Hot Race for the 5th Spot In The East. Who'll Get It?

prekazi · Post #1 » by **prekazi** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 3:27 am

In other words who will face with the Cavs in the first round?

Raptors 35-33

Remaining Schedule: @Cleveland, Denver, Detroit, NY Knicks, New Orleans, @Charlotte, @Atlanta, Charlotte, @New Jersey, Milwaukee, New Jersey, @Detroit, Miami, @Chicago

Wizards 34-33

@Miami, Detroit, @Portland, @Seattle, @Sacramento, @Lakers, @Utah, Milwaukee, Miami, @Chicago, Boston, @Detroit, Philly, Indiana, @Orlando

Philadelphia 34-34

@Orlando, New Jersey, @Boston, Chicago, PHX, @Cle, @NJ, @Atlanta, Atlanta, Detroit, Indiana, @Was, Cleveland, Charlotte

My pick is Wizards. Their schedule looks tough but it isn't exactly. They have a west trip which they'll play with 3 non-playoff teams. They'll play with the strong teams(bos, det, Orlando) in the end of the season which probably their star players will be rested for the playoffs.

Post #2 » by **5DOM** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 3:30 am

I hope Wizards or Philadelphia.

TheRaptor! · Post #3 » by **TheRaptor!** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 3:33 am

We dont want it, i rather face Orlando then the Cleveland Lebrons.

Speakin of Lebron, we are playin them on Friday, oh great.

L&H_05 · Post #4 » by **L&H_05** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 3:34 am

I hate rooting for an opponent, because you have to be careful what you wish for........But, the Wizards would make for a much more interesting series.. Especially since that scrub opened his mouth and called LBJ overrated..

A.J. · Post #5 » by **A.J.** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 3:43 am

raptors

Post #6 » by **B Mac** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 3:45 am

This thread is not going to go well for Orlando fans.

Lanny-Barbie · Post #7 » by **Lanny-Barbie** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 3:54 am

[quote="L&H_05"]I hate rooting for an opponent, because you have to be careful what you wish for........But, the Wizards would make for a much more interesting series.. Especially since that scrub opened his mouth and called LBJ overrated..[/quote]

Who? Arenas? I'de like to see a link, lol.

Edit: Got it

Wizard calls LeBron overrated
Posted: Monday March 17, 2008 07:18AM ET
Like most NBA observers, LeBron James was tickled when he heard about DeShawn Stevenson's comments following last Thursday's Cavaliers game against the Washington Wizards. After the Cavs' loss, Stevenson said a number of things about James, including his belief that James is overrated. James said: "With DeShawn Stevenson, it's kind of funny. It's almost like Jay-Z [responding to a negative comment] made by Soulja Boy. It doesn't make sense." For those readers not cultured in hip-hop, Jay-Z is a hip-hop mogul while Soulja Boy is just a rapper.

TheRaptor! · Post #8 » by **TheRaptor!** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 3:54 am

Lanny-Barbie wrote:
L&H_05 wrote:I hate rooting for an opponent, because you have to be careful what you wish for........But, the Wizards would make for a much more interesting series.. Especially since that scrub opened his mouth and called LBJ overrated..[/quote]

Who? Arenas? I'de like to see a link, lol.

Stevenson

Anticon · Post #9 » by **Anticon** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 3:55 am

B Mac wrote:This thread is not going to go well for Orlando fans.

Well, the Raptors just have a far better record against Orlando than the Cavs over the past couple of years.

And I think that defensively they're more likely to be able to shut down Lewis and Hedo than Lebron. Plus no one with Orlando seems to be able to defend Bosh.

I think Toronto will have something in the region of 43-44 wins. I'd put Washington at around the same. So I can't really make a prediction between those two.

Philly will probably have just below that, with around 41 or 42 wins. So I'd count them out.

Post #10 » by **Latrell** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 4:06 am

With Bosh finally back I see the Raptors holding on to that 5th seed.

deanx · Post #11 » by **deanx** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 4:08 am

we will probably get the 5th but we dont want it

Post #12 » by **miller31time** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 4:09 am

With the way Philadelphia is playing right now, it'd be hard to bet against them. They're not just beating average teams, they're beating elite teams as well. Playing some amazing basketball right now.

On the other hand, Washington does have Caron Butler back, and he's only going to get better as his injury heals (slowly but surely).

And then, there's Toronto. I'm not sure they even want the 5th seed, but I can't see a playoff team tank based on who they play in the postseason. They're certainly good enough to get the 5th seed.

Honestly, this is an impossible question to answer with any kind of certainty. All three teams have some reason why they should get #5. It will come down to the last few games to really decide this, IMHO.

L&H_05 · Post #13 » by **L&H_05** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 4:12 am

deanx wrote:we will probably get the 5th but we dont want it

Parasight · Post #14 » by **Parasight** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 4:22 am

I'm rooting for Philly! Although I feel a Wiz/Cavs rematch would be entertaining.

