Remaining Skeds for West playoff teams

[Findog]

Los Angeles Lakers:

at Denver
at Minnesota (B2B)
vs. Portland
vs. Sacramento
at LA Clippers (B2B)

Denver Nuggets:

vs. LA Lakers (B2B)
vs. San Antonio
vs. Memphis
at Phoenix (B2B)

Dallas Mavericks:

at Portland
at Sacramento (B2B)
at LA Clippers
vs. San Antonio

Utah Jazz:

at New Orleans
at Golden State
vs. Phoenix (B2B)

Zombie Sonics:

vs. Phoenix
at Golden State
at Portland (B2B)
vs. Memphis

Phoenix Suns:

at Zombie Sonics
vs. Houston
vs. Denver
at Utah (B2B)

San Antonio:

vs. Memphis
at Denver (B2B)
vs. Minnesota
at Dallas

Portland:

vs. Dallas
at LA Lakers
vs. Zombie Sonics (B2B)
vs. Golden State

[Findog]

Mavs game @ Portland is probably their season. I think it's reasonably safe to assume they'll beat Memphis, Sacramento and the Clippers. If they beat Portland, then the Spurs can't catch them for the division le. And having won out, I don't think Utah could catch them either - I think the Jazz will lose to Houston if the Rockets don't completely sit their top players. A win against Portland would also be a big confidence boost going into the playoffs - evidence that they can win big games when they absolutely need them.

Lose to Portland, and they open the door to the Spurs overtaking them for the division. If the Mavs are only one up in the loss column going into the regular season finale and the Spurs beat Memphis this week, then that game is for the division le. Spurs I think have the first tie breaker after a split of the season series. Good thing they still have to go play @ Phoenix and @ Denver.

[timvpimp]

Mavs have the easily vestige in my humble point of view. Only one B2B and the only game Mavs may struggle to win is that against Blazers, given that Clippers and Queens are so weak, and that Grzzlies have never got a clue about coping with Mavs (take the 1st round sweep in 06 for example). Spurs are the best among the 5 teams the Mavs are going to confront in regular season but the Mavs are seemingly the exact nemesis to Spurs, so at least the Mavs should hold a 70% odd of winning this game.

[ElNono]

Lose to Portland, and they open the door to the Spurs overtaking them for the division.

This was unthinkable just 3 weeks ago. That said, I suspect the Spurs are going to have a hard time replacing Hill production while Tony is out (probably another week), so they might not be able to catch the Mavs at this stage.

[timvpimp]

Mavs game @ Portland is probably their season. I think it's reasonably safe to assume they'll beat Memphis, Sacramento and the Clippers. If they beat Portland, then the Spurs can't catch them for the division le. And having won out, I don't think Utah could catch them either - I think the Jazz will lose to Houston if the Rockets don't completely sit their top players. A win against Portland would also be a big confidence boost going into the playoffs - evidence that they can win big games when they absolutely need them.

Lose to Portland, and they open the door to the Spurs overtaking them for the division. If the Mavs are only one up in the loss column going into the regular season finale and the Spurs beat Memphis this week, then that game is for the division le. Spurs I think have the first tie breaker after a split of the season series. Good thing they still have to go play @ Phoenix and @ Denver.

Exactly my points except that about Blazers. Comparably the game against Spurs is more decisive than the Blazers game in my honest opinion, and I don't think the game against Blazers is one game Mavs can't afford to lose. At least Mavs have 3 of the remaining 5 games guaranteed won, so the final result would be 4-1 if the Mavs managed to beat Spurs supposedly. I think beating Spurs will be a biggest confidence boost than beating any team and the Mavs are deft in dealing with Spurs, 4-1 is my prediction (with the game against blazers counted as a loss) and I believe the Mavs will get the job done unless their choking syndrome relapses again.

[Findog]

This was unthinkable just 3 weeks ago. That said, I suspect the Spurs are going to have a hard time replacing Hill production while Tony is out (probably another week), so they might not be able to catch the Mavs at this stage.

Yeah, if the Spurs beat Memphis and are only 1 back in the loss column going into the regular-season finale, then that game is for the division. I think first tie breaker after season series (which would be 2-2) is record against the division. San Antonio is a game ahead of Dallas and would remain so if they beat Memphis.

[Ghazi]

best case scenario for the Mavs: Nuggets/JAzz/Mavs all go 4-1 to finish the regular season, Mavs win 3 way tiebreaker and get the 2 seed.

Mavs finished the regular season strong last year winning 5 of their last 6, God willing they finish strong again this year.

Spurs are the least desirable first round opponent IMO. I know OKC/Portland haven't done too badly against us this regular season, but those teams just dont strike fear into me for some reason.

[Ghazi]

Given the Mavs tendencies, I don't think it's safe to assume any of the remaining games are wins.

[Findog]

Given the Mavs tendencies, I don't think it's safe to assume any of the remaining games are wins.

If they can't beat the Cubs at home, or the Kings and Clippers, then any talk of what they will do in the playoffs is a moot point.

[Findog]

best case scenario for the Mavs: Nuggets/JAzz/Mavs all go 4-1 to finish the regular season, Mavs win 3 way tiebreaker and get the 2 seed.

