NBA Schedule 2010-11: H2H Playoff Sched

[writersblock]

Every year, it seems like having players on certain teams determines playoff results. Here's a quick list of teams with favorable last week fantasy playoff scheds for H2H leagues (technically, it's the last 10 days):

Tm Wk 1 Wk 2 Wk 3
IND 4 4 4
ATL 4 3 5
DAL 3 4 5
GSW 4 3 5
HOU 2 4 5
LAC 3 3 5
MEM 4 3 5
MIA 3 4 5
MIN 3 3 5
NO 3 3 5
ORL 3 3 5
PHI 3 4 5
POR 3 4 5
SA 4 4 5
UTA 4 3 5
BOS 4 4 6
Char 3 4 6
CHI 4 4 6
CLE 4 4 6
DEN 3 3 6
DET 3 3 6
LAL 3 3 6
MIL 3 4 6
NJ 4 4 6
NY 4 2 6
OKC 3 4 6
PHX 4 4 6
SAC 4 4 6
TOR 4 3 6
WA 4 4 6

Bottom line: there's one less reason to draft Danny Granger this year. What an awful schedule.
I'd probably be weary on Amare as well, you may not make it out of the 2nd round with him.
That is, if you believe in counting playoff schedules...

[writersblock]

wow, considering how BAD Indiana's schedule is, it's possible that Darren Collison could have actually LOST value for H2Hers this year in that trade....

of course, I'd still draft him earlier than most.

[floppymoose]

ok, help me out here. I don't get it. You are saying above the Pacers play 12 games in last three weeks, and evenly divided. That looks pretty standard in the list. Some teams play fewer, like Rockes, Hornets, Clippers. So then I figured you were talking about the Pacer opponents. But they have pretty much of a cakewalk in opponents near season's end.

So I give up. What do you mean? I'm sure I'm missing something obvious, because I'm more a roto guy than hth.

[writersblock]

ok, help me out here. I don't get it. You are saying above the Pacers play 12 games in last three weeks, and evenly divided. That looks pretty standard in the list. Some teams play fewer, like Rockes, Hornets, Clippers. So then I figured you were talking about the Pacer opponents. But they have pretty much of a cakewalk in opponents near season's end.

So I give up. What do you mean? I'm sure I'm missing something obvious, because I'm more a roto guy than hth.

Sorry, I should have been more specific. The numbers above are the numbers of games during each of the 3 weeks in standard H2H playoffs. The problem with the pacers is that they play the least amount of games in that all important FINALS week. So, if you're counting on Collison and Granger to win you the title, and you make it to that last week, then you lose as many as 2 games per player for that last week, and since stats are cumulative, that puts their "real" rank somewhere a lot lower because they won't get you as many numbers in that week as say Cleveland players (who get 6 games in that last week).

A lot of people don't 'believe in counting playoff games, since, as you say, in the end it's about 12-13 games per team, and with a 13 player team, it may even out in the end. But I, for one, believe in the games counting method.

[floppymoose]

I guess if you feel you are far enough above your competition that you are very likely to make the finals, then you want to consider if a player is going to give you a lot of games that last week.

But if you think you are merely competitive, you would prefer it be tilted to the earlier playoffs weeks. You want all the help you can get to advance. At least in the last week there are days you can drop/add with no reservations - in the first two matchups you have to keep your main guys lest they be used against you later.

I think this is something I would consider in trades later in the year, when I had some feel for how things were shaking out. At the beginning of the season? Don't think it makes the cut on my top 10 things to consider.

[bww78]

It also depends on what week your league starts its playoffs.