The Playoff Race

[FArting]

Teams to root for

Jazz over Grizzles

 

[sunsfan88]

I think there's like a 10% chance at playoffs but...

If we manage to beat the Lakers with Bynum out (sketchy) and beat the Raps at home (likely) while Memphis loses their next 3 (jazz, celtics, bulls) we'll have the 8th spot.

 

[FArting]

A long winning streak would help the Suns chances of making the playoffs.

 

[devilalum]

A long winning streak would help the Suns chances of making the playoffs.

Absolutely. The Suns need to rip off about 9 in a row.

 

[BC867]

A long winning streak would help the Suns chances of making the playoffs.

I'm hoping, too. But the reality is that both Nash and Brooks are not at 100% at PG and won't be for the rest of the season.

If Gentry will allow (and convince) Brooks and Dowdell to play their score-first-and-pass-when-you-can't skills, reduce Nash's minutes when that happens and utilize both Brooks and Dowdell at backup PG (Dowdell when defense is a higher priority), a 3-headed Point Guard might just make us more solid.

Having to play Steve the most minutes per game (as we have) and expecting Brooks to dart up and down on a bad ankle are not going to get us into the playoffs.

We have the horses. We just need the coaching insight.

 

[Zbigniew]

There are two key days. If Suns beat Lakers and Toronto, and Memphis, Utah and Rockets lost there would be a sligt opportunity for playoffs

 

[Mulli]

There are two key days. If Suns beat Lakers and Toronto, and Memphis, Utah and Rockets lost there would be a sligt opportunity for playoffs

Wager!

 

[Michael]

Chances are slim. I guess a 12-2 the rest of the way would just see us making the playoffs.
Memphis will be without Rudy Gay for the rest of the season which might help Phoenix.

 

[Gwindor]

Chances are slim. I guess a 12-2 the rest of the way would just see us making the playoffs.
Memphis will be without Rudy Gay for the rest of the season which might help Phoenix.

They are without him for quite a while and they are still competitive...

 

[AzStevenCal]

They are without him for quite a while and they are still competitive...

You're correct. They have been without him for quite a while and they have still been competitive.

Steve

 

[elindholm]

You're correct. They have been without him for quite a while and they have still been competitive.

Not only that, but they have still been competitive for quite a while even without him.

 

[Superbone]

Not only that, but they have still been competitive for quite a while even without him.

Not to mention, they've been quite competitive for some time with him out.

 

[sunsfan88]

Not to mention, they've been quite competitive for some time with him out.

Not to forget, with him out, they have been competitive for quite some time.

 

[FArting]

Team to root for

Boston over Memphis

 

[Griffin]

Memphis just beat the Celtics in Boston. This was one of those games that Memphis needed to lose. Funny how the Celtics don't care much about winning those games anymore, but when they played us the last time they treated it like a playoff game. Garnett had a monster game against us but barely showed up against Memphis.

 

[Errntknght]

Memphis' win over the Celts was about the end of our playoff hopes. If they go 5-5 their last 10, we have to go 12-2 to overtake them, if 6-4 we have to go 13-1 and if 7-3 then 14-0 is our requirement.

They've got 5 games against lottery teams and 5 against playoff teams with better records so I imagine 5-5 is their most likely outcome, but they've been knocking off teams with better records frequently of late.

I'd put our chances down around 1 in a 100.

 

[Mainstreet]

Memphis' win over the Celts was about the end of our playoff hopes. If they go 5-5 their last 10, we have to go 12-2 to overtake them, if 6-4 we have to go 13-1 and if 7-3 then 14-0 is our requirement.

They've got 5 games against lottery teams and 5 against playoff teams with better records so I imagine 5-5 is their most likely outcome, but they've been knocking off teams with better records frequently of late.

I'd put our chances down around 1 in a 100.

I'm not all that interested in the Suns making the playoffs. They need the lottery pick more. What I do care about is the Suns finishing the season playing well. I think the Suns are finding out that Brooks and Dowdell are keepers at PG and Frye and Gortat are legitimate big men. The Suns need a couple more shooters including a SG and another big man in the off season if Nash stays.

 

[Stargazer]

Memphis' win over the Celts was about the end of our playoff hopes. . . .

I'd put our chances down around 1 in a 100.

In the words of Yoda, "There is another." Forget about Memphis. With their schedule, if they are beating teams like Boston, they won't be the eighth seed anyway. The team to beat now is New Orleans. Suns are three behind them in the loss column, and they play them twice. If Suns can win both of those games - which is very doable - then that's two losses plus Suns would have tie breaker. And the rest of NOs schedule is very tough, which should give the Suns to catch them.

 

[Griffin]

I'm not all that interested in the Suns making the playoffs. They need the lottery pick more. What I do care about is the Suns finishing the season playing well.

I don't really agree with needing the pick more, but that's mostly because I have no faith that the Suns brass can do better with a late lottery pick than the next Earl Clark or Robin Lopez.

I also think that the Suns may not continue to play well when it starts to become clear that they won't make the playoffs. Last night's game against the Lakers was very entertaining as many have said and the Suns played well for the most part, but I think that's mostly because they were desperate. Had the Suns been already eliminated, I think it might have been a blowout loss.

The team to beat now is New Orleans.

It is starting to look that way. This is why I think Friday's game against NO should be treated as an elimination game. The Suns cannot lose that one and still have any realistic hopes of making the playoffs.

 

[Stargazer]

We should know by April 1. NO schedule through April 1 is Utah, Phoenix (back to back), then Portland, Lakers, Memphis. That could realistically be five losses in a row.

Meanwhile, Suns have NO, Dallas, Sacramento, Oklahoma (back to back), Clippers. Even if Suns only beat NO, sacramento and Clippers, they still catch NO in loss column. The real challenge may be staying ahead of Houston and Utah.

 

[Superbone]

We should know by April 1. NO schedule through April 1 is Utah, Phoenix (back to back), then Portland, Lakers, Memphis. That could realistically be five losses in a row.

Meanwhile, Suns have NO, Dallas, Sacramento, Oklahoma (back to back), Clippers. Even if Suns only beat NO, sacramento and Clippers, they still catch NO in loss column. The real challenge may be staying ahead of Houston and Utah.

Especially Houston. They've ran off an impressive stretch of games recently.

 

[Griffin]

Crazy ending to the Utah/NO game. David West ties the game with a great dunk, but hurts his knee coming down. Wheeled off the court. I'm guessing his season probably over. Then Utah gets the lead again with less then two seconds to go and NO no times outs, but they throw a full-court inbound pass and Okafor hits a game-tying buzzer beater. Ridiculous shot. OT.

 

[Griffin]

New Orleans wins a game they had no business of winning. The Suns are just not getting any help. Utah had that game won and gave it away. At least we don't have to worry about the Jazz anymore as they have lost four straight.

 

[Proteus]

New Orleans wins a game they had no business of winning. The Suns are just not getting any help. Utah had that game won and gave it away. At least we don't have to worry about the Jazz anymore as they have lost four straight.

That's happened to us a few times with a team choking away a game to someone ahead of us in the playoff race like the Mavs have done at least twice.

This is pretty frustrating.

 

[Mainstreet]

New Orleans wins a game they had no business of winning. The Suns are just not getting any help. Utah had that game won and gave it away. At least we don't have to worry about the Jazz anymore as they have lost four straight.

I would like the Suns to finish the season playing well but miss the playoffs. The Suns need a lottery pick, not Orlando's pick.