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Alright guys, predict where we will be in the playoff standings at the end of the season

I think we'll be 3rd to 5th, here's my optimistic final standings:

1. LAL - Too far into the season, with too far an advantage to loose it
2. SA - Even short handed they continue strong
3. UTAH - If they can hold their own against teams they should beat on the road, why not?
4. HOU - As much heart as T-Mac has, the team doesn't loose anything in loosing damaged goods
5. DEN - If Nene sits out for some time, they'll lose a few to say the least
6. POR - They have shot to sneak up to 3rd, or drop out of the playoffs, this team is young and inconsistent
7. NO - I can definitely see them dropping even further
8. PHO - Gentry seems to have brought some life back to Phoenix, while hey could easily miss the playoffs, they could as easily go up even further.

9. DAL - While the team could certainly make the playoffs, they don't convince me to being better than the other eight.

i think 4th!

5th seed vs rockets

[quote="Ming Kong!"]


4. HOU - As much heart as T-Mac has, the team doesn't loose anything in loosing damaged goods


Ming Kong, I really enjoy reading your posts, but I can't tell if you're being sincere about how much heart T-Mac has. Honestly, the Rockets scare me more without McGrady and Alston (for that matter) than with them. We still beat Houston because of our depth, but taking high-volume chuckers away from the Rockets actually makes them somewhat better.

Since I am never right. I predict 9th place. We have too many road games left to play.

The highest they could get is 4th I think. But I have a feeling they'll end up 5th and get in on that 4/5 match up again.

Lakers
Spurs
Nuggets
Rockets (ugh)
Jazz
Blazers
NO
Dallas

Lakers beat Dallas
Spurs beat NO
Nuggets beat Blazers
Jazz beat Houston

Then you have:

Lakers/Jazz
Spurs/Nuggets

I guess what I'm saying is I'd rather finish 6th.

I see us finishing 4th, with either Houston, Portland or Denver getting it rolling a little and beating us out for the 3rd seed. Right now I'd go like this:

1. LAL
2. SAS
3. HOU
4. UTAH
5. PORTLAND
6. DEN
7. NO
8. DAL


I think the Jazz will win 50, though. So anyone who stays above them will have to be playing really well at the end of the year.

sendai91 wrote:

Ming Kong! wrote:

4. HOU - As much heart as T-Mac has, the team doesn't loose anything in loosing damaged goods

Ming Kong, I really enjoy reading your posts, but I can't tell if you're being sincere about how much heart T-Mac has. Honestly, the Rockets scare me more without McGrady and Alston (for that matter) than with them. We still beat Houston because of our depth, but taking high-volume chuckers away from the Rockets actually makes them somewhat better.

I felt last year that McGrady did everything in his power to win, but the team was just shorthanded, or his teammates simply struggled.

Sixth vs. the Nuggies.
Hope to catch Blazers, stay ahead of Mavs, PHX probably out.
I'm not so sure about catching NO or the Nugs.
The road games will tell. Rockets will probably lose tonight, but they are still a mystery to me how they will finish.

Rockets right now a better TEAM than last year because of 4 things:
- Ron Artest
- Brooks/Lowry instead of Alston
- Scola's game grew consistent
- McGrady's out (during last 2 seasons first round victimizations of him, even if he certainly did put heart on it... I thought he just took every single horrible choice a player can make with the ball... he just lacks the smarts of the game...)

Oh... almost forgot... we will end up between 6th and 9th...

Rockets with an impressive win over the Cavs tonight.

They are markedly better with out McGrady and Alston on the team. In fact they haven't lost since McGrady went down and Alston got traded.

They are younger, they are quicker, and they're playing a lot more efficiently which you would have expected had you realized that McGrady and Alston are two awful offensive players when it comes to effeciency.

I honestly think right now Houston's one of the best 5 teams in the league behind (in no order) Lakers, Cavs, Celtics and (healthy) Spurs. Even the Mao-Thing manage to play at a much higher level without McGrady and Alston out there ruining the playbook...

erudite23 wrote:I see us finishing 4th, with either Houston, Portland or Denver getting it rolling a little and beating us out for the 3rd seed. Right now I'd go like this:

1. LAL
2. SAS
3. HOU
4. UTAH
5. PORTLAND
6. DEN
7. NO
8. DAL


I think the Jazz will win 50, though. So anyone who stays above them will have to be playing really well at the end of the year.

that would be nice but houston cant finish 3rd if spurs finish 2nd. top 3 gotta be the top from each division.

bubba wrote:

erudite23 wrote:I see us finishing 4th, with either Houston, Portland or Denver getting it rolling a little and beating us out for the 3rd seed. Right now I'd go like this:

1. LAL
2. SAS
3. HOU
4. UTAH
5. PORTLAND
6. DEN
7. NO
8. DAL


I think the Jazz will win 50, though. So anyone who stays above them will have to be playing really well at the end of the year.

that would be nice but houston cant finish 3rd if spurs finish 2nd. top 3 gotta be the top from each division.

WRONG.

The top division finishers must be in the top 4, the third place spot is up for grabs.

I think you will be at 5 or 6.

You have had the easiest SOS of any other western team in playoff contention.
13 of your last 22 games are on the road, where you are 11-17

(11/17)*13 games= 5.1 wins on the road
(26/32)*9 games= 7.3 wins at home

That puts you on pace for 49 wins well short of last years 54. Since the bottom half of the playoff race is extremely tight, I see you guys finishing somewhere between 5th and 7th (Denver wins the division)

^^^^^^
I like the analysis, but we're hoping to fudge the stats a little in our favor with everybody finally healthy.
You are correct in that the road will decide our fate/destiny for playoff position.
I'm stickin' with sixth, but will gladly take fourth.

Here's a feel good read:

http://www.nba.com/2009/news/powerrankings/03/02/week18/index.html