The East Playoff Bubble

Post #1 » by **theBigLip** » Tue Mar 7, 2017 6:13 pm

It looks like it is going to be close for the final spot in the playoffs, and the last few seeds are also going to go down to the last week of the season. One team that has me concerned is Miami - playing extremely well and creeping up in the standings. A bit of relief as I looked at their schedule - their last 11 games are all tough except for a couple with the Knicks. Check it out (tough games in red):

Miami
Wed, Mar 8 vs Charlotte Win 31 34
Sat, Mar 11 vs Toronto Win 32 34
Sun, Mar 12 @ Indiana Loss 32 35
Wed, Mar 15 vs New Orleans Win 33 35
Fri, Mar 17 vs Minnesota Win 34 35
Sun, Mar 19 vs Portland Win 35 35
Tue, Mar 21 vs Phoenix Win 36 35
Thu, Mar 23 vs Toronto Win 37 35
Sun, Mar 26 @ Boston Loss 37 36
Tue, Mar 28 @ Detroit Loss 37 37
Wed, Mar 29 @ NY Knicks Win 38 37
Fri, Mar 31 vs NY Knicks Win 39 37
Sun, Apr 2 vs Denver Win 40 37
Wed, Apr 5 @ Charlotte Loss 40 38
Fri, Apr 7 @ Toronto Loss 40 39
Sat, Apr 8 @ Washington Loss 40 40
Mon, Apr 10 vs Cleveland Loss 40 41
Wed, Apr 12 vs Washington Win 41 41

DCintheD · Post #2 » by **DCintheD** » Tue Mar 7, 2017 6:59 pm

not worried about Miami. Worried about not playing the Celtics in the 1st round.

Post #3 » by **theBigLip** » Tue Mar 7, 2017 7:01 pm

DCintheD wrote:not worried about Miami. Worried about not playing the Celtics in the 1st round.

So you'd rather play the Cavs? Getting up to #6 would be better and we can avoid both :-)

DCintheD · Post #4 » by **DCintheD** » Tue Mar 7, 2017 7:05 pm

theBigLip wrote:
DCintheD wrote:not worried about Miami. Worried about not playing the Celtics in the 1st round.

So you'd rather play the Cavs? Getting up to #6 would be better and we can avoid both

I said I'm worried about Not playing the Celtics. Meaning I only want to play the Celtics. not cavs, not wizards, not toronto. CELTICS

tradez401 · Post #5 » by **tradez401** » Tue Mar 7, 2017 7:11 pm

i'd be happy if we played the wiz i think if were focused we can take em out in 6.

In SVG We Trust · Post #6 » by **In SVG We Trust** » Tue Mar 7, 2017 7:14 pm

I could see Pacers, Heat and us reaching the Playoffs. Bulls are so Butler dependant and Wade has a grandma's health.

ComboGuardCity · Post #7 » by **ComboGuardCity** » Tue Mar 7, 2017 7:17 pm

I think Washington is better than Boston. Would rather play the Celtic

aad · Post #8 » by **aad** » Tue Mar 7, 2017 7:32 pm

Bulls have a easy schedule there in

Canadafan · Post #9 » by **Canadafan** » Tue Mar 7, 2017 7:33 pm

Yep. Celtics need to stay at #2 and we need to get #7. We can beat them I know it! And then 2nd round we'd play whoever gets that 3rd seed. Anything could happen there. Most likely lose to Washington or Toronto but ya never know. Lol imagine we make East finals after everything we've been thru this year

RasheedTupac · Post #10 » by **RasheedTupac** » Tue Mar 7, 2017 7:37 pm

I really do not want to play against the Wizards. They ALWAYS give us trouble and they have weapons at every position. Give me Boston all day... stop IT you stop the Celtics

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Post #11 » by **theBigLip** » Tue Mar 7, 2017 8:03 pm

