Interesting question on Grantland BBall Hour. Teams tanking games to PHX

JLei · Post #1 » by **JLei** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 4:33 am

Interesting topic came up on the Grantland Basketball Hour.

The Thunder are most likely going to be battling Phoenix for the 8th spot. And obviously most West playoff teams would prefer the Suns to get in over the Thunder because of Durant and Westbrook's greatness.

At what point do teams start to tank games to the Suns to try to keep OKC out of the playoffs.

Western Conference contenders would obviously prefer they not be in but also want to set in motion the Durant to the East and get him out of the conference in 2016. Making him miss the playoffs with a stacked team like he has would do so. Certain Eastern Conference teams that think they have a shot at him could be motivated to give the Suns more of a buffer.

Phoenix's schedule looks like this at the end of the season
Mar. 9 Golden State
Mar. 11 Minnesota
Mar. 13 Atlanta
Mar. 15 New York Obviously they don't need to tank a game lol.
Mar. 19 New Orleans
Mar. 21 at Houston
Mar. 22 Dallas
Mar. 25 Sacramento
Mar. 27 Portland
Mar. 29 Oklahoma City
Mar. 30 at Portland
Apr. 2 at Golden State
Apr. 4 Utah 10:00
Apr. 7 at Atlanta Might have the East locked up by here and start resting guys.
Apr. 8 at Dallas
Apr. 10 at New Orleans
Apr. 12 at San Antonio
Apr. 14 Los Angeles Clippers

All games that this is a candidate for.

All the contenders will be for sure bringing their A game every time the face OKC to try to keep them out as well.

It's an interesting thought.

JohnsHopkins · Post #2 » by **JohnsHopkins** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 4:43 am

Post #3 » by **Hawk Eye** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 4:45 am

I don't see any playoff-caliber western teams buying into this strategy. In the west you can have the two seed and lose 3-4 games and end up as the 8th seed. Every single game matters and it's just too risky.

Post #4 » by **sonictecture** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 4:47 am

So the head coaches of the top 2 seeds in the West would show fear to their players as they fine tune for the playoffs by making decisions that would lessen their chances of winning against Phoenix for fear of playing against OKC in round one?

I don't think that is the way you give your team the best chance of winning in the playoffs.

kinghasnoequal · Post #5 » by **kinghasnoequal** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 4:58 am

sonictecture wrote:So the head coaches of the top 2 seeds in the West would show fear to their players as they fine tune for the playoffs by making decisions that would lessen their chances of winning against Phoenix for fear of playing against OKC in round one?

I don't think that is the way you give your team the best chance of winning in the playoffs.

It would probably be described as "scheduled rest".

bran muffin · Post #6 » by **bran muffin** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 5:00 am

JLei wrote:And obviously most West playoff teams would prefer the Suns to get in over the Thunder because of Durant and Westbrook's greatness.

At what point do teams start to tank games to the Suns to try to keep OKC out of the playoffs.

The Warriors look like the best team in the league. They have swagger and they're not backing down from anybody. They're not some 6th seed chump ducking competition like the Nets were doing last season. When was the last time you saw a #1 seed tank games because they were "scared" of another team? Never?

As for the rest of the western conference, they don't care whether OKC or PHO gets in. If OKC gets in, then they'll probably play GSW in the first round anyway. I doubt very much if teams are any more scared of OKC than they are of GSW.

kinghasnoequal · Post #7 » by **kinghasnoequal** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 5:03 am

The Warriors look like the best team in the league. They have swagger and they're not backing down from anybody. They're not some 6th seed chump ducking competition like the Nets were doing last season. When was the last time you saw a #1 seed tank games because they were "scared" of another team? Never?

As for the rest of the western conference, they don't care whether OKC or PHO gets in. If OKC gets in, then they'll probably play GSW in the first round anyway. I doubt very much if teams are any more scared of OKC than they are of GSW.

Then GSW can keep their "pride" and enjoy losing in the first round (if they get OKC).

Rasheeed!!! · Post #8 » by **Rasheeed!!!** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 5:03 am

I don’t think this happens at this part of this season, but if we are in April and Phx & OKC are really close I could see some of the teams that would potentially face OKC drop a game to Phx by “resting” players.

Post #9 » by **Slava** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 5:06 am

Takes a Patriots fan to come up with new ways to bend the system rather than play fair. Well done Simmons.

DirtyDez · Post #10 » by **DirtyDez** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 5:08 am

Dear teams,

Keep doing it!

