Around The League 2023-2024 Season

db

Pat Bev was added to play some defense and give Dame a blow. After 6 games with the Bucks it ain't working. His offensive rating is only 97.2 and his defensive rating is 115.6. Overall he is sporting a -18.4 net rating.

All the theatrics don't change a damn thing.

The Bucks are still a very dangerous team because of Giannis and Dame. But I think too much of their roster has already passed the expiration date. They have compromised the "best if used by" date. They have 8 players on the team that are 31 years old or older. I see them breaking down due to the age/injury factor.

This is the new LA Clippers' logo.  Comments?







Bob


.

UGH

Funky Cruise Ship!! Ahoy, matey!!

Arrrrrgggghhh!

I really do not recall their old logo.

The Sixers continue to take it on the chin and the loss last night dropped them into 6th place in the East.    They look more and more like a participant in the 4 team play-in round.  The Sixers are nothing short of a hot air balloon with a big gash on the side.

The Heat are rising up the standings after winning 8 of 10.  They are now in 5th place and very likely to leap frog over the injured NYK.  

This is the time of year when teams experience the wear and tear of a grueling NBA schedule.

Out West the T'Wolves and Thunder are tied at 41-17.  I am very impressed with that OKC team.  They are young, well coached and their top gun is pretty special.  Those teams have split 4 games and each has won a game on the road.    While MN has an excellent defense mainly due to their size, OKC plays fast and has an offensive game that is right up there with Boston.  Their defense however is not on the same level as MN and Boston.

After stinging the Mavs...the Cavs got beat by the Bulls and now are a full 8 games back in the loss column.

Lakers beat Clipper PG13 was out and Daniel Theis started for the Clippers and played 31 minutes

PLAYOFF UPDATE:


Cleveland and the Clippers both lost last night.  Minny won.

Cleveland, who was already out of it in my book, is now 8 games back in the loss column.  Furthermore, we own the H2H tiebreaker which means they need to beat us and not just tie us, putting them 9 games back with 24 games left.  NOT going to happen and unless we go into a power dive I'm not going to mention them again as far as playoff seedings go.

The Clippers are now 8 games back in the loss column.  We are tied in the H2H tiebreaker which brings us to Division Leaders > non-Division Leaders.  Both Boston and LAC lead their divisions so now we're at Conference records.  Our 33-6 Conference record beats the snot out of their 23-16 record.  This means that, just like with the Cavs, the Clips need to beat us and not just tie us.  That puts them 9 games back too.  They're done, as far as I am concerned too.

This leaves only OKC and Minny as possible threats to us having home court advantage throughout the playoffs.  At this time Minny is the Division Leader in the Northwest Division @ 42-17, with OKC 1/2 game behind them @ 41-17.

We are 1-1 vs Minny H2H, so a push on that tiebreaker.  We are both Division Leaders (but OKC is right there too) so that's another push.  Our 33-6 Conference record is better than their 29-8.  They have 15 Conference games left out of their total of 24.  So, LOTS of opportunities for an intra-conference loss which would give us more padding.  Unfortunately they have no more H2H vs OKC, but they do have 2 vs the Clippers and 2 vs Denver.  Denver's home record is 23-5.

We are 0-1 vs OKC with another game in Boston coming in April.  If we lose that game all they need to do is tie us for #1 but they are 5 games back now.  If we win that game then they'd be 6 games back and our H2H would be 1-1.  Our 33-6 Conference record is much better than their 25-13.  Basically, if we take care of business on April 3rd we're probably good here too because OKC has only played 28 away game (17-11).  That means that they have 14 more away games and only 11 home games.  14 of their remaining 24 games are vs Western Conference teams, so an opportunity for one of them to hang a loss on OKC is good.  More road games and more intra-conference games is good for us even if we lose on 4/3, but I don't think we will.  We will be 3rd in a 5 game road trip for OKC starting in NY vs the Knicks, then south to Philly and then they play us as a SEGABABA.  Two days after they play their road b2b vs Philly and us they play in Indy.  Indy is currently in 6th place, 1 game behind Philly (who are falling) and 2 games in the loss column behind the Knicks in 4th.  That means, with a little luck from NY, Indy has a shot to have a home court series.  That's motivation.


Bob


.

https://sports.yahoo.com/nba-stretch-run-power-rankings-which-title-contenders-have-the-best-outlook-193428870.html



NBA Stretch Run Power Rankings: Which title contenders have the best outlook?


