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The Rest Of The Way To The Playoffs
by bobheckler Tue Mar 17, 2015 2:21 pm
http://greenstreet.weei.com/sports/boston/basketball/celtics/2015/03/17/irish-coffee-celtics-playoffs-and-tiebreakers-oh-my/#more-71228
The bad news: Contrary to popular opinion, the Celtics are not currently in the playoff picture, since as of today they would lose the tiebreaker to both the Pacers and Heat based on their sub-.500 record against Eastern Conference opponents.
The good news: If the Celtics (30-36) have one more win than Charlotte (29-36), Indiana (30-36) and Miami (30-36) when all is said and done, they’ll capture the same seventh seed they earned when last they made the playoffs in 2013.
Heck, based on their performance since the NBA trade deadline (10-5, including five straight victories), there’s even an outside possibility the red-hot Celtics could catch the reeling sixth-seeded Bucks (34-32), whose four wins in 13 games since trading Brandon Knight have come against the Nuggets, 76ers, Wizards and Magic.
Obviously, that’s jumping ahead a bit, so let’s step back and take a look at the remaining schedules of the four Eastern Conference teams now tied with 36 losses.
CELTICS (30-36)
Wednesday: at Thunder (37-30)
Friday: at Spurs (41-24)
Sunday: vs. Pistons (23-43)
Monday: at Nets (27-38)
March 25: vs. Heat (30-36)
March 27: at Knicks (13-53)
March 29: vs. Clippers (42-25)
March 30: at Hornets (29-36)
April 1: vs. Pacers (30-36)
April 3: vs. Bucks (34-32)
April 4: at Raptors (40-27)
April 8: at Pistons (23-43)
April 10: at Cavaliers (43-26)
April 12: vs. Cavaliers (43-26)
April 14: vs. Raptors (40-27)
April 15: at Bucks (34-32)
BY THE NUMBERS: .498 opponents’ winning percentage; 9 games vs. teams above .500; 9 road games; 7 games vs. teams below .500; 7 home games; 4 back-to-backs.
PACERS (30-36)
Wednesday: at Bulls (40-28)
Friday: at Cavaliers (43-26)
Saturday: vs. Nets (27-38)
Monday: vs. Rockets (44-22)
March 25: at Wizards (39-28)
March 26: at Bucks (34-32)
March 29: vs. Mavericks (43-25)
March 31: at Nets (27-38)
April 1: at Celtics (30-36)
April 3: vs. Hornets (29-36)
April 5: vs. Heat (30-36)
April 8: at Knicks (13-53)
April 10: at Pistons (23-43)
April 12: vs. Thunder (37-30)
April 14: vs. Wizards (39-28)
April 15: at Grizzlies (47-20)
BY THE NUMBERS: .512 opponents’ winning percentage; 9 games vs. teams above .500; 9 road games; 7 games vs. teams below .500; 7 home games; 4 back-to-backs.
HEAT (30-36)
Wednesday: vs. Blazers (44-21)
Friday: vs. Nuggets (26-42)
Sunday: at Thunder (37-30)
Tuesday: at Bucks (34-32)
March 25: at Celtics (30-36)
March 27: at Hawks (53-14)
March 29: vs. Pistons (23-43)
March 31: vs. Spurs (41-24)
April 2: at Cavaliers (43-26)
April 4: at Pistons (23-43)
April 5: at Pacers (30-36)
April 7: vs. Hornets (29-36)
April 9: vs. Bulls (40-28)
April 11: vs. Raptors (40-27)
April 13: vs. Magic (21-47)
April 15: at 76ers (15-52)
BY THE NUMBERS: .496 opponents’ winning percentage; 8 games vs. teams above .500; 8 road games; 8 games vs. teams below .500; 8 home games; 2 back-to-backs.
HORNETS (29-36)
Tuesday: at Clippers (42-25)
Friday: at Kings (22-44)
Sunday: at Timberwolves (14-52)
Monday: at Bulls (40-28)
March 25: vs. Nets (27-38)
March 27: at Wizards (39-28)
March 28: vs. Hawks (53-14)
March 30: vs. Celtics (30-36)
April 1: vs. Pistons (23-43)
April 3: at Pacers (30-36)
April 4: vs. 76ers (15-52)
April 7: at Heat (30-36)
April 8: vs. Raptors (40-27)
April 10: at Hawks (53-14)
April 12: at Pistons (23-43)
April 13: vs. Rockets (44-22)
April 15: at Raptors (40-27)
BY THE NUMBERS: .500 opponents’ winning percentage; 8 games vs. teams above .500; 10 road games; 9 games vs. teams below .500; 7 home games; 6 back-to-backs.
The Hornets have the toughest slate of that bunch, and the Heat the easiest, but really there isn’t all that much separation between these four teams on the schedule. Injuries are forcing all four clubs to shuffle rosters — perhaps none more so than the C’s — and yet all four squads own winning records since the NBA All-Star break.
