Dallas and OKC

[Man In Black]

I'd like to see the Lakers go through Portland and OKC
while the Spurs get New Orleans and Dallas
That's a favorable setup for success
It will be an interesting week for sure

[mystargtr34]

Up until about a week ago i was really hoping for a Mavs-LA series thinking that Dallas could push LA to 6 or 7 games.. but the Mavs really have no answer for the Lakers and i think they are too weak on the perimeter to to beat the Spurs in a series.

Hopefully OKC can get the 3 spot and give the Lakers a of series... and the Spurs should be able to make do with either Denver or Dallas. And theres no garuantee the Mavs get through the Nuggets in the first round.

Another darkhorse IMO is Portland... i think they could push either OKC or Dallas to 7 games and are a real chance to win those series... although it would be tough without HCA. Harlem made a great point the other day... as Spurs fans we should all be hoping the Lakers dont get the Hornets in the first round since that would be an absolute cakewalk for LA... its extremely unlikely they lose a first round series agianst any of NO, Memphis or Portland... but you would much rather see LA get 1) Portland or 2) Memphis.. in that order.. so the series takes something out of them.. plus the small possibility of an upset.

Perfect scenario for me...

1. Spurs
2. Lakers
3. OKC
4. Dallas
5. Denver
6. Memphis
7. Portland
8. NOLA

One can argue that if you want to win a le... you shouldnt be worrying about playoff positioning since you will have to beat the best anyway.. but thats bull tbh.. you have to give yourself the best possible odds to win.. and that starts from the first round.

[Spursfanfromafar]

If Dallas finish fourth, I doubt if they would defeat the Nuggets and get to the second round.

[Isitjustme?]

I'd rather face Dallas. You have to remember OKC's record is deceptive, as they made a major upgrade midseason. Perkins just had 18 boards today and their record would be a lot better if they had this team all year.

[dbestpro]

OKC needs to sniff out the Mavs plan and rest their starters the rest of the way.

[Warlord23]

As it stands, both Spur fans and Mav fans would prefer Dallas to be in the #4 spot.

For the Spurs, having Dallas as the 4th seed means:
1. Not having to tangle with an OKC team that has athletic perimeter players in Durant, Westbrook, Harden, Sefolosha and a solid frontcourt featuring Perkins and Ibaka
2. There's a fair chance that Dallas doesn't make it out of the 1st round
3. OKC would make life more difficult for the Lakers

For Dallas, being in # 4 is better because they have no chance against LA - none whatsoever. They have a small chance at beating SA, and the first round is equally difficult for them (Denver or Portland).

It's in both Texas teams' interests for Dallas to tank their remaining games and drop below OKC.

[igruex]

For the Spurs, it doesn't matter to me, I don't see either matchup being tougher than the other..

However, I hope the Lakers play OKC, so I'm hoping they can move up to 3rd, although I doubt it will happen..

The worse matchup (and opponent) possible for the Spurs are the Lakers. If anyone has a chance to beat them or at least bringing them to 7 games is OKC. Therefore, if OKC gets #3 seed we should be more than happy.

[ATXSPUR]

At first I wanted OKC in the second round. But the more I think about it, the more they scare me. That series reminds me a whole lot of New Orleans in 08. I'd much rather Lakers get them. Who know, maybe the reverse of 08 will happen and this time Lakers are tired out from a young energetic team before Spurs pick them off in the WCF.

[hater]

OKC #3
Dallas #4

definitely

[Mel_13]

As it stands, both Spur fans and Mav fans would prefer Dallas to be in the #4 spot.

For the Spurs, having Dallas as the 4th seed means:
1. Not having to tangle with an OKC team that has athletic perimeter players in Durant, Westbrook, Harden, Sefolosha and a solid frontcourt featuring Perkins and Ibaka
2. There's a fair chance that Dallas doesn't make it out of the 1st round
3. OKC would make life more difficult for the Lakers

For Dallas, being in # 4 is better because they have no chance against LA - none whatsoever. They have a small chance at beating SA, and the first round is equally difficult for them (Denver or Portland).

It's in both Texas teams' interests for Dallas to tank their remaining games and drop below OKC.

Perhaps, but if Dallas slips to 4th we'll be seeing Denver in the second round.

[DesignatedT]

Perhaps, but if Dallas slips to 4th we'll be seeing Denver in the second round.

Even better IMO.

[Warlord23]

Perhaps, but if Dallas slips to 4th we'll be seeing Denver in the second round.

