Kings beat NO, Lakers beat Spurs, LA #1

[Sedale Threatt]

Basically, provided we take our last two, Houston has no shot at the No. 1 seed if...

A. The Hornets win both of their last two games.

And/or

B. The Rockets lose one of their last three games.

It's a relative long-shot, considering the Hornets play the Clippers and the Mavs in a game they'll have nothing to play for, while the Rockets play tonight at Denver in a game the Nuggets absolutely have to have, followed by Utah (36-4 at home) tomorrow and finally the Clips. In essence, you're looking at hitting a five-game parlay, which is very hard to do.

I haven't read this officially, but it makes sense following the general tie-breaker rules the pro leagues follow.

[Tommy Trojan]

LOLL and I had money on this game, I kind of knew Kings would win. I even called it before the game on some thread in here.

Well now we need to keep it up

[KB20]

After reading all 5 pages, here is a quick summary of what we need to become the top seed.

We win out and one of the following has to happen:

Hornets win out

OR

Rockets lose one of their last 3 games

Let's say both of those happen, that leaves the West looking like this:
1. Lakers
2. Hornets
3. Spurs
4. Jazz
5. Rockets
6. Suns
7. Mavs
8. Nuggets/Warriors

If all 3 win out:

1. Lakers
2. Hornets
3. Rockets
4. Jazz
5. Spurs
6. Suns
7. Mavs
8. Nuggets/Warriors

Rockets and Lakers win out, Hornets lose 1

1. Rockets
2. Lakers
3. Hornets
4. Jazz
5. Spurs
6. Suns
7. Mavs
8. Nuggets/Warriors

Rockets and Hornets win out, Lakers lose 1
1. Rockets
2. Hornets
3. Lakers
4. Jazz
5. Spurs
6. Suns
7. Mavs
8. Nuggets/Warriors

We need the Hornets and Spurs to both finish above the Rockets so that we can play the 8 seed in the 1st round and either Houston or Utah in the 2nd round. That would leave the Hornets, Suns, Spurs, and Mavs all battling out on the other side of the bracket. We can't afford to lose either of our next two games while Denver, Utah, and the Clippers all have to play at their best to help us out.

[tkb]

I'm pretty sure I understand how this works now. I'm going to lay out a couple of the scenarios here.

Scenario 1: Lakers, Hornets and Rockets win out.

Lakers own tiebreaker vs Hornets.
Hornets own tiebreaker vs Rockets and wins division.
Rockets own tiebreaker vs Lakers.

The tiebreakers then shifts from h2h match ups and divisional standings to conference standings. This results in the 3 teams getting ranked by conference record meaning Lakers will get nr 1 seed, Hornets nr 2 and Rockets nr 3.

Scenario 2: Lakers and Rockets win out, Hornets lose 1 game.

Rince the Rockets won the season series 2-1, Rockets get nr 1 seed, Lakers get 2nd.

Scenario 3: Spurs, Hornets and Rockets win out.

Lakers wins division and are secured a top 4 spot. Utah also secured top 4 spot by winning division.

Hornets own tiebreaker vs Spurs.
Spurs own tiebreaker vs Rockets
Hornets own tiebreaker vs Rockets.

Hornets win division, and take nr 1 seed. Spurs get 2nd, Rockets get 5th with home court advantage in the first round against Utah.

-----------

In any scenario, Lakers have secured a top 3 seed by winning the division and owning tiebreakers against Utah.

The only way we don't get nr 1 seed if we win out is if Houston also wins out and the Hornets drop a game.

Edit: Beat me to it.

[hermes]

so we need to win out and houston needs to lose or everyone win out
sounds reasonable

[Dexmor]

its a good day to be a lakers fan!

Ever since Bynum got great and then we got Pau every day has been a good day. That's not even to mention when they traded Shaq and signed Kobe.

[PT_Lakers_fan]

I had a feeling that the Kings will win this one

[Dexmor]

I had no idea the Rockets had a chance to win the first seed. Talk about overachiveing. They do have a tough schedule with Denver and Utah unless Utah justs rests and Clippers could try and go out on a win and with Brand back it's certaintly possible.

[rhp1990]

hopefully the game rockets lose is to the Jazz, i hope GSW's get in..

[magic#32]

Denver will win today against Rockets, we will also beat the Spurs and the top1 seed will be ours, no doubt.

[KobeEra]

WRONG PEOPLE...
IF lakers hornets and houston win out
Houston #1
Lakers #2
Hornets#3 (even though they would have won their division..

3 way tie break:
http://www.nba.com/statistics/playoff_picture.html
b. More Than Two Teams Tied
(1) Better winning percentage in all games among the tied teams
Houston is 4-3
Hornets 4-4
Lakers 3-4

hence Houston gets first...we get second because we own the tie-breaker vs hornets..


c. Guidelines For Applying Tie-Break Criteria.
The following guidelines shall be used when applying the above criteria to break ties for playoff positions:

(1) (a) Since the three division winners receive the first three playoff positions, ties to determine the division winners must be broken before any other ties.
(b) When a tie must be broken to determine a division winner, the results of the tie-break shall be used to determine only the division winner and its playoff position, not any other playoff position(s).

[Sedale Threatt]

I'm reading that bylaw, but it doesn't make a bit of sense that the Hornets would win the division yet runner-up Houston gets the top overall seed ahead of them.

EDIT -- I just re-read those rules again, and doesn't this automatically exclude Houston from a top three spot if they finish in a tie with NO?

(1) (a) Since the three division winners receive the first three playoff positions, ties to determine the division winners must be broken before any other ties.

Without checking, I'm pretty sure NO has the head-to-head tiebreaker by virtue of having a better division record. So if the Rocks can't win their division, they can't win the No. 1 seed.

[dockingsched]

that rule hasn't been updated for some reason causing the confusion. division winners no longer receive the first 3 spots. they're only assured a top 4 spot now.

[Sedale Threatt]

So again, I ask: How can NO finish ahead of Houston in the division standings, but not the overall standings? That makes no sense.

[KobeEra]

TOld you sedale..they just said it on ABC...houston would be # 1

[Sedale Threatt]

Yeah, I heard. I still think it makes absolutely no sense, but if those are the rules, those are the rules. Guess we'll have to see if they can win a back-to-back against Denver and Utah.

EDIT -- If it wasn't clear, let me acknowledge that I was totally wrong throughout this thread.

[Minhee]

Denver is a huge dissapointment, in the past week they have lost against Sac, Seattle and utah. They are pretty much telling GS to take that last playoff spot because they don't want to be in it. The way Houston is playing, I highly doubt Denver will win. And depending on Utah's mood, they might just tank the game since they have nothing to play for. Besides, Utah hates LA so they won't help us.

[Sedale Threatt]

Well, I do believe they're 31-8 at home, and they'll be playing for their lives so it won't be an easy game for the Rockets by any means.

[Minhee]

Well, I do believe they're 31-8 at home, and they'll be playing for their lives so it won't be an easy game for the Rockets by any means.

I can only hope because I would like my place to be peaceful and quiet tonight.

[Sedale Threatt]

Nuggets are running the Rockets off the court...31-18 early in the second.