Isaiah 1:13
Well-Known Member
Anybody else just love to see Portland shock the Lakers first round?
Playoffs!
- Thread starter Gameface
- Start date
Please explain. Don't Nuggets, Rockets and Clippers still have a shot at #3? And Clippers and Nuggets and #2?
EDIT: oops -- meant for that last one to say Rockets and Nuggets still could both end up at 4.
If we lose our next game (or OKC wins a game).
I think the Jazz will treat the first half against the Spurs as an intense scrimmage and then pull the starters out in the 2nd half.
Isaiah 1:13
Well-Known Member
If Mavs won out and we lost to Spurs we would have switched places
I know that. My point was that we don't know the consequences yet of a 5-7 seed for us because 2-4 is still up in the air.
Assuming we tank Thursday:
We will play Clippers if: Nuggets win both remaining games (Clippers and Raptors) and Clippers lose both games (Nuggets, Thunder)
We will play Rockets if: Nuggets lose both remaining games and Rockets win both remaining games (Pacers, Sixers)
We will play Nuggets if: any other outcomes
Clips might want to tank to get us, so they might lose to Nuggets. But Nuggets also might want to get us, so they may have incentive to lose to Raptors. Having the Clippers lose to the Thunder might also be difficult, since OKC may be tanking to retain this year's draft pick. So I think it's unlikely we face the Clips (though still theoretically possible).
The cleanest way for Denver to face Utah is for Nuggets to win one and lose one. That's tricky in a tanking environment, however.
It's possible the Rockets could try to get us in the first round (though they may prefer to remain at 4 to stay in Lakers' bracket). Their path to two wins is not so hard, if they want it. Then we'd need Denver (against two very good teams) to win at least once to avoid Rockets.
We will play Clippers if: Nuggets win both remaining games (Clippers and Raptors) and Clippers lose both games (Nuggets, Thunder)
We will play Rockets if: Nuggets lose both remaining games and Rockets win both remaining games (Pacers, Sixers)
We will play Nuggets if: any other outcomes
Clips might want to tank to get us, so they might lose to Nuggets. But Nuggets also might want to get us, so they may have incentive to lose to Raptors. Having the Clippers lose to the Thunder might also be difficult, since OKC may be tanking to retain this year's draft pick. So I think it's unlikely we face the Clips (though still theoretically possible).
The cleanest way for Denver to face Utah is for Nuggets to win one and lose one. That's tricky in a tanking environment, however.
It's possible the Rockets could try to get us in the first round (though they may prefer to remain at 4 to stay in Lakers' bracket). Their path to two wins is not so hard, if they want it. Then we'd need Denver (against two very good teams) to win at least once to avoid Rockets.
I think what's happening is that the Nuggets want to play the Jazz nearly as much as the Jazz want to play the Nuggets. The Nuggets didn't want to win their game last night against the Lakers, and I'm assuming they'll try to hold onto the 3rd seed now that they see we've more or less locked it up.
Very well could be. But the Nuggets aren't completely driving that car by themselves (or at least are potentially not, depending on other teams' desires). They are close enough to either fall up or fall down in the seeding if they don't manage things just right.
Let's see what happens in the Rockets/Pacers game tomorrow. We already know the Nuggets don't want to win and move up to the #2 seed. Dallas is a tough matchup for them. If the Rockets lose to the Pacers, it's a non-issue.
Agreed