Eastern Conference: Who's going to the playoffs?

[KeonClark]

Seems like a good place for this awkward scenario

Picture it, if you will: Last game of the year — Raps need to beat Cavs to secure 3rd, but Cavs need to beat Raps to secure 1st.

— (((Eric Koreen))) (@ekoreen) March 22, 2017

At that point id be inclined to just rest ibaka derozan ad tucker, I don't want cavs getting any unnecessary looks at the bash brothers..

[rocwell]

[KeonClark]

Washington 3 home 8 road. Toronto 5 and 5 with a slightly easier schedule. If I was a betting man, which I am, I'd say we catch them.

Washington should have a freebie tonight vs brooklyn, but he scary thing is Boston has an easy one and could be tied with cleveland after tonight. Then we don't know where we wanna finish anymore lol

[planetmars]

It feels more and more likely that Boston will end up in 1st, Cleveland in 2nd, Toronto in 3rd and Washington in 4th. Hate having to play Cleveland in round 2.. but it would be even sweeter when we beat them early.

[LJ2]

Seems like a good place for this awkward scenario

Picture it, if you will: Last game of the year — Raps need to beat Cavs to secure 3rd, but Cavs need to beat Raps to secure 1st.

— (((Eric Koreen))) (@ekoreen) March 22, 2017

Wouldn't surprise me if the Cav's want to avoid us in the second round

[Demographic Shift]

So a week ago we had a look at where the 2 through 4 seeds were up to and how things would play out ...

The Whiz aren't playing particularly well right now and took till late in the 4th to dispose of the undermanned Hawks. Tonight they have almost guaranteed win night with the Nets coming to town but on the SGOAB2B get to travel to meet what should be a fairly pissed off and ready to play Cavs team. Raps are on target to go 3 and 0 and the Chowderheads get the tanking Suns tonight but have to take on a really desperate Miami team that plays exactly the same style as the Chowderheads do and they are going to play it like drowning men grabbing on to anything they can get their arms on. Holding to my call of the 1. Cavs 2. Chowderheads 3.Raps 4. Whiz

Today lets have a closer look on who will get in from the 5 through 8 seedings. Six teams looking at only 4 spots. My assumption is that math rules and that its going to take 42 or possibly 41 games for the last team in the door before its locked.

The Hawks are stumbling but mostly due to injury. They still play with motivation and consistency just not enough bodies right now and one of them Milsap is a game changer for them. The Hawks have 37 wins and with 11 left they need to rack up at least 5 or 6 wins. Left on the schedule is Brooklyn twice, Phoenix, The Hinkies. If the Hawks win those 4 and can take 3 of the 7 left they are in. Odds to get in PDG (pretty damn good). Tonight they travel to Milwaukee and without Milsap they are going to lose to the Bucks.

The Bucks I thought the Bucks season was done when Parker went out with that knee injury. Its hardly over eh? The Bucks have 11 to go with 5 at home and 6 on the road. They have 36 wins so they too have to put up 6 or 7 to make the dance. Left on the schedule is Atlanta tonight (sans Milsap and Bazemore), the Bulls who they have crushed each time out this year, the Hinkies, Charlotte twice, Dallas and the reeling Pistons. They get Boston twice on the road and OKC and Indy on the road. Odds to win 6 or 7 and get in are also PDG.

The Pacers The Pacers are two different teams. The one that plays at home and the one that plays on the road. Have seen them play the Raps and Celtics and they got powdered in both games on the road. Yet they turned in a stellar performance against a really good Jazz team at home. In Boston their best player put the team on his back but after he put up 37 they still fell short. Indy has 36 wins as well and is going to need to win 6 to perhaps get the 8th seed. With 11 to go they have 6 at home and 5 on the road. The roadies are in Toronto, Cleveland Memphis Orlando and Hinkietown. Say they get 1 of those. Which leaves them to win 5 of the 6 at home. They get at homeenver, Hinkies, Minny, Raps, Bucks and the Hawks. Odds to get in are PDT (Pretty damn tough). If they get in.. its going to be at 7 or 8.

The Heat The Heat are playing well.. something like 23 and 7 in their last 30. But the kind of ball they play which is frenetic and requires all kinds of energy is taking its toll. I half expect if they were running a marathon the step after they cross the finish line they would collapse in a heap. They are at 35 wins and need 6 wins to get in on my arbitrary scale of wins to make the dance. They have 10 to go and are going to have to 6 and 4. Road or home doesn't seem to faze these guys to lets look at whos left. They get the Knicks twice, Raps, Pistons, Whiz twice, Lebrons, Charlotte, Celts and Denver. I see 6 maybe 7 as the best case. Neck and Neck with Indy for 8th is the best outcome. If they lose 6 which is possible they are going to be on the outside looking in.
Odds to get in PDT.

The Pistons The Pistons are as inconsistent a group as you can get. As little as two weeks ago they were in 7th and in the drivers seat. Now they are in 9th looking up with only 34 wins and needing 7 or 8 of their remaining 10 to get in. Six of those games are on the road. Stan is likely drinking antacid by the litre as he ponders his decision to sign assmuppet emeritus Reggie Jackson. The Pistons get Orlando twice, the tanking in a triangular fashion Knicks and the Nets. That helps. Even if they sweep those 4 they still have to take 4 of 6 from: Heat, Bucks, Raps, Houston, Memphis and Washington.
Odds to get in: PFL (Pretty Fucking Lousy).

The Bulls These guys just don't know when to die. You want to talk treadmill. This is the team. Stuck firmly in mediocrity. They have no chance to advance deep in the playoffs with no guard play and no shooting and not bad enough overall to draft impact players. The Bulls have 34 wins and will need 7 or 8 to get in. They have a pretty good schedule with 10 to go. They draw the Hinkies twice, the Nets twice, Orlando and the Knicks. That would be six if they sweep but they are the Bulls and will give one away. So say they get 5 that leaves them to take 2 from Milwaukee, Cleveland, Atlanta and the Boogie led Pelicans. Think they get 2.. So the Bulls like the last person at the party who just won't leave when you want to close the door and go to bed will be around to the last.
Odds of getting in are PDT.

So.. with all of that the DS decision desk is calling 3 weeks out that the last 4 in are ..

The Bucks, The Hawks, Pacers and whoever holds the tiebreaker between the Heat and Bulls.

[tDotted]

I've been really warming up to the idea of the Cavs in the second round lately. That's the perfect opportunity to sucker punch them imo.

[Ball]

I've been really warming up to the idea of the Cavs in the second round lately. That's the perfect opportunity to sucker punch them imo.

Mmm it's a good idea to not bet against Lebron!

[KeonClark]

Mmm it's a good idea to not bet against Lebron!

At some point we're gonna have to

[tDotted]

Mmm it's a good idea to not bet against Lebron!

Not really betting against LeBron, but against the rest of his team to step up. It's about time he loses in the playoffs.

[Ball]

Not really betting against LeBron, but against the rest of his team to step up. It's about time he loses in the playoffs.

Yeah I'd love to see us be the one to knock him off that pedestal, but after seeing him will the Cavs back from a 3-1 deficit in the Finals last year, I'll have to give him the benefit of the doubt until he's like 34 years+.

[Jclaw]

That's an ok way for Cleveland to keep the top seed for now. Have to win in crunch time minutes against the out of the playoff Hornets.

[golden]

Booker..... wow.

[Ebonhawke]

Booker..... wow.

While dropping 70 is ridiculous, Suns still lost.

[The Great One]

Booker or Powell?