Ben Rohrbach
Senior NBA writer

Wed, Feb 28, 2024, 2:34 PM GMT-5·18 min read


.
Believe it or not, we are nearing the season's three-quarter point. What better time to power rank the NBA's championship contenders, examining what lies ahead on the stretch run of the regular season for each ...


15. Los Angeles Lakers (31-28, 10th in West)
Net rating: -0.6 (19th) • offensive rating: 114.5 (18th) • defensive rating: 115.1 (T-16th)
Remaining strength of schedule: .526 (T-6th) • home/road games left: 12/11
Average playoff seed prediction: 9-10 (68.6%)
Record vs. winning teams: 15-20 (T-13th)
BetMGM odds: +4000 (T-12th)


14. Golden State Warriors (30-27, 9th in West)
Net rating: 1.7 (T-12th) • offensive rating: 117.5 (T-8th) • defensive rating: 115.8 (18th)
Remaining strength of schedule: .479 (24th) • home/road games left: 10/15
Average playoff seed prediction: 9-10 (52.8%)
Record vs. winning teams: 12-24 (21st)
BetMGM odds: +4000 (T-12th)
Stretch run: In all likelihood, the Warriors and Lakers will meet as the ninth and 10th seeds in a play-in game, and one will eliminate the other. The winner would face another single-elimination situation on the road. There is a decent chance neither Stephen Curry nor LeBron James makes the playoffs. If either does, he will have to navigate three more series from the road to emerge from a loaded Western Conference.

The Lakers are not a very good team, despite the healthy presence of James and Anthony Davis. If you didn't know they were on the roster, and they were called the Southern California Avocado Toasts, you would cross them off solely on their net rating. A 39-year-old leading this group through the play-in and a single playoff round is a tall order. Two rounds is monumental. A return to the Western Conference finals, where the team that swept the Lakers last season likely awaits, is practically impossible, even for James.

Less so for the Warriors, who are two years removed from winning their fourth championship. It might feel longer to Klay Thompson, who was moved to the bench, but the emergence of Jonathan Kuminga (19.8 points per game on 56/39/76 shooting splits in his last 20 starts) and Brandon Podziemski (37.3% on 4.6 3-point attempts per 36 minutes) has fortified the rotation, and the return of Chris Paul should bolster Thompson's reserve unit. Then, there's Curry, still in his prime, the ultimate answer to the longest of shots.


13. New Orleans Pelicans (35-24, 5th in West)
Net rating: 4.6 (5th) • offensive rating: 116.9 (T-13th) • defensive rating: 112.2 (6th)
Remaining strength of schedule: .510 (11th) • home/road games left: 12/11
Average playoff seed prediction: 5-6 (59.1%)
Record vs. winning teams: 18-15 (6th)
BetMGM odds: +5000 (15th)
Stretch run: Avoiding two must-win games is enough on its own to give New Orleans a better chance at the title than the two dudes who have won eight of the league's last 13 rings, and the Pelicans are on pace to do them one better, avoiding the play-in tournament altogether. They are deep and talented and maybe the most under-the-radar contender around. When's the last time we had a positive Pelicans conversation?

Maybe it's because they're so inconsistent, and they play to their level of competition. Maybe it's because we rarely see them fully formed, and when we do, there's still some figuring out to do. Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum, Jonas Valančiūnas and Herb Jones are a lot to cover. Trey Murphy III and Dyson Daniels bring youthful energy off the bench. If they all figure it out in their final 23 games, good lord.

The Pelicans are leaning harder into Point Zion, and he appears capable of carrying the load, averaging a 27-6-7 on 55.2% shooting from the field per 36 minutes over the last dozen games. Crank his usage even higher in the playoffs, and New Orleans could have an All-NBA-level talent at the helm of a stacked rotation, partnered with an underrated Ingram, who posted an efficient 27-6-6 when last we saw him in the playoffs.


