Spurs Notebook: How the Spurs can lock up the 6 seed in the West

[Josh810]

Thunder 31, Warriors 13 with 5:04 left in the 1st. *sigh*

[sa_kid20]

Pretty simple. Focusing on highest seed.

6th seed if Spurs 3-0, OKC losses one and Portland loses one.
Doesn't look likely.

Basically this is what it's probably gonna come down to.

It would be great if OKC lost to GS tonight and then beat POR tomorrow. That would be ideal.

[daslicer]

I'm really going to put this on Pop if the spurs end up as 8th seed playing the lakers because this could have been avoided had he not ed up that memphis game by not playing Tim and Manu big minutes when they were up by 13-15 to put them away. We wouldn't be even thinking about the 8th seed if the spurs win that game.

[SPURS vs NBA media]

Does not matter who plays the Lakers David Stern and the NBA will NOT allow the Lakers to LOSE in the first round

[Death In June]

How's it looking that Dallas ends up with the 2 seed? The spurs are most likely gonna finish 7th. OKC is not gonna lose to a Portland team minus Roy.

[sa_kid20]

OKC 94 GS 95 with 9:04 left in the 4th.

Man it would be great if GS could hold on and win this one.

[DesignatedT]

damn lets go GS!

Warriors:102
Thunder: 99

5:12 remaining

[Flux451]

Basically this is what it's probably gonna come down to.

It would be great if OKC lost to GS tonight and then beat POR tomorrow. That would be ideal.

Well, a half of your equation is right. Can't believe OKC lost tonight. Good game by the Warriors shot around 30 shots less and still won. Go OKC manana!!!!!

[boutons_deux]

Thunder lose, 3 teams with 31L

[kaji157]

So as of now, we have to win both games, and there is a better chance that we finish 7th still, but making Dallas end 3rd and not 2nd. Than we have of making the 6th seed and Dallas the 2nd. Because us beating Dallas will likely prevent them to finish 2nd.

[kaji157]

Just realised that Dallas owns all the tiebreakers (im quite sure) so Dallas will basically be able to choose who to play if they win their next game.

[DesignatedT]

Just realised that Dallas owns all the tiebreakers (im quite sure) so Dallas will basically be able to choose who to play if they win their next game.

even if it comes down to a 3 way tie?

[Dex]

So let's make some assumptions:

1. The Spurs will beat Minnesota
2. Oklahoma City and Portland will both beat Golden State

So much for assumptions.

Now the Spurs need to not make any assumptions, and take care of business against Minnesota.

[DesignatedT]

watch the spurs lose to minnesota

[weebo]

If the Spurs want to get anywhere, they'll have to beat all good teams. So, realistically speaking, who cares who they play.

[Supergirl]

Soooo...OKC blows it against GSW, throwing the race into a 3 way tie once again. that bumps Spurs to the #7 seed for now, and Portland to #6, since that's how the tiebreaker breaks down, right?

Now, if the Spurs win out both their games (neither of which should be viewed as cake walks, and if the Spurs come into either expecting to coast they will likely lose) then I think they can't do worse than #7, right? And we want OKC to beat Portland now, right, so we can land the #6 spot?

This is all making my brain hurt.

[Tigole Bitties]

I'd rather play the Lakers in the first round rather than go through a gauntlet of playoff games.

[superjames1992]

So let's make some assumptions:

1. The Spurs will beat Minnesota
2. Oklahoma City and Portland will both beat Golden State

And for the sake of simplicity:
3. Oklahoma City will beat Memphis, who have lost four of their last five

Oops.

[jiggy_55]

Spurs Notebook: How the Spurs can lock up the 6 seed in the West
by Dan Oshinsky / KENS 5

Kobe Bryant's inability to make free throws has just opened up the playoff race in the Western Conference.

Not for the Lakers, though.

Perhaps you missed it, so a brief recap: the Trail Blazers led by five with two minutes remaining against the Lakers. And then weird things starting happening. Weird things like Derek Fisher running Student Body Right to clear open the three-point line for Bryant. Like Bryant and Fisher going 1 for 4 from the line in the final minute. Like Martell Webster somehow coercing Bryant into fouling on a three-pointer with fewer than four seconds remaining. Like the Lakers inbounding the ball to Pau Gasol (a career 18-81 three-point shooter) to attempt a game-tying buzzer-beater.

So despite all that Portland finished off a huge 91-88 win, causing all sorts of chaos in the race for the six seed in the West.

The five seed is mathematically out of reach for the Spurs. So here's the race for the 6-7-8 seeds. Your remaining games:

Spurs
vs. Minnesota
at Dallas

Oklahoma City
at Golden State
at Portland
vs Memphis

Portland
at Oklahoma City
vs. Golden State

So let's make some assumptions:

1. The Spurs will beat Minnesota
2. Oklahoma City and Portland will both beat Golden State

And for the sake of simplicity:
3. Oklahoma City will beat Memphis, who have lost four of their last five

That puts the Thunder at 51-30, the Spurs at 50-31 and the Trail Blazers at 50-31. What it'll come down to is two games: Oklahoma City-Portland on April 12, and San Antonio-Dallas on April 14.

The Spurs get the 6 seed if:
-Spurs beat Dallas
-Portland beats Oklahoma City
-In this scenario, Oklahoma City gets the 7 seed and Portland gets the 8 seed

The Spurs get the 7 seed if:
-Spurs beat Dallas
-Oklahoma City beats Portland
-Oklahoma City gets the 6 seed and Portland gets the 8 seed

OR

-Spurs lose to Dallas
-Oklahoma City beats Portland
-Oklahoma City gets the 6 seed and Portland gets the 8 seed

The Spurs get the 8 seed if:
-Spurs lose to Dallas
-Portland beats Oklahoma City
-Oklahoma City gets the 6 seed and Portland gets the 7 seed.

That last scenario is the doomsday one for the Spurs, who'd end up in a match-up with the Lakers. On Saturday, reporters asked coach Gregg Popovich: on a scale of 1 to 10, how bad do the Spurs want to face the Lakers in the opening round?

Popovich's answer: "Minus-5."

WOW. Whoever wrote this has serious issues lol. This is horribly wrong.