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Good thing games are played on hardwood and not on spread sheets.

Avoiding the No. 4 seed -- and a potential second-round matchup with the Lakers -- likely will be a goal for the LA Clippers, Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets, which all have a real chance to land No. 2.

Here's how BPI projects the race:

No. 2: LAC (51%) | HOU (24%) | DEN (18%)

No. 3: HOU (32%) | DEN (29%) | LAC (26%)

No. 4: DEN (29%) | HOU (28%) | LAC (14%)

This should be tight down the stretch, as both BPI and FiveThirtyEight had these three teams finishing within two games of each other. FiveThirtyEight similarly gives the Clippers a slight edge in this one. And while all three teams are likely to earn home-court advantage, they could still slip to the next tier.

Also

The Lakers should get the winner of the race for the No. 8 seed, while the next most likely matchup is Thunder-Clippers (37% chance).

We need to send a statement to OKC on Tuesday.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/28803991/nba-playoff-lottery-projections-tightest-races-likely-winners%3fplatform=amp


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To use a tennis term, everything is on our racquet.
Nobody can match our talent level, and we even have the best closer in the NBA.
And since the remaining games on the schedule actually matter, motivation won't be a problem.
Nothing can stop us from finishing top2 in the Western seedings, other than injury.
So this is the time to celebrate the Clippers and take a victory lap before the playoffs.....because you know you'll be too stressed to fully enjoy the playoffs, no matter how brilliant the outcome.

This is a good chance to get healthy, gain some ground and kick some ass.

I doubt we can run the table this week of @OKC, @HOU, and LAL at home but if we did, we'd be in a real good spot because....after that it is @Golden State, Brooklyn, NOLA, Dallas before our next true (read: non trap game variety) tough game, @ Denver.

People are saying Houston has our number. They're up in the season series 2-1. I think we need that one for seeding and for the mental.

It's the most important week of the regular season imo. None of these three games are back to back.
Everybody is healthy.
There should be no excuses. We need to take these games seriously. We're a month away from playing for all the marbles. Time to get serious.

Clippers2020 wrote:To use a tennis term, everything is on our racquet.
Nobody can match our talent level, and we even have the best closer in the NBA.
And since the remaining games on the schedule actually matter, motivation won't be a problem.
Nothing can stop us from finishing top2 in the Western seedings, other than injury.
So this is the time to celebrate the Clippers and take a victory lap before the playoffs.....because you know you'll be too stressed to fully enjoy the playoffs, no matter how brilliant the outcome.

Calm the hell down..they still have to play the games lol

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Quake Griffin wrote:This is a good chance to get healthy, gain some ground and kick some ass.

I doubt we can run the table this week of @OKC, @HOU, and LAL at home but if we did, we'd be in a real good spot because....after that it is @Golden State, Brooklyn, NOLA, Dallas before our next true (read: non trap game variety) tough game, @ Denver.

People are saying Houston has our number. They're up in the season series 2-1. I think we need that one for seeding and for the mental.

It's the most important week of the regular season imo. None of these three games are back to back.
Everybody is healthy.
There should be no excuses. We need to take these games seriously. We're a month away from playing for all the marbles. Time to get serious.

If the clippers approach this week game by game, I believe they can go 3-0. It would send a massive statement.

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2 seed would be big, although they have the Mavs as more likely to get the 6 ahead of OKC and I think I'd rather play the Mavs.

2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th - Doesn't matter. After the Morris trade, the Clippers were one Lakers loss from controlling the their own destiny to the #1 seed. All they did was give gave away they should have won and made the Lakers path to #1 much easier. The fact they fell off so much tells me they just don't care about seeding. Maybe they would rather be a lower seed because the expectations are less. If you get HCA throughout and fail, then you look worse.

We know this team has everything they need to be the #2 seed. The question is will they care enough about it to not drop games they should win. I don't think they will. I think they are content to get any spot in the Top 4.

board FYI from Woike

https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2020-02-29/young-denver-nuggets-looking-to-shed-soft-label-ahead-of-playoffs

In two weeks, they’ll begin a brutal stretch of schedule — six of seven games against playoff teams including the Lakers and Clippers. They’ll get a chance to prove that they’re more the team that battled for four overtimes with Portland in the playoffs than the one that got decimated by the Clippers on Friday.

clipperlover wrote:2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th - Doesn't matter. After the Morris trade, the Clippers were one Lakers loss from controlling the their own destiny to the #1 seed. All they did was give gave away they should have won and made the Lakers path to #1 much easier. The fact they fell off so much tells me they just don't care about seeding. Maybe they would rather be a lower seed because the expectations are less. If you get HCA throughout and fail, then you look worse.

We know this team has everything they need to be the #2 seed. The question is will they care enough about it to not drop games they should win. I don't think they will. I think they are content to get any spot in the Top 4.

Kawhi already made it clear that the remainder of the regular season is the time to win at all costs.
Nobody can stop the Clippers now, and by finishing #2 we are really finishing #1 because we own the Lakers (and their court) anyway.
The team facing the most pressure is the Lakers, because they are playing for Kobe, and even more pressure since they haven't been able to beat us....while we don't have a problem with pressure because we have the greatest clutch performer in Kawhi Leonard.

I agree getting the #2 seed is as good as getting the #1 seed since it will be LA series anyway.

The strength of remaining schedule seems to be fine, and not unfavorable for us:
LAL .500
DEN .513
LAC .479
HOU .476
UTA .502
OKC .497

esqtvd wrote:board FYI from Woike

https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2020-02-29/young-denver-nuggets-looking-to-shed-soft-label-ahead-of-playoffs

In two weeks, they’ll begin a brutal stretch of schedule — six of seven games against playoff teams including the Lakers and Clippers. They’ll get a chance to prove that they’re more the team that battled for four overtimes with Portland in the playoffs than the one that got decimated by the Clippers on Friday.