So, what happens if the seventh and/or eighth seeds come down to a tiebreaker? Here’s where the teams stand based on the league’s two tiebreaking scenarios — settling the score for one seed involving a) two teams, or b) three or more teams.
TWO TEAMS TIED
Head-to-head: Hornets over Celtics (2-1) and Heat (2-1); Pacers over Heat (2-1) and Hornets (2-1); Celtics over Pacers (2-1); Heat over Celtics (2-1).
Win percentage in East: Hornets (.564); Pacers (.550); Heat (.500); Celtics (.462).
Win percentage vs. East teams eligible for playoffs: Hornets (.560); Pacers (.423); Heat (.346); Celtics (.292).
Win percentage vs. West teams eligible for playoffs: Pacers (.167); Celtics (.154); Heat (.154); Hornets (.000).
Point differential: Pacers (+14); Celtics (-48); Hornets (-144); Heat (-154).
As of now, the Celtics would only win a tiebreaker against the Pacers, based on their head-to-head record. However, if they ultimately finish 2-2 against the other three teams, things get worse. The C’s currently wouldn’t win either the second or third tiebreaker against anybody, due to their sub-par winning percentage in the East.
MORE THAN TWO TEAMS TIED
Head-to-head: Hornets (5-4); Pacers (5-4); Heat (4-5); Celtics (4-5).
Win percentage in East: Hornets (.564); Pacers (.550); Heat (.500); Celtics (.462).
Win percentage vs. East teams eligible for playoffs: Hornets (.560); Pacers (.423); Heat (.346); Celtics (.292).
Point differential: Pacers (+14); Celtics (-48); Hornets (-144); Heat (-154).
Once again, the Celtics, as they stand today, are in serious trouble if they end up tied with more than one team for the final playoff seed. They own the worst combined head-to-head record, worst winning percentage against Eastern Conference opponents and worst win percentage against playoff-eligible teams in the East.
Of course, there’s a rather simple solution for the Celtics down the stretch: Win more of their final 16 games than the Heat, Hornets and Pacers. Then, and perhaps only then, they’re in, which is probably why the C’s aren’t scoreboard watching.
bob
.
The bad news: Contrary to popular opinion, the Celtics are not currently in the playoff picture, since as of today they would lose the tiebreaker to both the Pacers and Heat based on their sub-.500 record against Eastern Conference opponents.
The good news: If the Celtics (30-36) have one more win than Charlotte (29-36), Indiana (30-36) and Miami (30-36) when all is said and done, they’ll capture the same seventh seed they earned when last they made the playoffs in 2013.
Heck, based on their performance since the NBA trade deadline (10-5, including five straight victories), there’s even an outside possibility the red-hot Celtics could catch the reeling sixth-seeded Bucks (34-32), whose four wins in 13 games since trading Brandon Knight have come against the Nuggets, 76ers, Wizards and Magic.
Obviously, that’s jumping ahead a bit, so let’s step back and take a look at the remaining schedules of the four Eastern Conference teams now tied with 36 losses.
CELTICS (30-36)
Wednesday: at Thunder (37-30)
Friday: at Spurs (41-24)
Sunday: vs. Pistons (23-43)
Monday: at Nets (27-38)
March 25: vs. Heat (30-36)
March 27: at Knicks (13-53)
March 29: vs. Clippers (42-25)
March 30: at Hornets (29-36)
April 1: vs. Pacers (30-36)
April 3: vs. Bucks (34-32)
April 4: at Raptors (40-27)
April 8: at Pistons (23-43)
April 10: at Cavaliers (43-26)
April 12: vs. Cavaliers (43-26)
April 14: vs. Raptors (40-27)
April 15: at Bucks (34-32)
BY THE NUMBERS: .498 opponents’ winning percentage; 9 games vs. teams above .500; 9 road games; 7 games vs. teams below .500; 7 home games; 4 back-to-backs.
PACERS (30-36)
Wednesday: at Bulls (40-28)
Friday: at Cavaliers (43-26)
Saturday: vs. Nets (27-38)
Monday: vs. Rockets (44-22)
March 25: at Wizards (39-28)
March 26: at Bucks (34-32)
March 29: vs. Mavericks (43-25)
March 31: at Nets (27-38)
April 1: at Celtics (30-36)
April 3: vs. Hornets (29-36)
April 5: vs. Heat (30-36)
April 8: at Knicks (13-53)
April 10: at Pistons (23-43)
April 12: vs. Thunder (37-30)
April 14: vs. Wizards (39-28)
April 15: at Grizzlies (47-20)
BY THE NUMBERS: .512 opponents’ winning percentage; 9 games vs. teams above .500; 9 road games; 7 games vs. teams below .500; 7 home games; 4 back-to-backs.
