The Playoff Race

[Griffin]

Current standings:

	TEAM		W	L	GB	STREAK	SS	GR

5	Denver 		44	29	+4.5	W3	[COLOR="Red"]1-3[/COLOR]	0
6	Portland 	42	30	+2.5	W2	[COLOR="Red"]1-3[/COLOR]	0
7	New Orleans 	42	31	+2.0	W2	1-2	1
8	Memphis 	40	33	-	L1	[COLOR="Red"]1-2[/COLOR]	0

9	Houston 	38	34	-2.0	W5	[COLOR="SeaGreen"]2-1[/COLOR]	0
[B]10	Phoenix 	36	35	-3.0	L1	-	-[/B]
11	Utah 		36	37	-4.5	L4	[COLOR="SeaGreen"]3-0[/COLOR]	0

SS -> Suns season series record vs. team
GR -> Suns remaining games vs. team
GB -> Games behind (or ahead) the 8th-seeded team

Season series is used as the first tiebreaker. The next tiebreaker is division record for teams in same divisions, but that won't come into play for Phoenix, and conference record for teams from different divisions.

The GB number is a bit misleading at this point, because some teams have played different number of games so far. The loss column is what is really important.

While the Suns could still realistically catch OKC currently with the fourth-best record, division winners are guaranteed a top 4 seed, so OKC or some other Northwest team is guaranteed at least the 4th seed, regardless of record. For the Suns to get a top 4 seed, they'd have to catch one of the top 3 teams, which seems unlikely.

 

[Griffin]

Memphis just beat the Spurs, and rather easily. Had they lost, the Suns would have officially been in the 8th seed, at least for now. Memphis however has more losses than the Suns and are only ahead of them by virtue of having played (and won) more games.

Earlier today, New Orleans lost again so now they have as many losses as Phoenix.

 

[AfroSuns]

Looks like Portland is going to lose to Houston, i though for sure they were going to win. i guess bringing an injured Roy back so soon may not be a good thing.
Maybe people clamoring for a change in something that is working will take that as a cue.

 

[desertdawg]

I still think we slide in the 7th seed and we will probably meet the Spurs there. Spurs are old and brittle, but are a smart team with a smart coach.

Two things we need to do before we meet whoever in the playoffs.

1 Start Gortat, he has played with every Suns combination on the court now, (minus playing at the same time with Lopez) we will need to get the best start possible in each game, everybody knows that isn't Lopez.

I believe we are losing the opportunity of getting better starts, by not getting Gortat going early as well as him bringing the presence in the paint. All the Lopez talk about how he is too fragile or young to be benched needs to stop. If he is that emotional or unstable, then I don't want him on the floor. IMO he should have already walked into Gentry's office and told him Gortat should be starting. Nothing wrong with the younger undertalented center coming off the bench, every other team in the NBA would do this.


2 Rest Steve Nash more during the end of the first and third quarters. His game is still there at the age of 37, don't push it or him for an entire friggin quarter. We need him semi-fresh at the end of the game. This team is a lot better than it was, but I think it can be a lot better still.

I think we look really tired at the end of games. And really slow at the beginning of games, good thing we've still been coming away with victories. Playoffs are even tougher.

 

[FArting]

Teams to root for today
Charlotte
Sacramento
New York

 

[slinslin]

Do you really want to root for us to lose our #15 pick or so to the Rockets just for a first round exit?

 

[AzStevenCal]

Do you really want to root for us to lose our #15 pick or so to the Rockets just for a first round exit?

Absolutely! That's what a fan does. Okay, obviously, there is more than one way to be a fan but this concept is at the core of fandom. I want my team to succeed - short term and long term. Even if I think we might be better off missing the playoffs and hoping for the long shot lottery draw I still feel the need to cheer for my team, every single game.

Steve

 

[HooverDam]

Do you really want to root for us to lose our #15 pick or so to the Rockets just for a first round exit?

I'm all for looking towards the future but having the last pick in the lottery versus having the first pick outside the lottery is really no different. In that case its better to make the playoffs, it keeps fans more interested and makes the franchise more money.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Absolutely! That's what a fan does. Okay, obviously, there is more than one way to be a fan but this concept is at the core of fandom. I want my team to succeed - short term and long term. Even if I think we might be better off missing the playoffs and hoping for the long shot lottery draw I still feel the need to cheer for my team, every single game.

Steve

That is absolutely right. "Tanking" if it is done, should be a management thing. Players and coaches should play hard and win games. I love to see teams play hard when they are on the floor at all times. The coach can back off by putting in his subs, but even then, they should play hard. The only exception I would make to that is in the last minute or so when the game is out of reach and you are "taking a knee." I would apply that also to the last few games of a season where seedings are already set. Its sort of "taking a knee" on the season.

 

[Griffin]

Do you really want to root for us to lose our #15 pick or so to the Rockets just for a first round exit?

Yes I do. And not just for a first round exit, but for an opportunity to perhaps beat a team in the first round and ruin their season. I could never root for the Suns to lose games. I could never support a team that loses games on purpose.

As for the pick, last time at #14 we drafted Earl Clark. Before that it was Lopez at #15. I think our chances of making it to the second round are better than us drafting an impact player at #14.