They're going to finish fourth probably. The thing is just like the clippers problem, they've been losing to bad teams. And unlike the clippers, they haven't had injuries to their superstar, jokic

So it's very well possible they split that tough stretch but lose to sub 500 teams and end up fourth. I would prefer they are third so the Lakers face Houston.

But if Houston want problems, we can handle them

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madmaxmedia wrote:I agree getting the #2 seed is as good as getting the #1 seed since it will be LA series anyway.

The strength of remaining schedule seems to be fine, and not unfavorable for us:
LAL .500
DEN .513
LAC .479
HOU .476
UTA .502
OKC .497

regardless of the SoS, Utah is slumping and could very well drop to 7th for us
I'd rather get them than the Mavs or Okies

and rather get the Nugs than the Youstons in the 2nd round


fLAKERS
CLIPS
NUGS
ROCKETTES
OKIES
CUBANS
UTES
the IDGAFs [PELS?]

esqtvd wrote:

madmaxmedia wrote:I agree getting the #2 seed is as good as getting the #1 seed since it will be LA series anyway.

The strength of remaining schedule seems to be fine, and not unfavorable for us:
LAL .500
DEN .513
LAC .479
HOU .476
UTA .502
OKC .497

regardless of the SoS, Utah is slumping and could very well drop to 7th for us
I'd rather get them than the Mavs or Okies

and rather get the Nugs than the Youstons in the 2nd round


fLAKERS
CLIPS
NUGS
ROCKETTES
OKIES
CUBANS
UTES
the IDGAFs [PELS?]

I rather avoid Utah in the first round. I think we beat them but I'm in favourable of 4-5 game first rounds. I don't want a round going six games and I can see that with Utah. I'd prefer Mavericks. I think we can sweep or win in five games against the Mavs and get rest for guys. OKC I think so too but cp3 is a **** clever guy and has the mind of a champion despite not being one. So IDK but depending how we look on Tuesday.

I personally think on Tuesday, we should come out and shut them down. Get in the heads of the younger players.

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I want OKC in first round.

Then in second round Dallas after they upset the Nuggets.

MartinRiggs wrote:I want OKC in first round.

Then in second round Dallas after they upset the Nuggets.

I think it’s very possible Denver loses to OKC or Dallas. The worst Spurs team in 20 years nearly did it last year.

When playoffs come, I wonder if it's going to be the same old Clipper jazz where a highly talented team always has to go to a game 7 against a clearly inferior team... or if we're actually going to get some sweeps or finish a series in 5 games. I know there isn't much precedent, but I have a feeling it's more the latter. This team doesn't just feel like a talented team, it feels like a team we'll be looking back and comparing to some other legendary dynasties.

I've never been less afraid of any potential playoff matchup (Lakers, Rockets, and Bucks are the only ones I'm worried about). Bring it on.

Young Sterling wrote:When playoffs come, I wonder if it's going to be the same old Clipper jazz where a highly talented team always has to go to a game 7 against a clearly inferior team... or if we're actually going to get some sweeps or finish a series in 5 games. I know there isn't much precedent, but I have a feeling it's more the latter. This team doesn't just feel like a talented team, it feels like a team we'll be looking back and comparing to some other legendary dynasties.

I've never been less afraid of any potential playoff matchup (Lakers, Rockets, and Bucks are the only ones I'm worried about). Bring it on.

I never felt we were top contenders with Lob City. Maybe for a 2-month period in the regular season a couple times, but never by the time the playoffs came.

WE had no closers. None. CP did it once, against the Spurs that year. Once. On a shot I say he misses 7 times out of 10.

Otherwise it was get out to a big lead in the 3rd quarter, watch the worst bench in the league piss most or all of it away, and try to crawl across the finish line by hook or by crook.


With Kawhi we got a whole new ballgame. And we now have maybe the best bench in the league and maybe not be in crisis mode all the time.

esqtvd wrote:

Young Sterling wrote:When playoffs come, I wonder if it's going to be the same old Clipper jazz where a highly talented team always has to go to a game 7 against a clearly inferior team... or if we're actually going to get some sweeps or finish a series in 5 games. I know there isn't much precedent, but I have a feeling it's more the latter. This team doesn't just feel like a talented team, it feels like a team we'll be looking back and comparing to some other legendary dynasties.

I've never been less afraid of any potential playoff matchup (Lakers, Rockets, and Bucks are the only ones I'm worried about). Bring it on.

I never felt we were top contenders with Lob City. Maybe for a 2-month period in the regular season a couple times, but never by the time the playoffs came.

WE had no closers. None. CP did it once, against the Spurs that year. Once. On a shot I say he misses 7 times out of 10.

Otherwise it was get out to a big lead in the 3rd quarter, watch the worst bench in the league piss most or all of it away, and try to crawl across the finish line by hook or by crook.


With Kawhi we got a whole new ballgame. And we now have maybe the best bench in the league and maybe not be in crisis mode all the time.

Yeah definitely different times. When you watch national Clippers games now, the commentators are usually just talking about how stacked our squad is and how scary it's going to be come playoff time. It's pretty entertaining to listen to

I felt we were contenders in 2014.

Had huge arguments on the forum back in that time. People swore we weren't quite on OKC's level. Of course this talk went away when we creamed them in Game 1. Maybe my favorite game from CP in a Clipper jersey. That talk really went away with about a minute left to go in Game 5.

Then Choke City came....then that talk came back.

-__-

Only a championship will get me over that loss.