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What is the Jazz Magic # to clinch a playoff spot?

Magic number is typically used for a number of games a team needs to be guaranteed something. Since there are currently 8 teams that have more wins than the Jazz, there currently is no magic number of wins we need to be in the playoffs since there is always a chance (as remote as it may be) that the teams ahead of us don't lose any more games.

That being said, five wins gives us a very good chance of getting in. Four would make us very dependent on other key teams losing more than expected.
 
Well, considering where Utah is in the standings, the magic number is higher than the amount of games the Jazz have left. Besides, magic numbers only work when going against one opponent. The jazz are vying against multiple teams, so a magic number is fairly useless to apply.
Magic numbers do work against multiple teams. For example, SA and OKC have already clinched playoff spots. But you are correct, since the Jazz are currently outside the 8th spot, they could win all their remaining games and still miss the playoffs. Even if they win against Dallas, they'd still be a game back of the Mavs in the loss column.

Looing at the schedules, I think the Jazz have the easiest road of the teams currently 5-8. Jazz should be favored in all games except the one at Memphis. I would guess 5-2 gets them in as the 8th seed. If they want to move higher, perhaps to even #5, they need to run the table.
 
Magic number is typically used for a number of games a team needs to be guaranteed something. Since there are currently 8 teams that have more wins than the Jazz, there currently is no magic number of wins we need to be in the playoffs since there is always a chance (as remote as it may be) that the teams ahead of us don't lose any more games.

That being said, five wins gives us a very good chance of getting in. Four would make us very dependent on other key teams losing more than expected.

there is always a magic number that clinches, even if you're behind. for example, the jazz are behind houston, but if they won all their remaining games (7), then houston would only need to lose two to guarantee a tie. so the jazz's magic number for the rockets is a combination of 9 jazz wins and rocket losses.

9 jazz Ws / rocket Ls do indeed guarantee the jazz a playoff spot. that's how magic numbers work.
 
bumping my earlier post, with magic numbers for the other 4 teams in the race. did not include memphis, but the jazz's magic number there would be 11... not gonna happen with memphis' easy schedule.

they don't have one magic number to clinch the playoffs but here are the magic numbers to catch / remain ahead of the other 4 teams in the 6-8 race:

- dallas: 10 jazz wins & dallas losses (since dallas owns the TB)
- houston: 9 jazz wins & houston losses (since utah owns the TB)
- denver: 9 jazz wins & denver losses (since utah owns the TB)
- phoenix: 8 jazz wins & phoenix losses (since phoenix owns the TB)
 
9 jazz Ws / rocket Ls do indeed guarantee the jazz a playoff spot. that's how magic numbers work.

That doesn't work either. Assume there is a combination of 9 Jazz wins and Rockets losses, but the rest of the teams win out. Sure we would end up tied with Houston, but we would both miss the playoffs.

These head to head magic numbers don't preclude a team leapfrogging us.
 
Magic numbers do work against multiple teams. For example, SA and OKC have already clinched playoff spots. But you are correct, since the Jazz are currently outside the 8th spot, they could win all their remaining games and still miss the playoffs. Even if they win against Dallas, they'd still be a game back of the Mavs in the loss column.

Looing at the schedules, I think the Jazz have the easiest road of the teams currently 5-8. Jazz should be favored in all games except the one at Memphis. I would guess 5-2 gets them in as the 8th seed. If they want to move higher, perhaps to even #5, they need to run the table.

The essence of a magic number, though, is that you win a game, it drops, the other team loses a game, and it drops. Doesn't work that way against multiple teams. A team may lose, but it won't affect the overall magic number, just the "magic number" to finish ahead of that team.
 
That doesn't work either. Assume there is a combination of 9 Jazz wins and Rockets losses, but the rest of the teams win out. Sure we would end up tied with Houston, but we would both miss the playoffs.

These head to head magic numbers don't preclude a team leapfrogging us.

yeah, you're right, i mis-phrased it -- that wouldn't necessarily guarantee the jazz a playoff spot, i'm just thinking about it as though phoenix is likely going to be out of the picture because they're likely to lose 4-6 more games in their murderous closing stretch.

updated magic numbers:

for jazz to finish ahead of dallas: 9 (out of 10 remaining combined games - not gonna happen)
for jazz to finish tied w/ denver: 8 (out of 11 remaining combined games - tall order, but not impossible)
for jazz to finish tied w/ houston: 7 (out of 11 remaining combined games - " " ")
for jazz to finish ahead of phoenix: 7 (out of 11 remaining combined games - based on phx's closing sked, i think we're ok here)

if the jazz do anything other than 4-1 or 5-0, it's not going to matter... but there they are.
 
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