Lakers and Mavs are just 3 games away from Playoff spot.

[MrBigShot]

After watching last night game, I'm not impress or sold on the Lakers making the playoff.

Nash went 2/11 and they still won. When does Nash shoot that poorly?

Should thank the NBA and LMA for bailing you out last night. You barely won last night, heck Portland was leading most of the game.

A win is a win, regardless. It doesn't have to be pretty, as long as they get it done.

[Bodhi]

I don't think it's that unrealistic for LA to make the playoffs. After playing horrible all season, Dwight has finally started looking a little better

[cs hauser]

Mavs are a lost cause. They shouldn't even be in this conversation. This is a team that is 5-21 vs teams with a winning record. They are 1-8 in OT, and hilariously last night was the first time this season whey won a game when trailing in the final minute. That is NOT a playoff caliber team. Their only realistic goal at this point is to save face by making it back to .500 before their season is over.

As for the Rockets, but I doubt they'll be able to hold on to that 8th seed. The Rockets look like they'll finish the season with 43 or 44 wins. Which means the Lakers need to go 17-9 the rest of the season to catch up with them. I think there's a good likelihood of that happening.

[CoachKobe]

lakers will make the playoffs.

that said, people are way too obsessed with "making the playoffs".
it's not like you enter a different world when you make the playoffs.
mavs and jazz were swept last year in the 1st round, the difference between them and the 15th seed were 4 games. 4 losses. and a way lower draft pick.
i'd take the higher draft pick instead of 4 losses.

i don't expect the lakers to be swept tho. but i don't see them entering the 2nd round.

[HotRocks34]

Keep your eye on Utah. If the Lakers are going to get a playoff spot, it's probably going to be Utah that falls out.

[bledredwine]

Keep your eye on Utah. If the Lakers are going to get a playoff spot, it's probably going to be Utah that falls out.

don't forget these guys as well

[kaitanuva]

As for the Rockets, but I doubt they'll be able to hold on to that 8th seed.

Why?

[LarsV8]

I feel like the Rockets next 12 games are against teams they are clearly better than.

[choppermagic]

at this level, 3 games is not a huge lead.

For elite teams like OKC or MIA or Spurs, losing 2-3 games in a row would be a major abbreviation but for teams around 500 ball, Houston could easily slip and lose 3 games in a row and drop them into a tie with the Lakers, with a head-to-head game at the end of the regular season. Heck, HOU last two games, they were supposed to lose according to record-wise so it could have been a one game lead only.

Should be an exciting finish to the season in any event.

[aol4532]

Lakers are not playing better, they're the same. At this point, they'll make the playoffs only if the refs help them out.

[cs hauser]

As for the Rockets, but I doubt they'll be able to hold on to that 8th seed.

Why?

The Wizards have been above .500 since John Wall came back. The Rockets have to go on the road to play the Magic & Suns. FYI --- those "bad" teams have better records at home than the Rockets do on the road. Jazz and Warriors are higher up in the standings than the Rockets. And the Mavs, as terrible as they are, have gone 11-6 over the past month.

If you're implying the Rockets have a "gimme" schedule, then you're in for a rude awakening. That schedule might be considered "easy" for an elite team like MIA or OKC. But for an 8th seed like the Rockets, it won't be easy at all.

The Rockets would be lucky to come out of that "easy" 11-game stretch with a 7-4 record. But then they finish the season with games against the Lakers, Clippers, Spurs, Grizzlies, Nuggets, and Pacers. By season's end I don't think the Rockets will have more than 44 wins.

[HotRocks34]

don't forget these guys as well

Schedule is too easy and they are really starting to find their groove.

As long as they stay reasonably healthy and this trade snafu for Robinson (Pat Patterson may have some foot issue or something that is holding up the deal, apparently) gets resolved, I would be absolutely stunned if Houston doesn't make the playoffs.

Utah has a brutal schedule. I totally agree with Hollinger's rankings of teams here:

http://espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/playoffodds

He has Houston with a 98% chance of making the playoffs. I pretty much agree with that. I'm not sure I would place Houston above Golden State in the odds of making the playoffs, and I don't know if Houston will finish the year with 49 wins, but I would be shocked if they don't make the playoffs (if they're healthy, etc).

This team is dangerous. They're not going to beat OKC or SAS in a 7-game series, but they can beat anyone in the league right now on any given night, as OKC just found out.

I've watched every single game of theirs this season. They are starting to hit their stride and I think the trades will help them even more in that regard.

[microfib4thewin]

Unless Rockets vastly underachieves from now on there is no way they will finish with less than 44 wins. They have a superstar and their offense is simply too good for them to falter in the way you describe. The Mavs or the Lakers getting in are both pipedreams, and whether they get in or not it doesn't mask the fact that both teams have much to decide on what they want to do with their aging superstar.

[HotRocks34]

Unless Rockets vastly underachieves from now on there is no way they will finish with less than 44 wins. They have a superstar and their offense is simply too good for them to falter in the way you describe. The Mavs or the Lakers getting in are both pipedreams, and whether they get in or not it doesn't mask the fact that both teams have much to decide on what they want to do with their aging superstar.

I think LA can get in if Utah falters, which I think is possible given their schedule.

Dwight seems to care now, for whatever reason. And his body is starting to come around, a bit (meaning the back).

If I had to guess, I would imagine someone told him that if he could lead a playoff run now -- or even some improbable deep playoff run -- given the turmoil of the season and Dr Buss' passing, he will be loved in LA eternally.

