The bottom half of the West...

[CosmicCowboy]

Damn it's close with some tough schedules...

#5 Sacramento 48-30

@Lakers
@Phoenix
@Utah
Phoenix

#6 Houston 46-31

@Seattle
Memphis
Denver
Clippers
Seattle

#7 Denver 45-31

Golden State
New Orleans
Memphis
@Houston
@Phoenix
Portland

#8 Memphis 44-32

@Dallas
@Houston
@Denver
@San Antonio
San Antonio
Dallas

Hard to predict the last couple of games for some of them because Phoenix, Dallas and/or Spurs might be resting players if the 1/2/3/4 seed is locked up...

I think Sacramento goes 2-2 and ends up @ 50-32

I think Houston goes 3-2 or 4-1 and ends up @ 49-33 or 50-32

I think Denver goes 5-1 or 6-0 and ends up 50-32 or 51-33...

Memphis has the killer schedule if everyone plays hard right to the last game...they could conceivably go 1-5 or 0-6 down the stretch and end up @ 45-37 or 44-38...but still good enough to hold off the TWolves for the 8 seed...

I have lost hope for Sacramento dropping to the 7 seed...too many early season wins before the wheels came off...Dallas should polish them off easily in the first round...

you guys thoughts?

[maxpower]

Thanks...CC ...is there perchance a top half thread floating around somewhere..I have not seen it as it may not be led as such.

[Jimcs50]

Sacto loses out goes to 7

Houston gets 6th seed

Denver gets 5th seed

Memphis plays Phoenix as 8 seed

[spurster]

Could we at least get a couple of numbers right? Its actually:

#5 Sacramento 48-30
#6 Houston 46-31
#7 Denver 45-31
#8 Memphis 44-32

[CosmicCowboy]

Could we at least get a couple of numbers right? Its actually:

#5 Sacramento 48-30
#6 Houston 46-31
#7 Denver 45-31
#8 Memphis 44-32

you are correct sir...I thought I got the original numbers right off NBA.com but could have messed it up...I have updated...with the corrections we could see a Denver/Dallas matchup but Houston will still probably be the 7 seed and Memphis the #8.

[picnroll]

For me the perfect possible playoff picture from where things stand would be:

1. Phoenix
2. San Antonio
3. Seattle
4. Dallas
5. Denver
6. Houston
7. Sacramento
8. Memphis

SA gets the weak sister in round 1, Sac, and a chance to get rythm and rest.
Round 2 they get the Seattle _ Houston winner, likely Houston who is without a PF.

Meanwhile Phoenix - Memphis bang heads as do Dallas and Denver and then the winners go at it.

Granted this would probably take a complete collapse on Sacs part and they aren't entirely cooperating.

[Lonestar]

Definitely! A tough first round would not benefit the Spurs. Manu, Tony and Bruce must be pretty dog tired at this point.

[Rummpd]

Don't forget that the Sonics are crashing like a falling plane, they may fall behind Kings as unbelieveable as once thought of:

Sac 48 30
Seattle 50 and 26. They could lose out the way they are playing but hopefully will stabalize, i prefer to play Kings.

[MadDog73]

As the Kings probably won't fall that far, I'd rather the Spurs face the Grizzlies in the first round than the Nuggets or Rockets.

[timvp]

For me the perfect possible playoff picture from where things stand would be:

1. Phoenix
2. San Antonio
3. Seattle
4. Dallas
5. Denver
6. Houston
7. Sacramento
8. Memphis

SA gets the weak sister in round 1, Sac, and a chance to get rythm and rest.
Round 2 they get the Seattle _ Houston winner, likely Houston who is without a PF.

Meanwhile Phoenix - Memphis bang heads as do Dallas and Denver and then the winners go at it.

Granted this would probably take a complete collapse on Sacs part and they aren't entirely cooperating.

That would be an awesome bracket for the Spurs. I also wouldn't mind this:

1. Suns
2. Spurs
3. Sonics
4. Mavs
5. Rockets
6. Kings
7. Grizzlies
8. Nuggets

If the first two rounds are Grizzlies and either the Sonics or Kings, that'd be a nice warmup for the Suns in the WCF.

[picnroll]

Only worrisome thing about Houston in the first round is will Rasho be ready to go against Yao.

[MadDog73]

Don't forget that the Sonics are crashing like a falling plane, they may fall behind Kings as unbelieveable as once thought of:

Sac 48 30
Seattle 50 and 26. They could lose out the way they are playing but hopefully will stabalize, i prefer to play Kings.

Last I checked, Good Doctor, that is not possible.

As the Sonics are in a different Division, only the Nuggets can knock them down (which, believe it or not, is still possible, if very, very unlikely).

[CosmicCowboy]

Don't forget that the Sonics are crashing like a falling plane, they may fall behind Kings as unbelieveable as once thought of:

Sac 48 30
Seattle 50 and 26. They could lose out the way they are playing but hopefully will stabalize, i prefer to play Kings.

Seattle would have to lose out the rest of the season (including against New Orleans at home) and Denver would have to win out the rest of the season for the Sonics to lose the 3 seed...

[Jimcs50]

Seattle would have to lose out the rest of the season (including against New Orleans at home) and Denver would have to win out the rest of the season for the Sonics to lose the 3 seed...

Sonics can not lose 3 seed.

Winner of NW division gets 3 seed despite the record.

[MadDog73]

Sonics can not lose 3 seed.

Winner of NW division gets 3 seed despite the record.

Believe it or not, Jim, they can!

NW division rival Nuggets are "only" 5 games behind Sonics. It is mathmatically possible (although practically impossible) for the Sonics to lose 3rd seed to the Nuggets (as Cowboy states, Nuggets would have to win EVERY game, and Sonics would have to lose EVERY remaining game, including one to the Hornets!)

[CosmicCowboy]

uhhh Jim....

Seattle is in the Northwest division with a current record of 50-26

Denver is in the Northwest division with a current record of 45-31

If Seattle lost every game the rest of the season they would end the season at 50-32

If Denver won every game the rest of the season they would end the season at 51-31

Denver would win the Northwest Division and the 3 seed....

uhhhh...get it now?

[spurster]

Now it's even closer between 5, 6, and 7, with the Grizzlies falling off.

#5 Sacramento 48-30
#6 Houston 48-31
#7 Denver 47-31
#8 Memphis 44-34

To me, it looks like the Spurs will get the team that goes into a slump at the end.