12. Philadelphia 76ers (33-25, 6th in East)
Net rating: 3.4 (10th) • offensive rating: 117.5 (T-8th) • defensive rating: 114.1 (12th)
Remaining strength of schedule: .490 (22nd) • home/road games left: 10/14
Average playoff seed prediction: 6-8 (70%)
Record vs. winning teams: 12-18 (16th)
BetMGM odds: +3000 (10th)


11. Miami Heat (33-25, 5th in East)
Net rating: 0.8 (16th) • offensive rating: 113.4 (20th) • defensive rating: 112.6 (7th)
Remaining strength of schedule: .461 (27th) • home/road games left: 13/11
Average playoff seed prediction: 4-6 (58%)
Record vs. winning teams: 14-17 (T-11th)
BetMGM odds: +4000 (T-12th)
Stretch run: There are caveats to the contender candidacies of Miami and Philadelphia.

It is obvious for the 76ers, who need a healthy Joel Embiid to have any chance. He is three weeks removed from a second surgery on the meniscus in his left knee, and who knows what shape he will be in come the end of the regular season? Philadelphia is 4-8 with a dreadful -8.8 net rating and falling fast since Embiid suffered the injury. One loss stands between the Sixers and the play-in tournament. What was a promising response to last year's disappointing end could be over before the playoffs begin. Welcome to Philadelphia.

All the Heat have to do is replicate one of the most improbable playoff runs in league history — possibly as an eighth seed again. Even that ended in an overmatched five-game Finals loss to the Denver Nuggets. The Heat are greater than the sum of their parts in the playoffs, and that adds up to a fiery underdog. But the chemistry isn't the same this season, and that'll make flipping another playoff switch all the more difficult.

For both teams, there is a lot of work to do in seven weeks. Embiid has been ill-prepared for the rigors of the playoffs when he isn't recovering from surgery, and anything less than 100% requires support he has not yet received, regardless of the roster. Tyrese Maxey's defense has kept his stardom from translating to the playoffs, and beyond him, the Sixers are a collection of role players with long histories of inconsistency.

Meanwhile, the Heat need Terry Rozier (13.2 points per game on 37.3% shooting in 11 appearances since joining the Heat) to emerge as a legit weapon, given concerns about the existing core over defensive holes (Tyler Herro), floor-spacing limitations (Bam Adebayo) and ever-mounting injuries (Jimmy Butler's right leg).

NBA Stretch Run Power Rankings
(Taylar Sievert/Yahoo Sports Illustration)


10. Dallas Mavericks (33-25, 8th in West)
Net rating: 1 (15th) • offensive rating: 117.5 (T-8th) • defensive rating: 116.6 (21st)
Remaining strength of schedule: .487 (23rd) • home/road games left: 10/14
Average playoff seed prediction: 6-8 (63.8%)
Record vs. winning teams: 15-20 (T-13th)
BetMGM odds: +3500 (11th)
Stretch run: The Mavericks have Luka Dončić, and that is enough to frighten any playoff opponent. An engaged Kyrie Irving is pretty scary himself. No one wants to see them in a play-in game or the first round.

But there's a difference between striking fear into an early opponent and remaining terrifying into June. Their best chance depends heavily on how quickly they can incorporate trade additions P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford, a pair of unproven playoff performers. The rotation is full of question marks about who will dependably meet the moment, from Dereck Lively II to Josh Green, Derrick Jones Jr. and Dante Exum.

We have seen Dončić carry them two rounds before. Can he will them through four? Probably too much to ask. The Mavericks have 25 games for the rest of the roster to coalesce into a complementary force around their two stars. The early returns — a 4-2 record and a +7.7 net rating since Washington and Gafford arrived — are encouraging, but the playoffs are a different beast, especially in the West, where every series is a bear.


9. Cleveland Cavaliers (38-19, 2nd in East)
Net rating: 5.4 (4th) • offensive rating: 116 (15th) • defensive rating: 110.6 (T-2nd)
Remaining strength of schedule: .508 (12th) • home/road games left: 11/14
Average playoff seed prediction: 2 (72.2%)
Record vs. winning teams: 14-17 (T-11th)
BetMGM odds: +2500 (T-8th)


8. New York Knicks (35-24, 4th in East)
Net rating: 4.1 (T-7th) • offensive rating: 117.6 (7th) • defensive rating: 113.5 (T-10th)
Remaining strength of schedule: .502 (T-15th) • home/road games left: 11/12
Average playoff seed prediction: 4-6 (61.9%)
Record vs. winning teams: 12-22 (19th)
BetMGM odds: +2000 (6th)
Stretch run: If the Cavaliers and Knicks meet again in the playoffs — something Cleveland may not want to experience again — it will likely be after the first round, since they could (somewhat surprisingly) secure the East's second and third seeds. Both teams have succeeded to this degree in the face of tough injury luck.