Coming from the Dwightmare I public relations disaster, and given that Dwight may well want to stay in LA, that is probably pretty enticing.

Dwight and Kobe being on the same page, Clark emerging and Nash starting to find his role, this team could get it done and make the playoffs. And Pau is the "cavalry coming over the hill" in April.

I think it's up to Utah at this point. We'll find out soon enough!

[cs hauser]

Unless Rockets vastly underachieves from now on there is no way they will finish with less than 44 wins.

"Vastly" underachieve? LOL. I think you're "vastly" overestimating them.

The Rockets have a .544 winning percentage after 57 games this season. At their current pace, they are expected to finish with 44.6 wins. If they do end up finishing the season with 44 or 43 wins, you can't possibly describe it as a "VAST" underachievement for them.

[HotRocks34]

I will say this about the Lakers: Everything comes down to their defense. Which means it pretty much all comes down to Dwight (and maybe Pau in a Twin Towers lineup) protecting the paint.

They did a good job against Portland. Their defensive rating (DRTG) for the game was around 100.0 pts, which is a lot better than their average DRTG. Dwight was active, and he has to be in order to make up for the defensive susceptibility of the rest of the players.

Even if LA makes the playoffs, they will be gone quickly against OKC or SAS if their defensive house isn't in order.

But Clark, Pau and Dwight could alter things a lot, with their length.

I have to say that I think OKC is looking a little soft right now. Forget about the 3-game losing streak. I'm just not sure they think they can beat Miami. And if they can't beat Miami, they probably aren't going to win a title this year.

If that is true, if they are starting to waver a bit mentally, then they could be there for an upset in the first or second round. I don't think Houston can beat them in a series. But the Lakers could, IF everything fell into place for LA and if OKC leaves the door open, mentally, for LA to walk through should they meet in a series.

[microfib4thewin]

Unless Rockets vastly underachieves from now on there is no way they will finish with less than 44 wins.

"Vastly" underachieve? LOL. I think you're "vastly" overestimating them.

The Rockets have a .544 winning percentage after 57 games this season. At their current pace, they are expected to finish with 44.6 wins. If they do end up finishing the season with 44 or 43 wins, you can't possibly describe it as a "VAST" underachievement for them.

The Rockets are 6th in SRS and play the majority of their games at home including a 7 game stretch. To have less than 44 wins would be the shocker, not the other way around.

[DLaren]

I will say this about the Lakers: Everything comes down to their defense. Which means it pretty much all comes down to Dwight (and maybe Pau in a Twin Towers lineup) protecting the paint.

They did a good job against Portland. Their defensive rating (DRTG) for the game was around 100.0 pts, which is a lot better than their average DRTG. Dwight was active, and he has to be in order to make up for the defensive susceptibility of the rest of the players.

Even if LA makes the playoffs, they will be gone quickly against OKC or SAS if their defensive house isn't in order.

But Clark, Pau and Dwight could alter things a lot, with their length.

I have to say that I think OKC is looking a little soft right now. Forget about the 3-game losing streak. I'm just not sure they think they can beat Miami. And if they can't beat Miami, they probably aren't going to win a title this year.

If that is true, if they are starting to waver a bit mentally, then they could be there for an upset in the first or second round. I don't think Houston can beat them in a series. But the Lakers could, IF everything fell into place for LA and if OKC leaves the door open, mentally, for LA to walk through should they meet in a series.

You don't even need all of those qualifiers...

The bottom-line is nobody is beating the Lakers 4 times in 7 games, NOBODY. The rest of the NBA better do their best to keep them out of the post-season, otherwise, the Lakers are going to ride the spirit of Dr.Buss all the way to their 18th Championship.

[misterglover]

The Lakers are getting in, Jazz falling out.....and on top of that I'll make a prediction, if the Lakers end up matched up against the Spurs they lose, if they manage to draw OKC they pull the upset.

Ohhh, can I get in on teh arbitrary endpoints game as well?

Over the last 23 games the Jazz are 16-7 or nearly 70%. (69.5%)

Arbitrary endpoints aside, the Jazz are playing better to the eye test as well. I don't know what would make you think they are dropping out of the playoffs. Anything logical you can point to?

Not really just to me of the 3 the Jazz have the least amount of talent and im just rolling with the theory that cream will rise to the top and I think Dr. Buss's death will pull the Lakers together. No real logic to it, just the way I see things playing out

[Honey Bear]

As for the Rockets, but I doubt they'll be able to hold on to that 8th seed.

Why?

The Wizards have been above .500 since John Wall came back. The Rockets have to go on the road to play the Magic & Suns. FYI --- those "bad" teams have better records at home than the Rockets do on the road. Jazz and Warriors are higher up in the standings than the Rockets. And the Mavs, as terrible as they are, have gone 11-6 over the past month.

If you're implying the Rockets have a "gimme" schedule, then you're in for a rude awakening. That schedule might be considered "easy" for an elite team like MIA or OKC. But for an 8th seed like the Rockets, it won't be easy at all.

The Rockets would be lucky to come out of that "easy" 11-game stretch with a 7-4 record. But then they finish the season with games against the Lakers, Clippers, Spurs, Grizzlies, Nuggets, and Pacers. By season's end I don't think the Rockets will have more than 44 wins.

It is a gimmie schedule, and no we wont be in for a rude awakening. Nice try tho.