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Congratulations Rockets fans, it happened again. Our beloved team has bullied their way into the playoff picture once more. So needless to say, we're not tanking or getting Kyrie Irving (sorry Max). As of March 7th, we're looking at an 11 team race for the coveted 8 spots.

1. San Antontio 51-12 0.0
2. Dallas 45-17 5.5
3. LA Lakers 45-19 6.5
4. Oklahoma City 39-22 11.0
5. Denver 37-27 14.5
6. New Orleans 37-28 15.0
7. Portland 35-27 15.5
8. Memphis 35-29 16.5
9. Phoenix 32-29 18.0
10. Utah 33-30 18.0
11. Houston 32-32 19.5

In case you weren't paying attention, we are only 3 games down from the 8th playoff seed, and 5 games from the 5th playoff seed. And considering the latest transaction, trades, and trends, we have a reasonable chance of leap frogging into, at least, the last playoff spot.

Houston
Games Remaining: 18
Home: 11
Opp Win %: 51.6
Back to Backs: 3

Utah
Games Remaining: 19
Home: 8
Opp Win %: 52.1
Back to Backs: 3

Phoenix
Games Remaining: 21
Home: 11
Opp Win %: 53.1
Back to Backs: 5

Memphis
Games Remaining: 18
Home: 11
Opp Win %: 51.7
Back to Backs: 2 1/2

Portland
Games Remaining: 20
Home: 9
Opp Win %: 57.8
Back to Backs: 5

New Orleans
Games Remaining: 17
Home: 11
Opp Win %: 56.8
Back to Backs: 2 1/2

Denver
Games Remaining: 18
Home: 8
Opp Win %: 50.4
Back to Backs: 3

We have been banging on all cylinders since the trade deadline. Chase, Courtney, and Kyle have all caught fire. Brad is slow as ever, but is back to health. The departure of AB and Battier plus the arrival of Goran has give the back court some much need balance and has improved our rotation. When considering the back to backs, home games, and opponent wining percentage, we arguably have the (dare I say it) easiest schedule remaining of the teams fighting for playoff spots and positioning.

New Orleans is slumping, and Phoenix has lost 2 of their last 3. Utah and Denver have strung together some wins in the midst of adjusting to their radically new rosters, so it's not clear if they will hold or not. While Portland has been fairly consistent this season, they're trying to re-insert Brandon Roy into the rotation, and depending on how his knees react, it could have a negative effect on their remaining season.

Obviously, things that are out of our control need to fall into place. But all of those points are moot if we do not win. I think the magic number is 45. 45 wins would be the bare minimum need to get us the 8th seed. But our favorable schedule lends itself to giving us the much needed advantage to put us into the playoff picture.

PHX get the 8th spot
we will missed the playoff and land the #1 pick
give me Kyrie Irving and Jordan Hamilton
bye bye Terrence Williams
Yao Ming will be healthy for the rest of his career from now on

we're fortunate to have our toughest part of the season past us. about half of the games left are vs playoff teams or teams fighting for the playoffs. only 3 b2b left, first one is tonight vs kings then suns. playoffs aren't out of our reach after the 6-1 post all star break start.

i still think we wont make it (especially after trading most of our limited defense) but i have to reconsider a little bit now that we're actually beating good teams and winning games we should win. that's something this team had a chance to do last season after the all star break but they didnt take advantage of the easier schedule.

we have a lot of positives going for us
- our scorers aren't in any slumps or struggling with anything. they're on point
- our new starter (chase) is filling the void of shane pretty good
- hayes is having another season where he adds something to his game (OFFENSE!)
- have the depth needed for the playoffs (lee is playing a lot better after the trade)
- 20/9/2stl/3 3pt/50fg%/41 3pt% = lowry's all star numbers post all star break

and we're not getting a good pick unless top 5 worst record, so we should try to win as many games as we can to lure some free agents we need or trades. having a winning record w/o an all star for 2 straight seasons has to get someone's attention. making the playoffs in one of those seasons should guarantee a big free agent. plus playoff experience of corse, that never hurts.