At full strength, the Cavaliers still have concerns about the offensive fit between Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen (and, to a lesser degree, Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland), which contributed to their five-game loss to the Knicks in the opening round of last year's playoffs. The addition of playoff battle-tested veteran Max Strus should help their spacing, but they are still scoring at a bottom-six level when Mobley and Allen share the court, and that is serious cause for concern when you're looking up at the Celtics and Bucks.

First, Cleveland might have to get through New York again, and the Knicks at full strength are stronger this season than last. Jalen Brunson has transformed into an All-NBA guard, and the trade acquisition of OG Anunoby tied together a brutish rotation on both ends. Short-term injuries to Julius Randle and Anunoby derailed a steamroller, but if they get healthy enough to play as they did upon Anunoby's arrival (+25.3 points per 100 possessions in his minutes!), they can scrap their way to the conference finals and beyond.


7. Phoenix Suns (34-24, 6th in West)
Net rating: 3.1 (11th) • offensive rating: 117.7 (6th) • defensive rating: 114.6 (T-13th)
Remaining strength of schedule: .571 (1st) • home/road games left: 11/13
Average playoff seed prediction: 6-8 (61.6%)
Record vs. winning teams: 16-16 (T-8th)
BetMGM odds: +1600 (5th)
Stretch run: While peers in L.A. and Golden State are coming to terms with Father Time's impact on their title odds, Kevin Durant has Devin Booker and Bradley Beal at his side, and he needs little else but health.

When those three share the court, a more frequent occurrence before Beal suffered another nagging injury, the Suns have outscored opponents by 12 points per 100 meaningful possessions, per Cleaning the Glass. Grayson Allen and Eric Gordon space the floor for them, combining to shoot 43.4% on 11.6 attempts from 3 per game, and the addition of Royce O'Neale provides a defensive-minded option.

It seems as if the Suns are half a player short — a little more defense from Allen or Gordon, more reliable shooting from Josh Okogie, a backup center upgrade from Drew Eubanks, the idealized version of Bol Bol. Something. It also doesn't feel great that they are so reliant on Jusuf Nurkić, who will soon surpass the most games he has played in any of his four previous seasons. Then again, all could go right in Phoenix. Durant, Booker and Beal could get hot for a series or four, and the supporting cast won't matter so much.


6. Minnesota Timberwolves (41-17, 1st in West)
Net rating: 6.9 (3rd) • offensive rating: 114.8 (17th) • defensive rating: 107.8 (1st)
Remaining strength of schedule: .504 (14th) • home/road games left: 14/10
Average playoff seed prediction: 1-2 (75.1%)
Record vs. winning teams: 23-12 (2nd)
BetMGM odds: +2500 (T-8th)
Stretch run: It would feel silly to slot the Western Conference's top-seeded team sixth on this list if not for concerns about how Minnesota's offense will close games in the playoffs. The Timberwolves own a -8.2 net rating in clutch situations (score within five in the final five minutes) — 22nd in the league — and they are the only one of the 16 teams with a negative net rating in those games to have a winning record (14-10).

Such is the benefit of the NBA's best defense. This cannot be ignored, either. Rudy Gobert is the favorite to win another Defensive Player of the Year award, and two of his teammates — Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels — could challenge him in that respect at their best. Still, a 107.3 offensive rating at the end of close games — equivalent to the Memphis Grizzlies' league-worst output this season — could haunt them in the playoffs, as series go longer, games get tighter, and the frequency of both increases as you survive.

There is also the possibility that Edwards, a 22-year-old in the mold of ... (whispers) ... Michael Jordan, fully realizes his offensive arsenal in the most pressure-packed moments. It may be early for him but inevitable.


5. Milwaukee Bucks (38-21, 3rd in East)
Net rating: 4 (9th) • offensive rating: 119.1 (T-4th) • defensive rating: 115.1 (T-16th)
Remaining strength of schedule: .537 (3rd) • home/road games left: 10/13
Average playoff seed prediction: 2-3 (73%)
Record vs. winning teams: 19-13 (4th)
BetMGM odds: +700 (4th)
Stretch run: It's the defense that should concern the Bucks. They are bad at it. This should come as little surprise, since they swapped Jrue Holiday for Damian Lillard and paired him at guard with Malik Beasley. Seeing this coming makes it no less concerning come playoff time. Khris Middleton isn't exactly a reliable defensive stopper any longer. Giannis Antetokounmpo and a 36-year-old Brook Lopez only mask so much.