Mavs finished the regular season strong last year winning 5 of their last 6, God willing they finish strong again this year.

Spurs are the least desirable first round opponent IMO. I know OKC/Portland haven't done too badly against us this regular season, but those teams just dont strike fear into me for some reason.

At this point and how badly the Mavs are playing, who do you want? Before Saturday I said the Zombie Sonics because of their lack of playoff experience,and then they went out and took a Hot Carl on us at the AAC.

I'm guessing I would still take them because Durant is mortal against us...and my least desirable opponent is the Spurs, because I don't want bragging rights in the rivalry swinging back to their mouthbreather fans.

[The Cougar]

Spurs I think have the first tie breaker after a split of the season series. Good thing they still have to go play @ Phoenix and @ Denver.

both coming on back to backs, and Sacramento can beat them as well Anyone can beat them they lost to the ing nets

[Findog]

both coming on back to backs, and Sacramento can beat them as well Anyone can beat them they lost to the ing nets

Lose to the Nets and curbstomp the Lakers on the road. Makes perfect sense to me!

[Ghazi]

Thunder would be the ideal opponent. Dirk routinely scorches them, Mavs #1 defense against the SF position... westbrook seems like a load but he didn't really go off on the Mavs this year and isn't a great finisher in the painted area.

Home court + veteran experience advantage too. Mavs have outexecuted the Thunder in crunch time in 3 of the 4 meetings this year, Saturday was another example its just the Mavs hole was too deep.

I dont put much stock into that Saturday game. Just the Mavs not playing well rather than Thunder exposing some mismatches. Kidd's blocks that could've been charges and Marion's injury were factors too that easily could've swayed the outcome.

[Findog]

Thunder would be the ideal opponent. Dirk routinely scorches them, Mavs #1 defense against the SF position... westbrook seems like a load but he didn't really go off on the Mavs this year and isn't a great finisher in the painted area.

Home court + veteran experience advantage too. Mavs have outexecuted the Thunder in crunch time in 3 of the 4 meetings this year, Saturday was another example its just the Mavs hole was too deep.

I dont put much stock into that Saturday game. Just the Mavs not playing well rather than Thunder exposing some mismatches. Kidd's blocks that could've been charges and Marion's injury were factors too that easily could've swayed the outcome.

The two bogus calls on Kidd put him in foul trouble and he sat during the 2nd Quarter when the Zombies took control of the game. Marion's injury meant more PT for Terry. And it's clear that the effort wasn't good enough. The Zombies will be a load in the playoffs for any team that they play, but I wouldn't write us off against them based on Saturday's game.

[tlongII]

Our best matchup would be the Mavs, but I'm not holding my breath for it to happen. We've got 3 guys that can cover Dirk so they would be in trouble.

[Findog]

Both Hill and Parker are out Wednesday versus Phoenix. Go Suns!

[Xylus]

Phoenix Suns:

vs. San Antonio
at Zombie Sonics
vs. Houston
vs. Denver
at Utah (B2B)

3-2

The Suns will beat the Spurs, Rockets, and Nuggets; lose to the Thunder and Jazz. The Spurs and Nuggets will both be on back-to-backs when they face Phoenix (in Phoenix). Not a good situation for an opposing team. The Thunder are on a roll right now, and the Jazz game is in Utah and the Suns are on a back-to-back for that one.

[Findog]

Our best matchup would be the Mavs, but I'm not holding my breath for it to happen. We've got 3 guys that can cover Dirk so they would be in trouble.

You're better off arguing that the Miller-Roy back court is too much for us to handle.

[The Cougar]

Phoenix Suns:

vs. San Antonio
at Zombie Sonics
vs. Houston
vs. Denver
at Utah (B2B)

3-2

The Suns will beat the Spurs, Rockets, and Nuggets; lose to the Thunder and Jazz. The Spurs and Nuggets will both be on back-to-backs when they face Phoenix (in Phoenix). Not a good situation for an opposing team. The Thunder are on a roll right now, and the Jazz game is in Utah and the Suns are on a back-to-back for that one.

True, but Manu loves to toast your team at home

[Xylus]

True, but Manu loves to toast your team at home

True, but we all know how the Spurs play on back-to-backs.

[ElNono]

True, but we all know how the Spurs play on back-to-backs.

Ask Durant...

[ElNono]

both coming on back to backs, and Sacramento can beat them as well Anyone can beat them they lost to the ing nets

No Gino against the Nets...

[Xylus]

Ask Durant...

Why, when I can ask Brook Lopez?

[ElNono]

The two bogus calls on Kidd put him in foul trouble and he sat during the 2nd Quarter when the Zombies took control of the game. Marion's injury meant more PT for Terry. And it's clear that the effort wasn't good enough. The Zombies will be a load in the playoffs for any team that they play, but I wouldn't write us off against them based on Saturday's game.

I'm not sold you want to face a guy that is a shooter who can get super hot. I mean, Durant is almost a lock for 40 ppg these days. Much easier to take on a team like Portland who has a one trick pony in Roy, and simply cannot elevate his game that much.

[ElNono]

Why, when I can ask Brook Lopez?

We beat the zombie sonics on a back to back... and you sure can't ask Brook Lopez about Manu... you can ask his brother about him torching the Suns though...