Huge Friday Games!

[AsUdUdE]

Friday's slate of games could bring a little clarity to the West's Playoff situation...

The two biggest games of the night are clearly Pho VS Hou and L.A. VS N.O.....

In the game tonight... it is very interesting for the suns... a loss tonight, and the Suns are all but locked into the 6th seed in the west... The Rockets would have a 1.5 game lead with 3 to go, and I believe they would own the Tie-Breaker....

A win, and the Suns would move up to the #5 seed, and own the Tie-Breaker with Houston.... They would still be a 1/2 game back of S.A. who has the Sonics at home tonight....

Here is where today’s game gets REALLY interesting.... I am going to be a HUGE New Orleans fan tonight, for one main reason...

If N.O. can get a win @L.A. tonight, and the Suns win, as long as the suns continue to take care of business at home, they will be guaranteed a #2 or #3 seed....

Because a Laker loss tonight will bring them into a tie for first in the pacific... both at 54-26... then, on Sunday whoever loses between the LAkers and Spurs would switch places with the suns.... REGARDLESS...

The suns would have a 1 game lead on the lakers, OR it would bring the Suns and Spurs into a tie, with the suns having the tie-breaker....

So assuming the suns win all eyes should be on the N.O./L.A. match-up because it could have HUGE implications on the Suns playoff lives...

 

[dreamcastrocks]

At this point, I'm liking the Suns matchup against the Lakers more than the Jazz. Although I wish we could save that until later rounds.........

 

[arthurracoon]

wow - thats good to know

GO HORNETS!!!

 

[nashman]

Wow what a great freaking year in the west, gonna be very interesting to say the least.

 

[D-Dogg]

While I want to still shoot for the 1 seed and the pac division, the best place for the Lakers would be the 4th seed, facing houston in the first round and then New Orleans in the second round. That's the easiest route to the WCF.

1 seed facing the Suns in the second round wouldn't be fun.

Everything is so up in the air right now it is ridiculous.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

While I want to still shoot for the 1 seed and the pac division, the best place for the Lakers would be the 4th seed, facing houston in the first round and then New Orleans in the second round. That's the easiest route to the WCF.

1 seed facing the Suns in the second round wouldn't be fun.

Everything is so up in the air right now it is ridiculous.

I've never seen it like this before. Probably never will again...

 

[D-Dogg]

I've never seen it like this before. Probably never will again...

It's like a little mini playoffs before the real ones start. I'm loving it.

 

[Suns_fan69]

While I want to still shoot for the 1 seed and the pac division, the best place for the Lakers would be the 4th seed....

Is that even possible? I'm trying to figure it out and I think it would take the Lakers to lose out, Utah to win out (because LA holds the tiebreaker) and San Antonio/Phoenix have to cooperate some how.

To echo earlier statements, what a crazy year!

 

[AsUdUdE]

While I want to still shoot for the 1 seed and the pac division, the best place for the Lakers would be the 4th seed, facing houston in the first round and then New Orleans in the second round. That's the easiest route to the WCF.

1 seed facing the Suns in the second round wouldn't be fun.

Everything is so up in the air right now it is ridiculous.

The only thing.. is Utah is all but locked into a #4 seed right now...

I don't see a situation where the Lakers fall to 4 and play the Rockets, a loss toniht, and a loss to the Spurs, would mean a #5 seed for the Lakers, and a first round matchup with the Jazz and not Rockets....

However if the Rockets win tonight... Its possible THEY could sneak up and grad a #2 or #3 seed...

But as of right now, they way I see it.. there are 3 spots pretty much locked in.. Denver-8, Dallas-7, Utah-4, everyone else can finish anywhere...

This is nuts....

 

[D-Dogg]

The only thing.. is Utah is all but locked into a #4 seed right now...

I don't see a situation where the Lakers fall to 4 and play the Rockets, a loss toniht, and a loss to the Spurs, would mean a #5 seed for the Lakers, and a first round matchup with the Jazz and not Rockets....

However if the Rockets win tonight... Its possible THEY could sneak up and grad a #2 or #3 seed...

But as of right now, they way I see it.. there are 3 spots pretty much locked in.. Denver-8, Dallas-7, Utah-4, everyone else can finish anywhere...

This is nuts....

I'd take the Jazz too in the first round. Lakers match up perfectly with that team.

Jazz/Nooch/WCF vs. Spurs or Suns would be good for the lakers.

 

[AsUdUdE]

I'd take the Jazz too in the first round. Lakers match up perfectly with that team.

Jazz/Nooch/WCF vs. Spurs or Suns would be good for the lakers.

I would too...

The Jazz and Hornets are HORRIBLE matchups for the suns... If the Lakers would fall to #5, and the Suns took the #3 seed facing the Rockets and Spurs... and meet the Lakers in the Conference Finals.. I would do BACKFLIPS...

So good....it works out for both teams.. now Donald.. tell your team to lose tonight please.... Thanks

-Suns Fans

 

[D-Dogg]

I would too...

The Jazz and Hornets are HORRIBLE matchups for the suns... If the Lakers would fall to #5, and the Suns took the #3 seed facing the Rockets and Spurs... and meet the Lakers in the Conference Finals.. I would do BACKFLIPS...