They are trending in the right direction, rating fourth on defense in six games since replacing Adrian Griffin on the bench with Doc Rivers, albeit against light competition. They have 23 games to prove that's no fluke.

Bottom line: Milwaukee boasts Antetokounmpo, the best (healthy) player in the Eastern Conference, a title winner and a problem. He can push anyone to the brink. In order to push everyone, though, he needs Lillard at the peak of his powers. Lillard is shooting 42.5% from the field and 34.4% from 3, his worst marks in any healthy campaign for at least nine seasons, and he's worse in the clutch. Blame his evolving chemistry with Antetokounmpo. Blame the emotionally difficult transition. Blame his age. They still need him at his best.


4. Los Angeles Clippers (37-19, 4th in West)
Net rating: 4.5 (6th) • offensive rating: 119.1 (T-4th) • defensive rating: 114.6 (T-13th)
Remaining strength of schedule: .511 (10th) • home/road games left: 14/12
Average playoff seed prediction: 3-4 (73.9%)
Record vs. winning teams: 19-16 (7th)
BetMGM odds: +475 (3rd)
Stretch run: I'll believe Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and James Harden can survive four drama-free rounds of the playoffs when I see it, but from what we've seen this regular season, they sure look like contenders.

The Clippers are +11.4 points per 100 possessions with their three best players on the court, and they can field any lineup combination around them, featuring wings Terance Mann, Norman Powell and Amir Coffey and bigs Ivica Zubac, Mason Plumlee and Daniel Theis. (Please don't pair Harden and Russell Westbrook.)

We are witnessing everything we imagined when Leonard and George united four years ago, only with Harden and Westbrook as their 48 minutes of point guard. Knock on wood every time they take the floor, because a foundation of these four superstars and the history of the Clippers will forever be on a fault line.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drives against Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (1) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder could make some noise in the playoffs. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)


3. Oklahoma City Thunder (41-17, 2nd in West)
Net rating: 8.4 (2nd) • offensive rating: 119.4 (3rd) • defensive rating: 111.1 (4th)
Remaining strength of schedule: .491 (22nd) • home/road games left: 11/13
Average playoff seed prediction: 1-2 (84.1%)
Record vs. winning teams: 22-12 (3rd)
BetMGM odds: +2200 (7th)
Stretch run: Don't let their youth fool you.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren may not be Durant, Westbrook and Harden of old, but they could eventually make more playoff noise, just because of how well they fit together. Gilgeous-Alexander gets wherever he wants, herky-jerks you to death, draws a foul and gives a wild shot a chance to go in. Every damn time. Williams was somehow good on both sides of the ball from the jump and improves nightly. Holmgren is a shot-blocking and rim-running force shooting 40.1% on 4.3 attempts from 3 a game.

Let's stay on Holmgren for a second. He's averaging a 17-8-3 on 54/40/78 shooting splits as a rookie. That's basically the equivalent of Year 2 Dirk Nowitzki (18-7-3 on 46/38/83 splits) — with top-flight defense.

There can be no concerns about Gilgeous-Alexander, whose workmanlike dominance should translate to the playoffs, as it did in the FIBA World Cup. Sooner or later, Williams, Holmgren and the Thunder's other rising contributors will meet Gilgeous-Alexander at the highest of levels. So, I wonder: Could it be sooner?


2. Denver Nuggets (39-19, 3rd in West)
Net rating: 4.1 (T-7th) • offensive rating: 117.5 (T-8th) • defensive rating: 113.4 (9th)
Remaining strength of schedule: .502 (T-15th) • home/road games left: 14/10
Average playoff seed prediction: 3-4 (68.6%)
Record vs. winning teams: 19-15 (5th)
BetMGM odds: +450 (2nd)
Stretch run: The defending champions have given us no reason to believe they cannot repeat. Sure, the losses of Bruce Brown and Jeff Green revealed some unease about their depth, but the chasm between them and their replacements is not so wide as the gap between Denver and the playoff field last season.

Nikola Jokić is still the best player alive, averaging a 27-17-15 in three games since the All-Star break. Jamal Murray still joins him in the most lethal two-man combination there is. The starting lineup of Jokić, Murray, Aaron Gordon, Michael Porter Jr. and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is still the NBA's best, outscoring opponents by 14.1 points per 100 possessions in more minutes than any team's top five-man unit.

