans. Bad: Yao is still hurt. Prediction: 7-3 finish. 56-26 overall record.
Jazz 47-25, Currently 3 games behind N.O.
Games remaining: 10 (6 home/4 road)
Games against Western playoff contenders: 6 (3 home/3 road)
Games against Eastern playoff contenders: 1 (1 home/0 road)
March
Fri 28 vs LA Clippers
Sun 30 @ Minnesota
Mon 31 vs Washington
April
Wed 02 vs Minnesota
Fri 04 vs San Antonio
Tue 08 @ New Orleans
Thu 10 @ Dallas
Sat 12 vs Denver
Mon 14 vs Houston
Wed 16 @ San Antonio
Prognosis: The Jazz play four consecutive very winnable games and then finish with six straight games against Western playoff foes. If you give the Jazz those first four and then predict a split of the final six you've got them winning seven of ten and you'd have them finishing with the same record I do. Predicted final record: 54-28.
Suns 47-24, currently 2.5 games behind N.O.
Games remaining: 11 (5 home/6 road)
Games against Western playoff contenders: 6 (3 home/3 road)
Games against Eastern playoff contenders: 2 (0 home/2 road)
Fri 28 @ Philadelphia
Sat 29 @ New Jersey
Mon 31 vs Denver
April
Tue 01 @ Denver
Fri 04 vs Minnesota
Sun 06 vs Dallas
Tue 08 @ Memphis
Wed 09 @ San Antonio
Fri 11 @ Houston
Mon 14 vs Golden State
Wed 16 vs Portland
Prognosis: The Suns start this final stretch by having to play red-hot Philadelphia and then a New Jersey team fighting for its playoff life. Teams seem to want to use the Suns as a statement game as much as teams want to test their mettle against the Spurs these days. For some reason I can easily picture the Suns dropping both those games as easily as winning them. Then they get a rare back-to-back against the Nuggets-again they could win both or lose both. They have three gimmes in their last seven and will likely split their four final games against Western playoff teams. Steve Kerr has built this team to beat the Spurs...unfortunately no one told Steve that there will be six other teams in the Western playoffs that they might face first. Predicted final record: 54-28.
For the last two spots I'm going with Golden State at seven and Denver at eight. Golden State and Denver have both developed a recent habit of finishing the regular season strong. On the flipside, Dallas couldn't beat a Western playoff team with Dirk, and they've got six of their remaining ten games against Western playoff teams. I never thought I'd put a Dallas Mavericks team one year removed from the best record in basketball out of the playoff race but....
My predicted playoff seedings:
1. New Orleans 58-24
2. San Antonio 57-25
3. Los Angeles 56-26
4. Utah 54-28
5. Houston 56-26
6. Phoenix 54-28
7. Golden State 51-31
8. Denver 50-32
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9. Dallas 49-33
Spurs 49-23, currently 1 game behind N.O.
Games remaining: 10 (6 home/4 road)
Games against Western playoff contenders: 6 (4 home/2 road)
Games against Eastern playoff contenders: 0
March
Fri 28 vs Minnesota
Sun 30 vs Houston
April
Tue 01 vs Golden State
Fri 04 @ Utah
Sun 06 @ Portland
Wed 09 vs Phoenix
Fri 11 vs Seattle
Sun 13 @ LA Lakers
Mon 14 @ Sacramento
Wed 16 vs Utah
Prognosis: While the remaining Spurs schedule is tough, I would rank the Hornets, Suns and perhaps the Jazz remaining schedules as tougher. The Spurs can't sleepwalk through any more games, but I think the players have finally figured that out. The road games games at Utah and LA will both be tough but if the Spurs play Spurs basketball the remainder of the season I see them losing perhaps once more at home and on the road. Should the Spurs take a couple of games off, however, they could easily slip to 6-4 or even 5-5 in this remaining 10 game stretch. Predicted final record: 57-25.
Lakers 49-23, currently 1 game behind N.O.