Post #11 » by **bondom34** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 5:21 am

Considering how tight it is throughout the standings, I'd doubt it. Last year 5 games separated the 4 from the 8 seed, 4/5 was a tie, and 3 games separated the bottom 3 playoff teams. Doing it the last couple games, maybe, but early March?

SideshowBob · Post #12 » by **SideshowBob** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 5:26 am

JLei wrote:Interesting topic came up on the Grantland Basketball Hour.

Spoiler:
The Thunder are most likely going to be battling Phoenix for the 8th spot. And obviously most West playoff teams would prefer the Suns to get in over the Thunder because of Durant and Westbrook's greatness.

At what point do teams start to tank games to the Suns to try to keep OKC out of the playoffs.

Western Conference contenders would obviously prefer they not be in but also want to set in motion the Durant to the East and get him out of the conference in 2016. Making him miss the playoffs with a stacked team like he has would do so. Certain Eastern Conference teams that think they have a shot at him could be motivated to give the Suns more of a buffer.

Phoenix's schedule looks like this at the end of the season
Mar. 9 Golden State
Mar. 11 Minnesota
Mar. 13 Atlanta
Mar. 15 New York Obviously they don't need to tank a game lol.
Mar. 19 New Orleans
Mar. 21 at Houston
Mar. 22 Dallas
Mar. 25 Sacramento
Mar. 27 Portland
Mar. 29 Oklahoma City
Mar. 30 at Portland
Apr. 2 at Golden State
Apr. 4 Utah 10:00
Apr. 7 at Atlanta Might have the East locked up by here and start resting guys.
Apr. 8 at Dallas
Apr. 10 at New Orleans
Apr. 12 at San Antonio
Apr. 14 Los Angeles Clippers

All games that this is a candidate for.

All the contenders will be for sure bringing their A game every time the face OKC to try to keep them out as well.

It's an interesting thought.

What are your thoughts on the GSW/OKC PS matchup?

Amish Mafioso · Post #13 » by **Amish Mafioso** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 6:02 am

Gotta talk about somethin'.

Bertrob · Post #14 » by **Bertrob** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 6:11 am

Slava wrote:Takes a Patriots fan to come up with new ways to bend the system rather than play fair. Well done Simmons.

Perfect comment

MrBigShot · Post #15 » by **MrBigShot** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 6:12 am

In a conference where 1-2 losses makes a big difference in terms of seeding, I don't see this happening. And even if it did its not stopping OKC.

nodeal · Post #16 » by **nodeal** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 6:27 am

Golden State is going with the opposite strategy rest players against OKC. They either want to help OKC rise to the 6th or 7th seed or they just dont give a ****. As for the other teams they are still fighting for a playoff spot, and by the end of the year theyd prob want to see OKC and GSW wear each other down in a 7 game series. Why would they want a fresh GSW in the 2nd round.

DLaren · Post #17 » by **DLaren** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 6:30 am

JLei wrote: ...And obviously most West playoff teams would prefer the Suns to get in over the Thunder..

Be careful what you wish for...

It would be hilariously fitting if the West "let" the Suns get the 8th spot, collectively let their guard down, then watched as the Suns pulled-off "upset" after "upset".

TKainZero · Post #18 » by **TKainZero** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 6:38 am

I was excited for the grant land basketball hour

I dvred the first couple episodes... But I took it off the DVR after the totally disrespectful Jerry west segment

I love bill Simmons and jAlen rose, but the grantland basketball hour sucks...

Stick to podcasts
(I wish bill was still on the nba pregame show)

DreDay · Post #19 » by **DreDay** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 6:42 am

kinghasnoequal wrote:
The Warriors look like the best team in the league. They have swagger and they're not backing down from anybody. They're not some 6th seed chump ducking competition like the Nets were doing last season. When was the last time you saw a #1 seed tank games because they were "scared" of another team? Never?

As for the rest of the western conference, they don't care whether OKC or PHO gets in. If OKC gets in, then they'll probably play GSW in the first round anyway. I doubt very much if teams are any more scared of OKC than they are of GSW.

Then GSW can keep their "pride" and enjoy losing in the first round (if they get OKC).

Why would they lose?

Illmatic12 · Post #20 » by **Illmatic12** » Wed Jan 21, 2015 7:00 am

DLaren wrote:
JLei wrote: ...And obviously most West playoff teams would prefer the Suns to get in over the Thunder..

Be careful what you wish for...

It would be hilariously fitting if the West "let" the Suns get the 8th spot, collectively let their guard down, then watched as the Suns pulled-off "upset" after "upset".

How would that be more likely than OKC getting the 8th seed and doing that?

Phoenix is clearly the lesser of two evils, lol..