All that remains is prepping first- and second-year players Julian Strawther and Peyton Watson for the playoffs, and even that might not make a lick of difference, because Jokić is that much of a monster.


1. Boston Celtics (46-12, 1st in East)
Net rating: 10.6 (1st) • offensive rating: 121.2 (1st) • defensive rating: 110.6 (T-2nd)
Remaining strength of schedule: .453 (29th) • home/road games left: 11/13
Average playoff seed prediction: 1 (99.7%)
Record vs. winning teams: 24-11 (1st)
BetMGM odds: +260 (1st)
Stretch run: The Celtics just keep on rolling, holding a 7 1/2-game lead in the East and a five-game edge over the entire league, and they have one of the easiest schedules remaining. Hello, home-court advantage.

There are still concerns about their pension for being bullied and folding under the brightest of lights, even as they outscored opponents by 23.4 points per 100 possessions in the clutch, but the unselfish infusion of Kristaps Porziņģis and Jrue Holiday has helped assuage that angst. They might just be too talented to fail.

Holiday and Derrick White are as lethal a two-way guard combination as there is. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are the NBA's best wing combination. Porzingis is among the game's best floor-spacing rim protectors, and Al Horford is among the most underrated. Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, Xavier Tillman and Luke Kornet may be afterthoughts, but they all make you think when three or four stars surround them.

And we have to recognize just how good Tatum has become. There are very few superstars operating as he is, working inside of a stacked six-man rotation, finding his spots for a nightly 27-9-5 on better than 60% true shooting. He basically has the option to decide when to take over a game and does it for stretches. We're waiting for him to do it more consistently in the playoffs and remembering he will turn 26 next week.


Bob



.

Who wants to be the Sixers?  hell no, not me.

Next 7 games home, Hornets, road Mavs, Home Memphis and Nola, Road NYK and NYK then at Bucks.

Picture a barrel of crabs all trying to get out at the same time.  The only team not in the crab barrel are the Boston Celtics.  

Sixers will fall out of 6th place.  The B2B hospital ward fight with the Knicks is sure to drive both competing fans into sheer madness

I think the Pacers will be the next team to leap frog over the Sixers and then the Magic will be ready to bite them.  

How about a 1st round match against the Sixers?  Kill them early.  kill them often.  It could happen if Embid does not return to form.  They could even lose in the playin round and set adrift in that profusely leaky hot air balloon.

My name is dboss and I am a Sixer hater (Clap, clap, clap, clap)

Joe and staff have done a great job doing whatever it takes to keep team healthy, amazing how many injuries teams are going thru and we also played great with different players out. Kudos to us, we have been playing smart all year, can win playing different styles and pulling out many tight games, regular season is such a long grind for teams.

My name is RosalieTCeltics, I have been a 76er’s AND Laker hater my whole entire young and old life!!!!!!  And I am not ashamed to admit it!!!







A

[quote="RosalieTCeltics"]My name is RosalieTCeltics, I have been a 76er’s AND Laker hater my whole entire young and old life!!!!!!  And I am not ashamed to admit it!!!







I second that emotion!

RosalieTCeltics wrote:My name is RosalieTCeltics, I have been a 76er’s AND Laker hater my whole entire young and old life!!!!!!  And I am not ashamed to admit it!!!

Rosalie,

You are the true spirit and rock solid foundation of this forum.

PLAYOFF UPDATE AS OF 3/1/24 (PRE GAMES):


Knicks and Heat lost last night.  This drops Miami down to 8th and the Knicks are now tied in the loss column with Philly with NY having 2 wins in hand (and Philly dropping like a stone).  There is a gap of just one game in the loss column between NY @ #4 and Miami @ #8.  That's how close the middle of the playoff seedings are in the East.

Much more importantly, OKC lost last night to San Antonio (Thank You, Pop!) too.  Wemby had 28 points, 13 boards, 7 assists and 5 blocks.  It's only going to be a few years before the game slows down for him and he's averaging a quadruple double.  He was 5-7 from 3 too.  Wow.  Anyway, back to the point, OKC now has 18 losses which puts them 6 behind us.  So even if we lose our game against them in Boston on April 3rd we would still have a 5 game lead on them.  To be honest OKC scares me more than Minny.  I want someone to knock them off before they get to us.


