Top 5 contenders' schedules

[MajorMike]

The West shot at the buzzer last night hurt us, for sure.

I think at this point we have to concentrate on 2 things for sure:
- beating Houston here
- beating Phx here

Those 2 teams won't win their div so we must be ahead of them both to get a top 4 seed. NO owns the tiebreak with us, so we would have to have a better overall. I know that seems good because they have lots of road games, but lots of road games against poor teams and they also have more games than us left so it is a little deceiving. NO has lots of b-2-bs and maybe the pressure will get to them, we shall see.

If we can win out at home and only drop @ LAL/Utah, that gives us 2 losses at 57-25. For NO to be 56-26, they are going to have to go 7-6. You could say @ Boston/LAL/Dal could be 3, but I'm not sure I can find 3 other losses in there unless that start gagging on the 3 b-2-bs to end the season. Additionally, we don't want Utah to win all these games vs Houston and NO because we need to have a better record than them if we are the 5-seed.

I can see a tie or 1-game advantage but it would be for NO. I also don't see LAL not getting the #1 seed, which means most likely:
1) LAL 2) NO 3) SA 4) Jazz 5) Phx 6) Hou 7)Dal/GS 8) GS/Dal

I would love to play GS in the 1st round, but all signs point to Phx/Hou if we are the #3 or at home vs Utah if we are #5. Pretty much sums it up for now.

Only other scenario I can see is if we beat LAL and get the #2 seed, which is entirely possible (we are currently tied in the standings).

HORNETS: 49-21 / 10-5
@ Boston
@ Toronto
@ Orl*
@ Miami*
NYK
GS
Utah*
@ Minn*
@ LAL*
@ Sacto*
LAC*
@ Dal*

ROCKETS: 49-23 / 8-7
@ SA
@ Sacto
@ Port*
@ Seat*
@ LAC
Seat
Pho
@ Denv
@ Utah
LAC

SPURS: 49-23 / 9-6
Min
Hou
GS
@ Utah
@ Port
Pho
Seat
@ LAL*
@ Sacto*
Utah

[Jimcs50]

Here are the top 5 teams schedules, and realistically speaking the only teams that can get the number 1 seed. Looking at the schedule, it looks like LA has the easiest road to the #1 seed. But I think SA has the next best shot at the 2 seed.....anyone else have any opinions?

I think I jinxed LA.

They lose 2 straight at home to two dogs.