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

[Rupert Murdoch]

In place of who?

Jazz or Warriors. I say the Lakers make it while the Mavs just miss out.

[Honey Bear]

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.

Not sure how I missed this... but this is sig material.

[sunskerr]

I'm confident (or rather, I wouldn't be surprised if) at this point in the season the Suns drop all four games against the Rockets.

[Soupman]

They lose only 3or 4 of those games.


2 Losses vs Mavs
1 Loss vs OKC
maybe 1 loss vs Utah

[EscapoTHB]

I think the Lakers will make it. But I think the Rockets will too. I think the Jazz are going to go through a cold patch and that will drop them. The Lakers will probably finish with the 7th seed and face the Thunder in the first round. Which will be great ratings for the NBA.

[Young_Star11]

I'm confident (or rather, I wouldn't be surprised if) at this point in the season the Suns drop all four games against the Rockets.

Especially if they go into tank mode. Weird schedule that the teams haven't played through 57 games and play four times in the final 25.

[rockmanslim]

oops

[durden_tyler]

Jinx posts are true.

[aol4532]

Sometimes, it feels like the universe is just toying with our emotions, like, it does enough to impede these superteams, by giving them an injury here or there, but still give them one last chance to recover(kinda like how Bosh was injured last year and came back just right on time).

This is why the league must do everything they can to keep them out of the postseason. If they made the postseason, then they'll have "earn it," and will probably march all the way to the championship(and this is probably why Phil wants his team to have adversity in the regular season.)

[phoenixx]

I think the Lakers will make it. But I think the Rockets will too. I think the Jazz are going to go through a cold patch and that will drop them. The Lakers will probably finish with the 7th seed and face the Thunder in the first round. Which will be great ratings for the NBA.

this is exactly what i think will happen

[anish23]

If Mavs beat the Lakers tommroow and beat Houston twice.. they will also be on the hunt.

[HotrodBeaubois]

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.

Well theres game 1 of your Gimme schedule ....Tommorow afternoon either the Mavs or Lakers will be 1 game closer.

Lakers win they will be 2 1/2 out
Dallas Wins they will be 3 1/2 out with 2 games coming up against Houston

[inquisitive]

go mavs tomorrow! rockets only have one more b2b for march..so i cant complain...stupid kings sure are taking their time with garcia, trob, and honeycutt trade.

rockets play bucks on their 2nd night of b2b next wednesday and lakers will be playing b2b(mavs/nuggets) starting tomorrow while mavs play b2b(bucks/grizz) starting tuesday.

[B2Bhoops]

Is the draft based on win loss or playoff seeding? Isn't it in Phoenix's best interest to throw those games against Houston or am I misunderstanding draft odds? Sucks for the Lakers too because Phoenix was trying damn hard in those previous games against them.

[mg]

Utah is looking awful tonight against the Clippers...No offense to Utah fans but their team is boring to watch esp with the likes of Jefferson, Foye, and Tinsley getting major minutes.

I just have a feeling the Lakers will make it and the Jazz will be the team to fall out.

There are only a few handful of marque players and several of them reside on the Lakers. I just don't see the league allowing LA to finish out of the playoffs. LA vs OKC is sexier than Utah vs OKC in the first round which will lead to more eyeballs watching and more revenues for the league.

[dreamchaser]

Wow Houston slipped up against the Wizards and the Clips pound the Jazz...The Lakers are very much alive if they beat the Mavs tomorrow.

[HotrodBeaubois]

Wow Houston slipped up against the Wizards and the Clips pound the Jazz...The Lakers are very much alive if they beat the Mavs tomorrow.

Or the Mavs if they beat the Lakers tommorow

[jjscap]

Perfect two days for Lakers.. Both close games (HOU @ WAS and LAL @ DAL) went their way.
But I don't think they are playing well at all. Also I can hardly believe my eyes watching D12..

[anarchy24]

Things haven't gone the Lakers way for most of the season. I think this is when things even themselves out.

[HotRocks34]

Perfect two days for Lakers.. Both close games (HOU @ WAS and LAL @ DAL) went their way.
But I don't think they are playing well at all. Also I can hardly believe my eyes watching D12..

They're playing better than their season averages. They were a couple of points under their season Defensive Rating (DRTG) today against Dallas, and like 6 points better than their season's average DRTG in the Portland game.

That said, this is still a team that got buried by the Clippers 10 days ago. But that was before the All Star break, and before the passing of Dr Buss. Things have seemed to shift emotionally since then.

In their current 11-4 streak, they have beaten OKC, UTH and @BKN. Most of their wins have come against mediocre teams, and they have been handled by two of the three elite teams they played in that stretch (@MIA, LAC).

LAL is still not a great team, at least not yet and not without Pau (or Jordan Hill). Many of these wins are close wins. Still, they are building momentum and putting pressure on HOU, UTH and GSW.

This is their last shot at making something happen this season, and they are making the most of it so far. Props.