Team............................Season Records............Games Back (loss column).............Conference Records...........Games Back (loss column)
Boston..........................46-12..........................------------- (-------------)..............33-6................................-------------
Minnesota.....................42-17...........................4 1/2 (5)....................................29-8.................................2 1/2 (2)
Oklahoma City...............41-18...........................5 1/2 (6)....................................25-14...............................8 (eight)


Bob


.

Bobh

If the Pacers were better defensively they could more easily move up. Both the Knicks and Sixers are struggling due to injuries. The Heat have righted their ship in spite of a close loss on the road at Denver.

I expect the Heat to be the team that breaks out of the 5 team logjam.

OKC is a more dynamic offensive team than MN but they lack enough size in their frontcourt. As both of those teams look good, we should not discount Denver. They are just 2 games back in the loss column and even the less talked about Clippers are only 3 games back. It still looks to me like a 4 horse race to the finish line.

I would give the edge to MN because they only give up 106 PPG. None of the other Western Conference contenders play defense at that level.

PLAYOFF UPDATE, PRE-GAMES, 3/2/24:


The Kings without D'Aaron Fox beat the T-Wolves in Minny last night (Ant Edwards with only 11 points on 2-11 shooting.  Won't see that again for a long, long time, if ever).  



This is double good for Boston.  Not only do we pick up a game in the loss column on our nearest competitor Minny but that was a Conference loss for them too.  Losing to Sacto made it harder for them to catch us and, even if they do catch us, it made it harder for them to win the 3rd tiebreaker (H2H, Division Winner, Conference record).  The next game for the Wolves is @ home vs the Clippers.  Minny will be spittin' fire after this loss but the Clips are a good team, so I'm telling you there's a chance.

Our Magic Number to clinch a playoff berth is 9.  I know none of us are impressed with just making the playoffs but you have to clear this bar first before you get a shot at the next one which would be clinching the Atlantic Division (tiebreaker #2) and then clinching a playoff home court series (#4 seed) and then clinching the #1 seed in the East which earns us home court all the way through to the Championship series and then clinching the #1 record in the NBA which would give us home court all the way to #18.  

The Magic Number of 9 is the number which guarantees us no seed lower than 6th, which is the lowest seed with a guaranteed playoff series.  The Magic Number for the 10th Play-in spot, currently held by Atlanta, is 2.  I suppose that's the real first bar to be cleared but given our record and how good we are I'm already looking past that at locking in #6 at worst.   Any combination of Boston wins and Orlando losses totaling 9 works.  If you want to raise your sights a little bit there's only 1 game between the Knicks @ #4 and the Magic @ #6, which means the Magic Number to clinch a home court series with the #4 seed is 10.  Any combination of Celtic wins and losses by the #4 seed (currently NY) totaling 10 gets us a home court series.


Team............................Season Records............Games Back (loss column).............Conference Records...........Games Back (loss column)
Boston..........................47-12..........................------------- (-------------)..............33-6................................-------------
Minnesota.....................42-18...........................5 1/2 (6)....................................29-9.................................3 1/2 (3)
Oklahoma City...............41-18...........................6 (6)..........................................25-14...............................8 (eight)



Bob


.

Today the Jazz are at Miami.  The Heat should win easily.

There are several EC games that will impact the standings tomorrow.

Sixers at Mavs ( The beatdown last night should motivate the Mavs)  The Sixers will fall back into 6th place.

The Pistons visit the Magic.  Got to give the edge to the Magic as a win at home will propel them over the Sixers into 5th place.

Pacers at Spurs.  I see the Pacers outscoring the Spurs.

Knicks at Cavs have big implications.  If NY can win it does not hurt us one bit.  A loss by the Cavs would add another game to our lead (9 games in the loss column)  Go knicks

GSW will be playing their 4th game on the road before heading home.  They beat the Raptors last night but they ain't beating us tomorrow.

Scotty Barnes fractured a finger in that game and will be out indefinitely.

And Russell Westbrook also has a fractured hand.

The Clippers are too old and too prone to injuries.

dboss wrote:And Russell Westbrook also has a fractured hand.

The Clippers are too old and too prone to injuries.

Dboss,

You may be right about the Clippers. I hope you're wrong, if just for today. The Clips are in Minny. Hanging another loss on Minny would take a lot of the stress that will come over the next 2 weeks with our withering schedule.


Bob


.