HEAT (30-36)
Wednesday: vs. Blazers (44-21)
Friday: vs. Nuggets (26-42)
Sunday: at Thunder (37-30)
Tuesday: at Bucks (34-32)
March 25: at Celtics (30-36)
March 27: at Hawks (53-14)
March 29: vs. Pistons (23-43)
March 31: vs. Spurs (41-24)
April 2: at Cavaliers (43-26)
April 4: at Pistons (23-43)
April 5: at Pacers (30-36)
April 7: vs. Hornets (29-36)
April 9: vs. Bulls (40-28)
April 11: vs. Raptors (40-27)
April 13: vs. Magic (21-47)
April 15: at 76ers (15-52)
BY THE NUMBERS: .496 opponents’ winning percentage; 8 games vs. teams above .500; 8 road games; 8 games vs. teams below .500; 8 home games; 2 back-to-backs.
HORNETS (29-36)
Tuesday: at Clippers (42-25)
Friday: at Kings (22-44)
Sunday: at Timberwolves (14-52)
Monday: at Bulls (40-28)
March 25: vs. Nets (27-38)
March 27: at Wizards (39-28)
March 28: vs. Hawks (53-14)
March 30: vs. Celtics (30-36)
April 1: vs. Pistons (23-43)
April 3: at Pacers (30-36)
April 4: vs. 76ers (15-52)
April 7: at Heat (30-36)
April 8: vs. Raptors (40-27)
April 10: at Hawks (53-14)
April 12: at Pistons (23-43)
April 13: vs. Rockets (44-22)
April 15: at Raptors (40-27)
BY THE NUMBERS: .500 opponents’ winning percentage; 8 games vs. teams above .500; 10 road games; 9 games vs. teams below .500; 7 home games; 6 back-to-backs.
The Hornets have the toughest slate of that bunch, and the Heat the easiest, but really there isn’t all that much separation between these four teams on the schedule. Injuries are forcing all four clubs to shuffle rosters — perhaps none more so than the C’s — and yet all four squads own winning records since the NBA All-Star break.
So, what happens if the seventh and/or eighth seeds come down to a tiebreaker? Here’s where the teams stand based on the league’s two tiebreaking scenarios — settling the score for one seed involving a) two teams, or b) three or more teams.
TWO TEAMS TIED
Head-to-head: Hornets over Celtics (2-1) and Heat (2-1); Pacers over Heat (2-1) and Hornets (2-1); Celtics over Pacers (2-1); Heat over Celtics (2-1).
Win percentage in East: Hornets (.564); Pacers (.550); Heat (.500); Celtics (.462).
Win percentage vs. East teams eligible for playoffs: Hornets (.560); Pacers (.423); Heat (.346); Celtics (.292).
Win percentage vs. West teams eligible for playoffs: Pacers (.167); Celtics (.154); Heat (.154); Hornets (.000).
Point differential: Pacers (+14); Celtics (-48); Hornets (-144); Heat (-154).
As of now, the Celtics would only win a tiebreaker against the Pacers, based on their head-to-head record. However, if they ultimately finish 2-2 against the other three teams, things get worse. The C’s currently wouldn’t win either the second or third tiebreaker against anybody, due to their sub-par winning percentage in the East.
MORE THAN TWO TEAMS TIED
Head-to-head: Hornets (5-4); Pacers (5-4); Heat (4-5); Celtics (4-5).
Win percentage in East: Hornets (.564); Pacers (.550); Heat (.500); Celtics (.462).
Win percentage vs. East teams eligible for playoffs: Hornets (.560); Pacers (.423); Heat (.346); Celtics (.292).
Point differential: Pacers (+14); Celtics (-48); Hornets (-144); Heat (-154).
Once again, the Celtics, as they stand today, are in serious trouble if they end up tied with more than one team for the final playoff seed. They own the worst combined head-to-head record, worst winning percentage against Eastern Conference opponents and worst win percentage against playoff-eligible teams in the East.
Of course, there’s a rather simple solution for the Celtics down the stretch: Win more of their final 16 games than the Heat, Hornets and Pacers. Then, and perhaps only then, they’re in, which is probably why the C’s aren’t scoreboard watching.
bob
.
bobheckler- Posts : 62616
Join date : 2009-10-28
Re: The Rest Of The Way To The Playoffs
by Sam Tue Mar 17, 2015 3:37 pm
The playoffs would surely be a big reward for this team of overachivers. My hope is simply that they are free from any more serious injuries and can capitalize on the momentum they're building.
I don't want to be too grabby about making the playoffs. For me, the biggest prize at the end of the season can be summed up in one word.
Relevance!
Sam
I don't want to be too grabby about making the playoffs. For me, the biggest prize at the end of the season can be summed up in one word.
Relevance!
Sam
Sam- Admin
- Posts : 22663
Join date : 2009-10-10 -
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