So good....it works out for both teams.. now Donald.. tell your team to lose tonight please.... Thanks

-Suns Fans

Yeah, but of course something would happen and then the Lakers would be stuck matching up with the Suns in the first round or the Spurs or something like that.

The possibilities are too wild for me to even know what seed would be best at this point.

So the only thing to do is just win, baby.

 

[Bufalay]

The Suns are gonna get murked by the Warriors.

 

[TheHopToad]

The Suns are gonna get murked by the Warriors.

I'm a little concerned about that as well. It will likely mean everything to Golden State and probably not as much to the Suns.

I wish the Warriors would just get officially eliminated this weekend, so Monday's game doesn't mean anything to them and we can kick them when they're down, but I don't see it happening.

On Saturday Denver plays at Utah and then has a B2B on Sunday against Houston. Meanwhile, Golden State plays the Clippers at home Saturday and has Sunday off to rest for the Suns.

The Warriors are by no means out of this yet.

 

[AsUdUdE]

The Suns are gonna get murked by the Warriors.

I wouldn't worry too much about this... There is a chance by Monday Golden State will already be eliminated...

The magic number for the Nuggets is two right now... The Nugs play @Utah and home against houston this weekend... two wins, or awin and a Warrior loss top the clips, and by Monday, the Warriors are out....

I know the team will be extremly desperate, and if the game was in Oakland I would be worried.. but its not, and the Suns will have something to play for as well...

That said if Phoenix loses tonight.. I would hope they rest all their starters, so we don't sneak up and take the #5 seed anyway....

 

[Kody Rumin]

You never know how Golden State will show up anyway. They haven't played well in a lot of important games lately.

This is a lot of fun though, watching the standings and watching the teams change seeds. Great year to be an NBA fan.

 

[Michael]

This game feels like a playoff game. No, it feels like game 7. On a loss, I'll pretty much lose interest for the rest of the regular season.

But one win, and the Hornets vs Lakers and Spurs vs Lakers games will be as interesting as if the Suns would play themselves.

Good thing it'll be broadcasted in Australia! Two hours to go....

 

[Greg Popovich]

All of this stuff confuses the heck out of me.

I have read different theories on who the Suns want to win the Lakers v. Spurs game on Sunday.

For one game only--are you backing LA or SA?

 

[jbeecham]

All of this stuff confuses the heck out of me.

I have read different theories on who the Suns want to win the Lakers v. Spurs game on Sunday.

For one game only--are you backing LA or SA?

It doesn't really matter too much either way. The only reason to root for the Lakers is because we have the tie-breaker over SA so it's easier for us to pass them in the standings.

 

[WuRaider]

All of this stuff confuses the heck out of me.

I have read different theories on who the Suns want to win the Lakers v. Spurs game on Sunday.

For one game only--are you backing LA or SA?

It depends on tonights game. I want the Hornets to beat the Lakers so they secure the #1 seed. Than I want the Lakers to beat the Spurs on Sunday so they get the #2 and the Spurs get pushed to #5.

1. NOH
8. Den
4. Jazz
5. Spurs

2. Lakers
7. Mavs
3. Suns
6. Rockets

 

[cobbler]

I'd take the Jazz too in the first round. Lakers match up perfectly with that team.

Jazz/Nooch/WCF vs. Spurs or Suns would be good for the lakers.

Bynum not being available for the first round... and maybe not available at all changes a lot of the matchup scenarios. We are too soft in the middle defensively without him to clog it up.

Who is involved in the last game of the season? In other words, the game we will all be watching to see how it unfolds.

 

[jbeecham]

WuRaider's breakdown would work for us. I'd also be fine with SA having the #2 seed and seeing the Lakers drop to #5.

 

[nowagimp]

All of this stuff confuses the heck out of me.

I have read different theories on who the Suns want to win the Lakers v. Spurs game on Sunday.

For one game only--are you backing LA or SA?

I frankly would just like to see a close, well contested, well officiated game. I just want to see some good team basketball. I am concerned that the spurs wont have manu healthy and it may get ugly. I am starting to think that regardless of the path, the western conference champion should be able to beat anyone in the west. With the Mavs at #7, and yaoless houston at #5 its all screwed up anyway.

 

[D-Dogg]

Bynum not being available for the first round... and maybe not available at all changes a lot of the matchup scenarios. We are too soft in the middle defensively without him to clog it up.

Who is involved in the last game of the season? In other words, the game we will all be watching to see how it unfolds.

Without Bynum the Jazz are nothing to worry about. With him we sweep. I have NO fear of the Jazz.

The Nooch without Bynum are beatable, but its tough. With Bynum we blow them out like we did with just Bynum and pre-Pau. Without either, we still hung with the Nooch at their house. With Pau we should beat them in a 6 or 7 game series.

 

[capologist]

Without Bynum the Jazz are nothing to worry about. With him we sweep. I have NO fear of the Jazz.

The Nooch without Bynum are beatable, but its tough. With Bynum we blow them out like we did with just Bynum and pre-Pau. Without either, we still hung with the Nooch at their house. With Pau we should beat them in a 6 or 7 game series.

The Lakers are going to lose in the first round because I want them to, and I’m due for some luck.

It works that way, right?