Absolutely! That's what a fan does. Okay, obviously, there is more than one way to be a fan but this concept is at the core of fandom. I want my team to succeed - short term and long term. Even if I think we might be better off missing the playoffs and hoping for the long shot lottery draw I still feel the need to cheer for my team, every single game.

Agreed.

I'm all for looking towards the future but having the last pick in the lottery versus having the first pick outside the lottery is really no different. In that case its better to make the playoffs, it keeps fans more interested and makes the franchise more money.

Technically, after the Rockets trade, if we miss the playoffs we likely get #13 or #14 whereas if we make the playoffs we likely get a pick around #24, so the difference is draft position is more significant. However, I'd still want the Suns to make the playoffs even if it meant they'd have no pick at all. Only very high lottery picks are worth missing the playoffs for, and you'd have to have a really bad team to begin with for a shot at those.

 

[Chaz]

I think we look really tired at the end of games. And really slow at the beginning of games, good thing we've still been coming away with victories. Playoffs are even tougher.

I don't understand the basis for claiming "slow starts".

In the five games since the ASB the Suns average 31 points in the first quarter. Their lowest first quarter point total in that time was 26 against the Nets.

 

[desertdawg]

I don't understand the basis for claiming "slow starts".

In the five games since the ASB the Suns average 31 points in the first quarter. Their lowest first quarter point total in that time was 26 against the Nets.

I think we would start off better with Gortat and build bigger leads with his defense. (the endless debate right?)
I think Gortat would finish each half better if he started and had a breather, plenty of time to get Lopez his minutes.

 

[Mainstreet]

I think we would start off better with Gortat and build bigger leads with his defense. (the endless debate right?)
I think Gortat would finish each half better if he started and had a breather, plenty of time to get Lopez his minutes.

If Brooks can play pick and roll it would allow for Lopez to be moved to the bench without effecting his game that much. Whereas with Dragic, it was likely Lopez would disappear coming off the bench.

 

[Lorenzo]

I think the suns will make the playoffs. the trades that the jazz and nuggets made will really help the suns. I'm glad they didn't trade nash. 7th seed could mean a matchup with dallas. I think the mavs can catch the spurs, but it will be tough. looking at the mavs schedule they have already played most of the elite teams. Most of the games left on their schedule leave them favored on pretty much a nightly basis. if they take care of business they could make a push for the #1 seed. I believe the spurs have a tougher schedule as well and tony parker is out for a couple of weeks, which could factor. the spurs have not had the injury problems that the other elite teams in the league have faced. so to me that is why they have a better record. the #1 seed should mean a lot. whoever comes away with #2 likely would have to play phoenix, and LA, which is not the route I would want to take. the biggest question I think is how 5-8 will shape out. It looks like there could be a lot of different scenarios.

 

[BC867]

I think we would start off better with Gortat and build bigger leads with his defense. (the endless debate right?)

Yes!

I think Gortat would finish each half better if he started and had a breather, plenty of time to get Lopez his minutes.

Yes, yes!

 

[JCSunsfan]

I think we would start off better with Gortat and build bigger leads with his defense. (the endless debate right?)
I think Gortat would finish each half better if he started and had a breather, plenty of time to get Lopez his minutes.

Who pushed that button on the jukebox again?

 

[AzStevenCal]

Who pushed that button on the jukebox again?

Lovely weather we're having.

Steve

 

[BC867]

Lovely weather we're having.

Steve

It would be lovelier, Steve, if we started our best players.

 

[Griffin]

So Denver won, by 40. Weren't they supposed to start losing now that Anthony and Billups are gone? Portland also won, so the Suns lost a game on both of those teams. New Orleans lost third straight.

 

[Errntknght]

So Denver won, by 40. Weren't they supposed to start losing now that Anthony and Billups are gone? Portland also won, so the Suns lost a game on both of those teams. New Orleans lost third straight.

Charlotte seems to have become totally hapless without Wallace - Denver breezed and that's with Gallinari sitting out. They whacked Atlanta by 20, too.

Those games were in Denver but now they have to take the show on the road for 12 of their last twenty. As always, Denver is much tougher at home than travelling so we could conceivably catch them. If we beat them when they visit us, that ties our season record with them at 2-2 but I don't know how we stand on the second tie breaker.

Getting Okafor back hasn't seemed to help NO much so there's hope they continue their dive - and we are still tied with them in the L column - Denver we trail by two. We have three games against the Hornets so we pretty much hold our fate in our own hands with them.

 

[FArting]

Team to root for today

Denver since Utah is behind us

 

[Errntknght]

How about rooting for Utah since Denver is ahead of us?

 

[FArting]

Team to root for today

Toss up between New Orleans and Memphis

 

[jagu]

New Orleans, Memphis would be a tougher team in the playoffs. The Hornets have a pretty crappy team other than Paul.

 

[Lorenzo]

New Orleans, Memphis would be a tougher team in the playoffs. The Hornets have a pretty crappy team other than Paul.

well utah appears to be out. new orleans is on a downward trend now...i think maybe chris paul should have pulled a melo. anyway I would like to see him in a mavs uniform one day.

the rest of the teams in the west are winning right now. it will be interesting. No need to panic based off one loss to the celtics. I think phoenix will make it in maybe even as the 7th seed. I haven't seen much of memphis though. are they solid?