Homestretch Taking Care of Business

by blazer91 on Mar 28, 2010 11:11 PM PDT

Records after tonight's games:

LA Lakers	54	19
Dallas	48	25
Denver	48	26
Utah	48	26
Phoenix	47	26
San Antonio	44	28
OKC	44	28
Portland	45	29

So, if everyone takes care of their business, the playoffs shake out like this:

LA (57 wins, 1) plays OKC or San Antonio (50 wins, 7/8)

Dallas (55 wins, 2) plays OKC or San Antonio (50 wins, 7/8)

Denver or Utah (53 wins, 3/4) plays Portland (51 wins, 6)

Denver or Utah (53 wins, 3/4) plays Phoenix (52 wins, 5)

Lakers (54-19 current, 57-25 projected, First Place)

Mon, Mar 29	@ New Orleans	L
Wed, Mar 31	@ Atlanta	L
APRIL
Fri, Apr 2	Utah	W
Sun, Apr 4	San Antonio	W
Thu, Apr 8	@ Denver	L
Fri, Apr 9	@ Minnesota	W
Sun, Apr 11	Portland	W
Tue, Apr 13	Sacramento	W
Wed, Apr 14	@ LA Clippers	W

Dallas (48-25 current, 55-27 projected, Second Place)

Mon, Mar 29	Denver	W
Wed, Mar 31	@ Memphis	L
APRIL
Thu, Apr 1	Orlando	W
Sat, Apr 3	Oklahoma City	W
Wed, Apr 7	Memphis	W
Fri, Apr 9	@ Portland	L
Sat, Apr 10	@ Sacramento	W
Mon, Apr 12	@ LA Clippers	W
Wed, Apr 14	San Antonio	W

Denver (48-26 current, 53-29 projected, Third Place (tie))

Mon, Mar 29	@ Dallas	L
APRIL
Thu, Apr 1	Portland	W
Sat, Apr 3	LA Clippers	W
Wed, Apr 7	@ Oklahoma City	L
Thu, Apr 8	LA Lakers	W
Sat, Apr 10	San Antonio	W
Mon, Apr 12	Memphis	W
Tue, Apr 13	@ Phoenix	L

Utah (48-26 current, 53-29 projected, Third Place (tie))

Mon, Mar 29	NY Knicks	W
Wed, Mar 31	Golden State	W
APRIL
Fri, Apr 2	@ LA Lakers	L
Tue, Apr 6	Oklahoma City	W
Wed, Apr 7	@ Houston	L
Fri, Apr 9	@ New Orleans	L
Tue, Apr 13	@ Golden State	W
Wed, Apr 14	Phoenix	W

Phoenix (47-26 current, 52-30 projected, Fifth Place)

Tue, Mar 30	@ Chicago	L
Wed, Mar 31	@ New Jersey	W
APRIL
Fri, Apr 2	@ Detroit	W
Sat, Apr 3	@ Milwaukee	L
Wed, Apr 7	San Antonio	W
Fri, Apr 9	@ Oklahoma City	L
Sun, Apr 11	Houston	W
Tue, Apr 13	Denver	W
Wed, Apr 14	@ Utah	L

Oklahoma City (44-28 current, 50-32 projected, Seventh Place (tie))

Tue, Mar 30	@ Philadelphia	W
Wed, Mar 31	@ Boston	L
APRIL
Sat, Apr 3	@ Dallas	L
Sun, Apr 4	Minnesota	W
Tue, Apr 6	@ Utah	L
Wed, Apr 7	Denver	W
Fri, Apr 9	Phoenix	W
Sun, Apr 11	@ Golden State	W
Mon, Apr 12	@ Portland	L
Wed, Apr 14	Memphis	W

San Antonio (44-28 current, 50-32 projected, Seventh Place (tie))

Mon, Mar 29	@ New Jersey	W
Wed, Mar 31	Houston	W
APRIL
Fri, Apr 2	Orlando	W
Sun, Apr 4	@ LA Lakers	L
Tue, Apr 6	@ Sacramento	W
Wed, Apr 7	@ Phoenix	L
Fri, Apr 9	Memphis	W
Sat, Apr 10	@ Denver	L
Mon, Apr 12	Minnesota	W
Wed, Apr 14	@ Dallas	L

Portland (45-29 current, 51-31 projected, Sixth Place)

Wed, Mar 31	NY Knicks	W
APRIL
Thu, Apr 1	@ Denver	L
Sat, Apr 3	@ Sacramento	W
Wed, Apr 7	@ LA Clippers	W
Fri, Apr 9	Dallas	W
Sun, Apr 11	@ LA Lakers	L
Mon, Apr 12	Oklahoma City	W
Wed, Apr 14	Golden State	W

Big difference from last year: moving up may not be such a good thing. As I just commented on Dave's post, I think there may come a point where losing a home game to OKC might be good, if it seals us in as seven seed instead of six seed and gets us Dallas instead of Denver or Utah. Not saying I want that yet, but thinking that may shake down as a future wish unless something incredible happens to shake these standings up...maybe a BIG win at Denver? Than catch the Lakers late season napping on the road? Short of that, seven may be the best spot.

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Comments

Losing is for losers (this is my new saying....but I firmly believe it)

I think there may come a point where losing a home game to OKC might be good

Rudy: ""McMillan has a philosophy of play and I do not think that will change by giving him a hug."’

by 92wastheyear on Mar 29, 2010 12:18 AM PDT reply actions

+1

just win

by Frederlk on Mar 29, 2010 7:15 AM PDT up reply actions

agreed

play to win or don’t play at all. Winning is a mindset and a set of behaviors.

"Oh Yeah!" ~ Kool Aid Man

by PDXBuckeye on Mar 29, 2010 8:05 AM PDT up reply actions

Utah could easily win 55 and tie Dallas

Those two projected losses to Houston and New Orleans seem pretty weak as those teams aren’t going to be fighting for anything other than a lottery slot or pride.

Does anyone know who would hold the tiebreaker between Utah and Dallas shoul dthey tie at 55 wins each for second place?

by NWfan on Mar 29, 2010 12:21 PM PDT reply actions