Games remaining: 10 (7 home/3 road)
Games against Western playoff contenders: 3 (3 home/0 road)
Games against Eastern playoff contenders: 1 (1 home/0 road)
March
Fri 28 vs Memphis
Sun 30 vs Washington
April
Wed 02 vs Portland
Fri 04 vs Dallas
Sun 06 @ Sacramento
Tue 08 @ Portland
Thu 10 @ LA Clippers
Fri 11 vs New Orleans
Sun 13 vs San Antonio
Tue 15 vs Sacramento
Prognosis: The Lakers have, by far, the easiest remaining schedule this season of any Western contender. They play seven of their remaining ten games at home and their only three games against playoff teams are all at Staples. If they had all their horses healthy and in the stable I'd say a 9-1 finish would not only be possible, but probable. Even with injuries, if they can't go 7-3 over these last ten games they aren't as great as Jim Rome says they are. Predicted final record: 56-26
Hornets 49-21, currently 1st in the West
Games remaining: 12 (4 home/8 road)
Games against Western playoff contenders: 4 (2 home/2 road)
Games against Eastern playoff contenders: 3 (0 home/3 road)
March
Fri 28 @ Boston
Sun 30 @ Toronto
April
Tue 01 @ Orlando
Wed 02 @ Miami
Fri 04 vs New York
Sun 06 vs Golden State
Tue 08 vs Utah
Wed 09 @ Minnesota
Fri 11 @ LA Lakers
Sat 12 @ Sacramento
Tue 15 vs LA Clippers
Wed 16 @ Dallas
Prognosis: New Orleans has to play eight road games out of it's remaining twelve, including games at Boston, at Orlando, at the Lakers and at Dallas. Luckily for the Hornets they get teams like Miami, New York, the T'Wolves and the Clippers sprinkled in to keep their confidence up. Circle that April 16 game against Dallas -- If the Hornets have the West sewn up will Byron Scott pull an Avery Johnson and give his first round opponent their playoff berth? Despite how great the Hornets are playing, I don't see them doing better than nine and three down this tough final stretch. Luckily for them, that should be just good enough. Predicted final record: 58-24.
Rockets 49-23, currently 1 game behind N.O.
Games remaining: 10 (3 home/7 road)
Games against Western playoff contenders: 4 (1 home/3 road)
Games against Eastern playoff contenders: 0 (0 home/0 road)
March
Sun 30 @ San Antonio
April
Tue 01 @ Sacramento
Thu 03 @ Portland
Fri 04 @ Seattle
Sun 06 @ LA Clippers
Wed 09 vs Seattle
Fri 11 vs Phoenix
Sun 13 @ Denver
Mon 14 @ Utah
Wed 16 vs LA Clippers
Prognosis: The Big Red Machine has kind of a good news/bad news thing going on with the remainder of their schedule. Bad: seven of ten remaining games on the road. Good: Two games remaining against both the Clippers and the Sonics. Bad: Three of the four games against Western playoff teams are road games. Good: The Rockets start April with five straight games against Western also-rans. Bad: Yao is still hurt. Prediction: 7-3 finish. 56-26 overall record.
Jazz 47-25, Currently 3 games behind N.O.
Games remaining: 10 (6 home/4 road)
Games against Western playoff contenders: 6 (3 home/3 road)
Games against Eastern playoff contenders: 1 (1 home/0 road)
March
Fri 28 vs LA Clippers
Sun 30 @ Minnesota
Mon 31 vs Washington
April
Wed 02 vs Minnesota
Fri 04 vs San Antonio
Tue 08 @ New Orleans
Thu 10 @ Dallas
Sat 12 vs Denver
Mon 14 vs Houston
Wed 16 @ San Antonio
Prognosis: The Jazz play four consecutive very winnable games and then finish with six straight games against Western playoff foes. If you give the Jazz those first four and then predict a split of the final six you've got them winning seven of ten and you'd have them finishing with the same record I do. Predicted final record: 54-28.
Suns 47-24, currently 2.5 games behind N.O.
Games remaining: 11 (5 home/6 road)
Games against Western playoff contenders: 6 (3 home/3 road)
Games against Eastern playoff contenders: 2 (0 home/2 road)
Fri 28 @ Philadelphia
Sat 29 @ New Jersey
Mon 31 vs Denver
April
Tue 01 @ Denver
Fri 04 vs Minnesota
Sun 06 vs Dallas
Tue 08 @ Memphis
Wed 09 @ San Antonio
Fri 11 @ Houston
Mon 14 vs Golden State
Wed 16 vs Portland
Prognosis: The Suns start this final stretch by having to play red-hot Philadelphia and then a New Jersey team fighting for its playoff life. Teams seem to want to use the Suns as a statement game as much as teams want to test their mettle against the Spurs these days. For some reason I can easily picture the Suns dropping both those games as easily as winning them. Then they get a rare back-to-back against the Nuggets-again they could win both or lose both. They have three gimmes in their last seven and will likely split their four final games against Western playoff teams. Steve Kerr has built this team to beat the Spurs...unfortunately no one told Steve that there will be six other teams in the Western playoffs that they might face first. Predicted final record: 54-28.
For the last two spots I'm going with Golden State at seven and Denver at eight. Golden State and Denver have both developed a recent habit of finishing the regular season strong. On the flipside, Dallas couldn't beat a Western playoff team with Dirk, and they've got six of their remaining ten games against Western playoff teams. I never thought I'd put a Dallas Mavericks team one year removed from the best record in basketball out of the playoff race but....
My predicted playoff seedings:
1. New Orleans 58-24
2. San Antonio 57-25
3. Los Angeles 56-26
4. Utah 54-28
5. Houston 56-26
6. Phoenix 54-28
7. Golden State 51-31
8. Denver 50-32
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9. Dallas 49-33