True, but then even at #3, IDK is Dallas has a higher chance of making it out of the first round. I'd rather face Dallas or Denver than OKC.

[ATXSPUR]

Perhaps, but if Dallas slips to 4th we'll be seeing Denver in the second round.

Denver in second round + Lakers getting OKC would be a blessing from above.

[tdunk21]

i want lakers to play portland, then OKC......by the time they make it to WCF, they will be tired after playing 2 young teams....

[Morg1411]

Play whoever you got to play and shut the up. That is my opinion on it.

This.

[ajballer4]

Wow, Jason Terry is losing his mind. He got into it with JJ, then Carlisle kicked him out of huddle. Cuban had to restrain him.

[Strategic]

Jason Terry is such a dumbass!!! Arguing in the huddle.

[Spurious]

Hmmm. If only Terry would have gone bonkers and slugged Cuban in the junk. Cuban with his privates perpetually in a sling and Terry suspended indefinitely by the team would be about as close to nirvana as it gets.

[ShoogarBear]

If only Terry would have gone bonkers and slugged Cuban in the junk.

Yeah, right. As if Cuban doesn't beg him to do that all the time anyway.

[Solid D]

I'd rather the Spurs play Dallas. Since the trades for Perkins & Mohammed (and Robinson), the Thunder have gone 17-4. They went from allowing 102 ppg to allowing 96.8 ppg in those 21 games...95.5 ppg since Perkins started playing for them. The combo of Ibaka, Perkins and Mohammed roaming the paint has made a huge difference in the Thunder's success.

[mystargtr34]

Yea its a really scary prospect thinking about Ibaka jumping all over Blair and Bonner for dunks and blocked shots. Perkins probably defends Duncan better than anybody in the league.. Tim really struggles to back him down and get good position.. which turns him into a really inefficient scorer.

[MajorMike]

#1 - Tie between Spurs and Bulls will be broken by the 3rd tie break which is coin flip. #1 is head-to-head and #2 is vs other conf (both are 23-7 or something thereabouts).

#2 OKC is still alive for #2 seed. They they win out and LAL loses out and Dal loses one. OKC winning out is easy if they beat LAL. LAL has OKC, SA and @ Kings (which will be the last game played in Sacrapento). Maybe not probable but certainly possible. Who would have ever thought they would lose 4 in a row while chasing the #1 seed? Dallas plays at Houston and they have Hornets at home, who are fighting for seeding. After the way they have been playing and dagum near yakked one up at home against LAC, you can't say it wouldn't happen. OKC wins any tie with Dal head to head for seeding (not because wins, Dal won 1-2, but div winner automatically gets higher seed) and they have to be a game ahead of LAL because head to head.

HOWEVER, this would put LAL as the #4 seed, which means we get them second round. But then again, when saying who do you want to play 2nd round, should actually say, who do you want to play less, OKC, Dal or LAL?

#3 Most likely 1st round is Grizz. If Grizz sweet NO and Port, then it would be NO, unless they sweep and Port also loses to GS, then it would be Port.

#4 No way LAL is going to tank to get OKC in second round on purpose. It would involve going into the playoffs on a big slide and OKC on a huge rush. Now, I can see that LAL might have tanked the Portland game because they have publically said they do not want them as a first round matchup, and that win gives Portland the inside shot to the #6 seed vs the #7 seed. I also wouldn't count on Dallas losing; just when you think they are going to win they lose and now when you think they are going to lose they will probably garbage some wins out like they did tonite.

All in all, I fully expect the standings to look pretty much exactly they way they do today when the playoffs start.

[Bruno]

The worst case scenario for Spurs would be Lakers ending with the 4th seed but Spurs can avoid it by losing their game against them.

[DPG21920]

I don't care who the Spurs get in the first round, as long as LA does not get NO. Luckily, NO controls their own destiny at this point. If they win out, they are the 6th seed. They own the tie breaker with Portland.

While I think Memphis is tough and I can see it going 6 tough games, I can also see the Spurs really doing a number on them.

I just want LA to have to face MEM or POR in the first round, then OKC or DAL in the 2nd.

[Seventyniner]

OKC wins any tie with Dal head to head for seeding (not because wins, Dal won 1-2, but div winner automatically gets higher seed) and they have to be a game ahead of LAL because head to head.

Wrong. A division winner is only guaranteed a top 4 seed, so if OKC and Dallas are tied for #2 (with the Lakers at #4), Dallas gets the #2 seed and HCA in the second round.

Good take the rest of the way, though. I still think the 6-8 spots could easily change, but I agree that 1-5 will end the way they currently stand.