Tracking the Eastern Conference

[Shanghai Kid]

Damn Wizards should be 2nd in the East at 20-8

I was looking at the schedule, and their best chance to make a run is right now. They are capable of winning 15 of the next 20, which would put them at 30-18 and back on track. In my opinion this next twenty game stretch is going to determine if we're a 50 win team battling for a top 4 seed, or if we're a near .500 team battling for those final 2-3 spots. The schedule gets tough again in February, it's a critical point of the season.

But it involves them actually winning the games they should. Right now they are a toss-up when they play bad teams.

[nate33]

Detroit beats Indy. Chicago somehow beats Milwaukee. The Wizards are somehow tied for 4th in the standings despite a ton of really pathetic losses this year. Only half a game separates 4th place from 8th place, though.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Detroit beats Indy. Chicago somehow beats Milwaukee. The Wizards are somehow tied for 4th in the standings despite a ton of really pathetic losses this year. Only half a game separates 4th place from 8th place, though.

Right now the NBA.com app shows that the Wizards are tied for fifth in a three-way tie. Three teams have 16 wins and 13 losses.

Technically by virtual percentage points Milwaukee is ahead of those teams with 15 wins and 12 losses.

I see what you mean if you saying they're all three wins ahead of .500.



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[nate33]

Detroit beats Indy. Chicago somehow beats Milwaukee. The Wizards are somehow tied for 4th in the standings despite a ton of really pathetic losses this year. Only half a game separates 4th place from 8th place, though.

Right now the NBA.com app shows that the Wizards are tied for fifth in a three-way tie. Three teams have 16 wins and 13 losses.

Technically by virtual percentage points Milwaukee is ahead of those teams with 15 wins and 12 losses.

I see what you mean if you saying they're all three wins ahead of .500.



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Yeah, Milwaukee has a better win percentage because 15-12 beats 16-13, but in terms of games behind first place, they're tied. Also, Washington is in strong position to secure home court advantage in the first round no matter what by virtue of winning the Southeast. They just have to stay ahead of Miami.

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

Detroit beats Indy. Chicago somehow beats Milwaukee. The Wizards are somehow tied for 4th in the standings despite a ton of really pathetic losses this year. Only half a game separates 4th place from 8th place, though.

Right now the NBA.com app shows that the Wizards are tied for fifth in a three-way tie. Three teams have 16 wins and 13 losses.

Technically by virtual percentage points Milwaukee is ahead of those teams with 15 wins and 12 losses.

I see what you mean if you saying they're all three wins ahead of .500.



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Yeah, Milwaukee has a better win percentage because 15-12 beats 16-13, but in terms of games behind first place, they're tied. Also, Washington is in strong position to secure home court advantage in the first round no matter what by virtue of winning the Southeast. They just have to stay ahead of Miami.

Nate, I haven’t been able to get clarity on your last point. I know a few years back, they eliminated the guaranteed 3 seed for division winners and allowed them to fall no further than 4th.

But I thought they may have further revised that so that division winners are longer guaranteed a top four seed.

Do you know the updated rule and if so could you please share it?

[nate33]

Right now the NBA.com app shows that the Wizards are tied for fifth in a three-way tie. Three teams have 16 wins and 13 losses.

Technically by virtual percentage points Milwaukee is ahead of those teams with 15 wins and 12 losses.

I see what you mean if you saying they're all three wins ahead of .500.



Sent from my Moto G (4) using RealGM mobile app

Yeah, Milwaukee has a better win percentage because 15-12 beats 16-13, but in terms of games behind first place, they're tied. Also, Washington is in strong position to secure home court advantage in the first round no matter what by virtue of winning the Southeast. They just have to stay ahead of Miami.

Nate, I haven’t been able to get clarity on your last point. I know a few years back, they eliminated the guaranteed 3 seed for division winners and allowed them to fall no further than 4th.

But I thought they may have further revised that so that division winners are longer guaranteed a top four seed.

Do you know the updated rule and if so could you please share it?

Oops. My bad. I was going by the pre-2016 system. I forgot that they changed it. Basically, divisions are meaningless now, so nevermind.

[dckingsfan]

Indy is the surprise team to me right now. Never guessed that they would be in the playoff hunt. Joseph, Oladipo, Sabonis, Bogs and Collison all shooting at or above .400

If they keep up that kind of 3PT% they will make the playoffs, IMO. But that is a big if...