Canadafan wrote:Yep. Celtics need to stay at #2 and we need to get #7. We can beat them I know it! And then 2nd round we'd play whoever gets that 3rd seed. Anything could happen there. Most likely lose to Washington or Toronto but ya never know. Lol imagine we make East finals after everything we've been thru this year

Dream scenario. I would pay anything to see us knock out the Celtics. Hated them since the Bad Boys and ever since. I'm not sure why Kevin McHale gave away Garnett to Ainge, and Brooklyn, wtf. So now Ainge considers himself a genius. I'd love to knock them out sooooo bad.

bballnmike · Post #12 » by **bballnmike** » Tue Mar 7, 2017 8:07 pm

RasheedTupac wrote:I really do not want to play against the Wizards. They ALWAYS give us trouble and they have weapons at every position. Give me Boston all day... stop IT you stop the Celtics

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That's what I'm thinking, in a 7 game series hopefully we (mostly KCP) can adjust and figure out how to stop IT in the 4th qtr.

DBC10 · Post #13 » by **DBC10** » Tue Mar 7, 2017 8:15 pm

Yeah I think we can give the Celtics more trouble. The Wizards might have low-key gotten better with them having actual productive bench pieces now. We can't compete with that considering we don't know if gimpy RJ is going to show up or a unmotivated Dre.

MrBigShot · Post #14 » by **MrBigShot** » Tue Mar 7, 2017 9:21 pm

John Wall beats you in so many ways and he does it on both ends. Bradley Beal should've been an all star this season.

Definitely more scared of the Wizards than the Celtics. Don't necessarily think we can beat either, but I like our chances against Boston better as everybody else has said.

ImHeisenberg · Post #15 » by **ImHeisenberg** » Tue Mar 7, 2017 9:52 pm

Tough to say. The last week or two, teams that are comfortably seated in the playoffs might rest their stars and give the Heat some easier victories.

ChuckVanBrown · Post #16 » by **ChuckVanBrown** » Tue Mar 7, 2017 9:58 pm

6th or 7th doesn't matter to me, as long as we play Boston in the first round. I definitely don't want Cleveland, and Washington always plays well in the playoffs. We also don't match up well with the Wizards. At this stage, I think they'll make it to the conference finals against the Cavs.

Boston hasn't won a playoff series with Stevens, and I personally think Thomas is overrated. He's had a great season and is a solid player, but he always gets favorable calls, and I could see his style of play not working well in a more physical playoff series.

In a seven game series, I still think Boston would beat us at this point in time, but it won't be an easy matchup for them. There's a chance we could pull an upset.

Post #17 » by **theBigLip** » Tue Mar 7, 2017 11:26 pm

ImHeisenberg wrote:Tough to say. The last week or two, teams that are comfortably seated in the playoffs might rest their stars and give the Heat some easier victories.

That is so true, especially playing the Cavs/Spurs. The middle level playoff teams are still fighting for seeding, so maybe not as much resting there, except last game of the season.

The Moose · Post #18 » by **The Moose** » Wed Mar 8, 2017 1:34 am

I agree with the others in here wanting the Celtics.

They seemed pretty locked in the 2nd seed at this point, so as long as we stay where we are, I'll be happy.

BadMofoPimp · Post #19 » by **BadMofoPimp** » Wed Mar 8, 2017 1:31 pm

theBigLip wrote:
DCintheD wrote:not worried about Miami. Worried about not playing the Celtics in the 1st round.

So you'd rather play the Cavs? Getting up to #6 would be better and we can avoid both

Cavs may end up 3rd.

The Penguin · Post #20 » by **The Penguin** » Wed Mar 8, 2017 2:14 pm

I don't think the Bulls could get a more cupcake close to the season:

@ Pellies
@ Knicks
@ Philly
@ Brooklyn
Orlando
Brooklyn

I'd like to see them in a first round series against the Cavs, no one is going to beat the Cavs, but Wade vs Lebron as somehow never happened in the playoffs (Lebron also never played Kobe, kind of amazing given Lebron's consistent playoff runs how he's missed series against so many other top players) and the Bulls might be able to make them work a bit.