Call me crazy, but I would prefer the 8th spot of all the spots within our reach. Of the top 4 teams, I feel like we match up best against the Spurs. They wouldn't kill us with height inside, as everyone knows is our kryptonite. That would also give us the best 2nd round match up against the Thunder. With just a little luck, and we could find ourselves in the WCF.

College Boy wrote:Call me crazy, but I would prefer the 8th spot of all the spots within our reach. Of the top 4 teams, I feel like we match up best against the Spurs. They wouldn't kill us with height inside, as everyone knows is our kryptonite. That would also give us the best 2nd round match up against the Thunder. With just a little miracle on par with me suddenly being invited to St. Andrews for the Masters, where I overtake Tiger Woods in the most talked-about golf match in history, "The Thrilla by Vanilla", buy an island in the carribean with my winnings, and spend the rest of my days inviting Barkley over for all-you-can-eat poker., and we could find ourselves in the WCF.

Fixed.

Is the real miracle there that Barkley, who's 15+ years older than me and 800 pounds heavier, apparently dies after I do; or that a golf match was talked about enough to get a name?

College Boy wrote:Call me crazy, but I would prefer the 8th spot of all the spots within our reach. Of the top 4 teams, I feel like we match up best against the Spurs. They wouldn't kill us with height inside, as everyone knows is our kryptonite. That would also give us the best 2nd round match up against the Thunder. With just a little luck, and we could find ourselves in the WCF.

It's puff puff pass, not puff puff puff.

Just imagine if we didn't blow that clippers game....

It may not be very likely, but it's really not that far fetched either. Think about it, we match up pretty well against the Spurs, especially with Timmy on the decline. And with the youth we have now, we can definitely keep up with OKC. If we could play at a high level of efficiency on a consistent basis, we are a very dangerous team. But getting the guys to do that is the real challenge.

3 games back from the 8th spot. We are looking good since the all star break. Kyle Lowry has been the guy for us and he needs to continue being the solid floor general he is.

i dont know it will be close.

5. Denver didn't slump as i expected from the melo trade
6. Portland will make the playoffs even with all their injuries, LMA has and will continue to carry them
7. New Olreans - they're healthy and has been pretty consistent
8. Memphis - has been hot lately, they are making a strong push to make it to the playoffs

phx has been consistently the 9th seed. hopefully they stay luke warm. utah has been slumping for obvious reasons since deron was traded. houston looks hot. hopefully memphis cools down, i think there's a better chance of new orleans letting their spot slip up more than any of the teams. every win from here on out will be crucial.

The last thing I want to see is a Zach-Randolph-led team making the playoffs.

The Grizzlies will join the Jazz and the Suns and roll out of the playoffs. Make it happen, Chuck Hayes.

Oh yeah, Bull confirmed my magic number of 45 wins. And since he is the end all and be all of basketball opinions, I think that makes me the next president of the NFL player's union.

TMU wrote:The last thing I want to see is a Zach-Randolph-led team making the playoffs.

The Grizzlies will join the Jazz and the Suns and roll out of the playoffs. Make it happen, Chuck Hayes.

If he can't do it, no one can!

This is exciting. I haven't felt this way in a long, long time.

BELIEVE IN CHAYES

Baller 24 wrote:

BELIEVE IN CHAYES

Yes. Yes!

kevin martin has been in quite a slump lateley

Kal El wrote:kevin martin has been in quite a slump lateley

Houston gets really hot over the summer

College Boy wrote:

Kal El wrote:kevin martin has been in quite a slump lateley

Houston gets really hot over the summer

ah i see what you did there. cuz i said kevin martin was... and everybody knew that... so you call me captatin obvious because its obvious that kevin martin is in a slump... so that's like you saying duh... haha funny funny.

I can't get anything past you....

memphis lost thx to a clutch shot by melo

now hornets losing to mavs, west and his stupid ass shoves dirk in the bench = technical free throws

for some god awful reason utah won