Around the League: Week 24 (3/28 - 4/3)

[dragickingdom]

Spurs have the tiebreaker against the Lakers based on conference record.

It's a futile exercise right now, but it hasn't stopped me from trying to read the tea leaves and determine the Suns first round opponent. I wouldn't be surprised if it's Minnesota or New Orleans, but my gut is telling me it'll be the Clippers.

I like the Wolves chances against the Clippers in a single game for the 7th spot. The Wolves aren't afraid of a physical game and their home crowd will be tuned up. I think the Pels are the best team among them, the Lakers and Spurs, but I don't think they could beat the Clippers twice in LA to win the 8th seed.

Edit: I'm not sure if the 9-10 seeded team has to win two games against the 7-8 loser anymore or if that was just a thing in the bubble.

Here is how the play in works. 7 and 8 play, the loser still has a chance to stay in the playoffs, and the winner is locked in as the 7 seed. The 9 and 10 play, the loser is eliminated and the winner plays the loser of the 7 and 8 game. The winner of that game is the 8 seed.
So if you are 7 or 8 you have two chances to make the playoffs and either go 1-0 or 1-1 to stay in. If you are the 9 or 10 you need to go 2-0 to make the playoffs.

[Flagrant Fowl]

Spurs have the tiebreaker against the Lakers based on conference record.

It's a futile exercise right now, but it hasn't stopped me from trying to read the tea leaves and determine the Suns first round opponent. I wouldn't be surprised if it's Minnesota or New Orleans, but my gut is telling me it'll be the Clippers.

I like the Wolves chances against the Clippers in a single game for the 7th spot. The Wolves aren't afraid of a physical game and their home crowd will be tuned up. I think the Pels are the best team among them, the Lakers and Spurs, but I don't think they could beat the Clippers twice in LA to win the 8th seed.

Edit: I'm not sure if the 9-10 seeded team has to win two games against the 7-8 loser anymore or if that was just a thing in the bubble.

Here is how the play in works. 7 and 8 play, the loser still has a chance to stay in the playoffs, and the winner is locked in as the 7 seed. The 9 and 10 play, the loser is eliminated and the winner plays the loser of the 7 and 8 game. The winner of that game is the 8 seed.
So if you are 7 or 8 you have two chances to make the playoffs and either go 1-0 or 1-1 to stay in. If you are the 9 or 10 you need to go 2-0 to make the playoffs.

Maybe I'm just misremembering the bubble, but I thought 9-10 seed winner had to beat the 7-8 loser twice during the first year of the play-in. Whatever, as you said, the 9-10 team would only have to win 2 games to take the 8th playoff spot.

Every team is tough in the playoffs, but playing the Clippers or Pels is not a great "reward" for being the best team in the league.

[Flagrant Fowl]

This was a good game, but continued to reaffirm my doubt in Philly doing anything in the playoffs.

[Shabazz]

I’m not super excited about playing Minny or New Orleans in the playoffs. I think we’d win against Minny pretty handily, but there’s the Pat Bev factor. New Orleans presents a bunch of matchup problems for us with their jumbo lineup, CJ-Herb-Ingram-Hayes-Jonas. That type of lineup is our kryptonite.

[Flagrant Fowl]

Yep. As I said after the Denver win last week, I want to face the Lakers in the first round and I don't care if AD is playing or not. The Suns would boat race those clowns.

[Split T]

Spurs have the tiebreaker against the Lakers based on conference record.

It's a futile exercise right now, but it hasn't stopped me from trying to read the tea leaves and determine the Suns first round opponent. I wouldn't be surprised if it's Minnesota or New Orleans, but my gut is telling me it'll be the Clippers.

I like the Wolves chances against the Clippers in a single game for the 7th spot. The Wolves aren't afraid of a physical game and their home crowd will be tuned up. I think the Pels are the best team among them, the Lakers and Spurs, but I don't think they could beat the Clippers twice in LA to win the 8th seed.

Edit: I'm not sure if the 9-10 seeded team has to win two games against the 7-8 loser anymore or if that was just a thing in the bubble.

Here is how the play in works. 7 and 8 play, the loser still has a chance to stay in the playoffs, and the winner is locked in as the 7 seed. The 9 and 10 play, the loser is eliminated and the winner plays the loser of the 7 and 8 game. The winner of that game is the 8 seed.
So if you are 7 or 8 you have two chances to make the playoffs and either go 1-0 or 1-1 to stay in. If you are the 9 or 10 you need to go 2-0 to make the playoffs.

Maybe I'm just misremembering the bubble, but I thought 9-10 seed winner had to beat the 7-8 loser twice during the first year of the play-in. Whatever, as you said, the 9-10 team would only have to win 2 games to take the 8th playoff spot.

Every team is tough in the playoffs, but playing the Clippers or Pels is not a great "reward" for being the best team in the league.

The bubble was different. Top 7 were locks and 8 played 9 for the 8 seed. 8 just had to win once, but 9 needed to win twice.

[bajanguy008]

So yea
Ammm I was saying PG might need a couple games to get up to All Star level play
Dang lol

Major 4th quarter fold by Jazz and they seem to have some internal issues

[BKinSJC]

So yea
Ammm I was saying PG might need a couple games to get up to All Star level play
Dang lol

Major 4th quarter fold by Jazz and they seem to have some internal issues

You know how the Suns have mostly made the right plays in crunch time all season long? The Jazz did the *exact* opposite of that against the Clippers tonight. Blew a timeout with about three minutes remaining on a challenge that had no chance. Defensive lapses on almost every possession down the stretch. A terrible, out-of-control Jordan Clarkson shot attempt down two with about twenty seconds to go. And then, to cap things off, Donovan Mitchell insisting on taking a timeout that his team didn't have trying to inbound the ball down four with 10 seconds to go -- the official next to him is even trying to tell him that he doesn't have a T/O -- leading to a technical free throw and loss of possession.

It was a masterclass in mental mistakes. Also, Paul George looked really good.

[dragickingdom]

So looking at the standings, I can now see Denver and the Wolves leapfrog Utah as they fall into 7th place. There are not enough games left for the Clippers to get out of the 7-8 spot and will likely see them get the 7th seed and be a hard out for 2. I then see Utah get their shit together enough to knock off the Pelicans or Lakers to be the 8th seed. On the flip side, AD comes back and helps them enough to knock off Utah to sneak in to be the 8th seed.
How crazy of an implode would it be for Utah to miss the playoffs by failing in the play-in and have 7-8 be the LA teams with a healthy PG and AD.

[bajanguy008]

CTE is a serious issue but man this made me laugh

[Flagrant Fowl]

Just Vogel already carving out a space on Kidd's staff for next season.

[Flagrant Fowl]

Austin Rivers was ejected for this.

[Indy]

Austin Rivers was ejected for this.

was it a second technical?

[SunsRIt]

Austin Rivers was ejected for this.

was it a second technical?

I don’t even begin to understand this. Was there no review?

[Split T]

Austin Rivers was ejected for this.

was it a second technical?

Ya I think I read he had a previous technical

[Superbone]

OK, well, you can't fake like you're going to hit somebody in the face. I think it was the right call.

[ShelC]

I don't like Austin Rivers so I'm good with it.

[Superbone]

It's similar to Pat Bev holding the ball in your face. Also a a tech. It's not like he got thrown out for that alone. It was just his second tech is all.

[ShadowHawke]

Should have gone for the CP3 rip through foul.

[bajanguy008]

Well this gonna be interesting