[nate33]

Detroit and Milwaukee lost last night. The Wizards are now a full 2.0 games ahead of both teams. Unfortunately, our Daddy, Miami has moved to 5th in the standings and are only 1.5 games behind us. I don't want to face them in the playoffs.

[nate33]

Speaking of the playoffs, what playoff bracketing among the top 4 teams do you think favors us most? Assume that the top 4 teams in some order are Boston, Toronto, Cleveland and Washington.

I think Boston might have the best shot at defeating Cleveland, so I think I'd prefer Washington versus Toronto while Cleveland plays Boston. On the other hand, I think we match up better against Boston than Toronto, so maybe it's best if we play Boston.

[mhd]

Speaking of the playoffs, what playoff bracketing among the top 4 teams do you think favors us most? Assume that the top 4 teams in some order are Boston, Toronto, Cleveland and Washington.

I think Boston might have the best shot at defeating Cleveland, so I think I'd prefer Washington versus Toronto while Cleveland plays Boston. On the other hand, I think we match up better against Boston than Toronto, so maybe it's best if we play Boston.

No way Cleveland obviously. Toronto & Boston both have their pros and cons.

[Shanghai Kid]

Speaking of the playoffs, what playoff bracketing among the top 4 teams do you think favors us most? Assume that the top 4 teams in some order are Boston, Toronto, Cleveland and Washington.

I think Boston might have the best shot at defeating Cleveland, so I think I'd prefer Washington versus Toronto while Cleveland plays Boston. On the other hand, I think we match up better against Boston than Toronto, so maybe it's best if we play Boston.

The key thing of course is to avoid Cleveland until the ECF.

Id rather play Boston simply because we would plat with a chip on our shoulder from just recently losing to them last year.

[nuposse04]

Speaking of the playoffs, what playoff bracketing among the top 4 teams do you think favors us most? Assume that the top 4 teams in some order are Boston, Toronto, Cleveland and Washington.

I think Boston might have the best shot at defeating Cleveland, so I think I'd prefer Washington versus Toronto while Cleveland plays Boston. On the other hand, I think we match up better against Boston than Toronto, so maybe it's best if we play Boston.

Derozan is playing much better basketball this season. He is actually taking and hittings 3s. That and their young wing/bigs are playing some nice defense and hitting timely shots. I believe they will get better as the season continues. Boston I think is still due for some regression, especially Taytum, I just don't see a Rookie shooting like that for an entire season.

[FAH1223]

If we play the Bucks in Round 1... we're losing!

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

If we play the Bucks in Round 1... we're losing!

It’d be a heck of a series. They match up well.

The biggest challenge is Giannis barreling toward the hoop and getting the LeBron treatment... Doesn’t matter what he does - travel, run over someone - he’s getting the call.

[FAH1223]

Damn Wizards. Wish they beat the Cavs once at home.

This is also the perfect time to be playing CLE.

Wiz and Heat are so close to the 3 seed.

[80sballboy]

So when Lue is fired, will LeBron just coach the team himself ala Bill Russell in the sixties for the Cs?

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Detroit and Milwaukee lost last night. The Wizards are now a full 2.0 games ahead of both teams. Unfortunately, our Daddy, Miami has moved to 5th in the standings and are only 1.5 games behind us. I don't want to face them in the playoffs.

Milwaukee owns the Wizards just like Miami does, too.

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[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

So when Lue is fired, will LeBron just coach the team himself ala Bill Russell in the sixties for the Cs?

Fizdale is my prediction.

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[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

If we play the Bucks in Round 1... we're losing!

It’d be a heck of a series. They match up well.

The biggest challenge is Giannis barreling toward the hoop and getting the LeBron treatment... Doesn’t matter what he does - travel, run over someone - he’s getting the call.

Washington must foul Giannis hard. Not in a flagrant foul manner. The Wizards simply have to slow the game down when he's on a tear.

He is going to get the call either way so you may as well rough him up.

They will never do it but I think Chris McCullough would be the best guy to cover Giannis Antetokounmpo. He is quick enough to move his feet on the perimeter and he's long enough to actually bother the guy shot.

The point is to waste some files on an expendable guy.

[Ruzious]

I'm stunned that Jason Kidd got fired - even though many of my fellow Bucks fans have been desperately calling for it all season. And of course, the new coach will soon have Parker. Kidd never had Parker and Middleton healthy together the last 2 seasons. And Middleton hasn't played up to his past self - particularly on defense. It's a good opportunity for a new coach to artificially look good, imo. What they really need to do is get a decent GM. They've made a lot of bad moves the last 2 years.