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Seems pretty safe to say at this point that we're getting 8 and 12 or 8 and 15. I'm feeling pretty confident we'll take care of business and secure the L against Phoenix.
however
if we wind up with a 3 way tie between ATL/CHI/MIA
then the tiebreakers would be:
1) division winner will trump non division winner. none of these teams will have won their division, so doesnt apply
2) W/L against the 3 teams involved in the tie. Hawks/Bulls split 2-2. Hawks/Heat split 2-2. However, Bulls swept the Heat 3-0. so Bulls would win the 3-team tiebreak and push ATL/MIA into the lower play-in bracket
but again, this would require the hawks to lose twice
Seems pretty safe to say at this point that we're getting 8 and 12 or 8 and 15. I'm feeling pretty confident we'll take care of business and secure the L against Phoenix.
What is the Sac/Atl tiebreaker again?
Good call
I liked the chances that the Spurs were going to tank the game when I saw Vassell and Johnson both out with left ankle soreness. Mitch was going to play a losing lineup.
We have to root for Oralndo, Dallas and Sacramento on the last day. Chicago can tie Atlanta too, giving us a coinflip chance.
All of this would only matter if Atlanta don't make it out of the play-in though.
So best case scenario is Heat beating both the Bulls and Hawks in the play in.
Bulls and Hawks having a coin flip for the 11th pick?
Bulls and Hawks would have to have the same record which they don’t right now. If Hawks lose last game and the Bulls win then your scenario is right. But there’s also the Kings and Mavs who can potentially all have the same record as the hawks. I guess all tied teams heading into the lottery go to coin flips?
I believe the most likely scenario is a coin flip but it would be for the 12th pick and not the 11th pick.
Best case scenario -
The Kangs and Nicos are going 39-43 for sure..in the West.
Orlando beat Atlanta in the final game meaning they finish 7 and 8 in any case with Atlanta finishing 39-43. Chicago finishes 39-43 too, but lose to Miami in the play in who go on to beat Atlanta.
That would mean a four way tie between Kangs, Nicos, Hawks and Bulls which gives the Spurs a chance that the Hawks land up with the 11th pick.
Kings and Mavs aren't guaranteed to lose last game
Memphis will go for the win against Dallas while Sacramento has a better incentive to lose and keep their draft pick than to fight for home court for one game against Dallas in the play in. The Kangs take on the Suns who will want to go some sort of a high.
I doubt Sacramento see it this way. They want to make the playoffs and in order to do so they need to be well positioned. Doubt they sit their players and throw the last game. They may still lose, mind, but not because they’ll be thinking of whether they win coin flips to possibly keep their pick this year.
That’s been the case for a month, and they don’t seem interested in keeping it.
Their priority was to get into the play-in and if possible in the playoffs. They have achieved the first and a loss in the last game doesn't prevent them from a chance to make the playoffs. But a loss in the last game also helps them indemnify themselves by giving them the possibility of getting the 12th pick or 11th (there is a chance) if they dont make the playoffs. So, I think there is a rational chance that they rest their key players for Game 82 or go it slow.
lets hope
Phoenix was plummeting, and if you look at the standings, Sacto had zero chance to even get to #8. They were and are going to be 9 or 10, and it was completely safe for them to dump a few games to get inside their pick’s protected zone. They didn’t do that.
If ATL loses tomorrow what is the pick range the Spurs get from them?
Well, there is the 7/8 play in game, and if they lose that, which I think they will, then they play the winner of the 9/10 play in game. If they lose that, it would still depend on everything else that happens tomorrow, since so many teams have close or identical records.
If they win the 7/8 play in: 16 if #7 also loses to the 9/10 winner, and causes a lottery team to make the playoffs. 15 if #7 beats the 9/10 winner
If they lose the 7/8 play in, but beat the 9/10 play in winner: 15
If they lose both play in games: probably 12/13, depending on stuff that happens tomorrow. A lot of standings shuffling can happen with just one day’s games. The picture becomes much clearer after all games complete tomorrow.
I am guessing that they use their own pick this year and trade the Atlanta pick for a future pick down the road. Don’t think they will use both pics and have two more rookies on the roster next year. The only way I think the Spurs use both pics is if someone they have high on their board falls to the Atlantic pick.
Here's a trivia question for you.
All the NBA games tomorrow are at 1:00 pm Eastern time or 3:30 pm Eastern.
The apparent purpose is to force the teams in contention to play "blindfolded" to the strategic possibilities of winning (or deliberately losing) games on the last day of the season.
So you would expect that all the Eastern Conference games would be at the earlier time and all the Western Conference games would be at the later time.
And you would be right.
Except for one game.
There is but one game between Eastern and Western Conference teams tomorrow.
And it is . . .
Our San Antonio Spurs against the Toronto Raptors.
Make of it what you will.
Coincidence
There had to be one game between teams from different conferences since there are 15 teams in each conference.
Script writers knew this game would be inconsequential.
Will be interesting to see what the NBA creative writers have in store for us these playoffs.
The warriors (Steph) are like prime John Cena, every casual fan loves him especially the little kiddies so he’s a money making machine revenue wise. Need to ensure all the moving screens and blocking by Draymond and co. Goes uncalled like it has since 2013.
LeBron and Luka’s Lakers are like prime Stone Cold. Revenue machine as well.
The Nuggets are like prime Undertaker. Not really exciting but scary and dangerous.
Celtics are the Rock. Almost as big a star as Stone Cold.
It was the same last year on the final day - Spurs played Detroit.
There's no way to schedule only eastern conference and only western conference games on the final day due to the odd number of teams in the conferences.
15 teams in each conference, so it has to happen.
2nd best player missed over half the season. Then the starting center misses 1/3rd of the season.
Still finishes in the top 8.
Is it obvious yet that they're not a bad team? 26 swap is make believe at this point
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