TooNice00 · Post #15 » by **TooNice00** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 4:31 am

does it matter? the bottom 4 playoff seeds in the east will all get bounced in the first round.

TheKingOfVa360 · Post #16 » by **TheKingOfVa360** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 4:44 am

I hope the Wizards stay where we are and T.Dot takes on the Cavs

mattyBoi · Post #17 » by **mattyBoi** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 4:46 am

Hey you guys can "want" to play us if you want...I just hope you have your fishing trip planned...

Post #18 » by **Schad** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 4:46 am

I wrote this up on the Raps board earlier tonight...might as well include it here:

Toronto

Current record: 35-33

Remaining schedule (fourteen games):

at Cleveland (39-30)
vs. Denver (40-28)
vs. Detroit (49-19)
vs. New York (19-48)
vs. New Orleans (46-21)
at Charlotte (24-44)
at Atlanta (29-39)
vs. Charlotte (24-44)
at New Jersey (29-39)
vs. Milwaukee (23-44)
vs. New Jersey (29-39)
at Detroit (49-19)
vs. Miami (12-55)
at Chicago (27-40)

Combined winning percentage of teams remaining on the schedule: .463
Combined winning percentage of six road opponents: .483
Combined winning percentage of eight home opponents: .448

Games against elite teams (.666 win% or higher): 3 (two home, one away).
Games against above average to good teams (.500-.666): 2 (one home, one away).
Games against mediocre sub-.500 teams: 4 (one home, three away).
Games against tankers (bottom four in each conference): 5 (four home, one away).

Back-to-backs: 3

Washington

Current record: 34-33.

Remaining schedule (fifteen games):

at Miami (12-55)
vs. Detroit (49-19)
at Portland (35-33)
at Seattle (16-52)
at Sacramento (31-36)
at LA Lakers (46-21)
at Utah (45-24)
vs. Milwaukee (23-44)
vs. Miami (12-55)
at Chicago (27-40)
vs. Boston (54-13)
at Detroit (49-19)
vs. Philly (34-34)
vs. Indiana (27-41)
at Orlando (45-25)

Combined winning percentage of remaining schedule: .492
Combined winning percentage of nine road opponents: .501
Combined winning percentage of six home opponents: .478

Games against elite teams: 4 (two home, two away)
Games against average to good teams: 4 (four away)
Games against mediocre teams: 3 (one home, two away)
Games against tankers: 4 (two home, two away)

Back-to-backs: 4

Philly

Current record: 34-34

Remaining schedule (fourteen games)

at Orlando (45-25)
vs. New Jersey (29-39)
at Boston (54-13)
vs. Chicago (27-40)
vs. Phoenix (45-22)
at Cleveland (39-30)
at New Jersey (29-39)
at Atlanta (29-39)
vs. Atlanta (29-39)
vs. Detroit (49-19)
vs. Indiana (27-41)
at Washington (34-33)
vs. Cleveland (39-30)
at Charlotte (24-44)

Combined winning percentage of teams remaining on the schedule: .524
Combined winning percentage of seven road opponents: .532
Combined winning percentage of seven home opponents: .516

Games against elite teams: 3 (two home, one away)
Games against average to good teams 4 (one home, three away)
Games against mediocre teams: 6 (four home, two away)
Games against tankers: 1 (one away)

Back-to-backs: 3

Cliff's notes:

-Toronto has the easiest remaining schedule; the fewest road games, the fewest games against .500 or better clubs, and the most against the dregs of the league. Also, Toronto has several games at home against very weak opposition, all of which should be wins.

-Philly has the most difficult strength of schedule, playing only one team (Charlotte) that is likely not to care. However, Washington will play 60% of its remaining games on the road, including a very tough five game, seven night road trip.

Conclusion: barring a collapse, or elite play by both Washington and Philly over the final month of the season, the Raptors have the inside track on 5th, and are the least likely team to fall to 7th.

Because Toronto holds the tiebreaker with Philadelphia, the team is essentially two games up on the Sixers; however, finishing in a tie with Washington means that they will be awarded the higher seed in the playoffs.

Anticon · Post #19 » by **Anticon** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 5:00 am

^

Dude, don't be so defensive. It's not like anyone is saying the Raptors would trounce the Magic...it's that we'd have a far better chance against them than the Cavs. We'd at least have a shot, whereas against the Cavs we'd have no shot.

L&H_05 · Post #20 » by **L&H_05** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 5:07 am

Anticon wrote:^

Dude, don't be so defensive. It's not like anyone is saying the Raptors would trounce the Magic...it's that we'd have a far better chance against them than the Cavs. We'd at least have a shot, whereas against the Cavs we'd have no shot.

I wouldn't go that far.. You guys have a chance against us..

However, Magic fans have the biggest complex of any fans I have seen.. They're always on the defensive.. :-?