Predicting Wins/Losses & Playoff Standings Based on Remaining Schedule

The Blazers have 13 games left this season (not counting the playoffs), and based on how the remaining schedule looks, I predict 11 more wins and 2 more losses, with a possible error of +/- 1 game. I believe Portland can win at home versus Washington, NY, Golden State, OKC, and Dallas twice. We can also win at Clippers, Sacramento, New Orleans, Phoenix, and OKC. We will most likely lose at Denver and LA, but even if we win one of those we may lose at home once to even out my 11-2 belief.

Therefore, I figure the Blazers will end up with 52 wins and 30 losses, or possibly as low as 50-32. Let's split the difference, and say we finish 51-31.

San Antonio, on the other hand, will finish the last 18 games with 7 wins and 11 losses, but possibly as many as 9 wins and 9 loses. To split the difference, we can say they finish with 8 wins and 10 losses, ending up at 47-35.

Oklahoma City may split their last 17 games close to 9 wins and 8 losses due to a tough schedule, but could do as well as 11-6. So, splitting the difference, let's say they go 10 and 7, so they end the season 51 wins and 31 losses.

Phoenix's easier schedule makes them most likely go 10-5, but they could go 8-7 or win 11 and lose 4, so we'll just use my earlier prediction of 10-5 to have them ending the season at 51-31.

Utah most likely goes as low as 11-5, or as high as 13-3, which is unlikely due to injuries, so let's say they end up closer to my prediciton of 11-5, finishing the year at 53-29.

Dallas goes 10-5 to end the year, but as high as 12-3 (if they stay streaky). But since the honeymoon period is over, they end the last 15 at 10-5 and end up 55-27.

Denver goes 11-4 in their last 15, but as low at 9-6 and as high as 12-3, but that's doubtful after the recent loss to Rockets proved their fallibility. At 11-4, they end the year 56-26.

And for all plausible reasons, the Lakers don't crash and burn, instead going roughly 13-2, ending the year at 62-20, or at the very least more than Denver's 56 wins and closer to 60-something, staying in 1st place in the Western Conference.

In the case of ties, OKC is 2-1 against PHX with one game left @OKC, Blazers are 1-1 with OKC, with 2 games left in the series, and Portland holds the tiebreaker over PHX.

So, in the first round of the playoffs, we would see:

1.) Lakers 62-20   vs.   San Antonio 47-35

2.) Denver 56-26   vs.   Phoenix 51-21

3.) Dallas 55-27   vs.   OKC 51-21

4.) Utah 53-29   vs.   Portland Trail Blazers 51-21

So, as you can see, every game counts, and there could be huge changes in the first round match-ups if several teams go cold or end up red-hot during the last 15 or so games on the schedule.