The race to potentially avoid the Lakers...and general WC seeding talk

[B.A.R.]

LA Lakers

May 11	New York Knicks			10:00 PM
May 12	Houston Rockets			10:30 PM
May 15	@ Indiana Pacers			12:00 AM
May 16	@ New Orleans Pelicans			12:00 AM

Portland Trailblazers

May 12	@ Utah Jazz			9:00 PM
May 13	@ Phoenix Suns			10:00 PM
May 16	Denver Nuggets			12:00 AM

Utah Jazz

May 12	Portland Trail Blazers			9:00 PM
May 14	@ Oklahoma City Thunder			8:00 PM
May 16	@ Sacramento Kings			12:00 AM

Phoenix Suns

May 11	@ Golden State Warriors			10:00 PM
May 13	Portland Trail Blazers			10:00 PM
May 15	@ San Antonio Spurs			12:00 AM
May 16	@ San Antonio Spurs			12:00 AM

Dallas Mavericks

May 11	@ Memphis Grizzlies			8:00 PM
May 12	New Orleans Pelicans			9:00 PM
May 14	Toronto Raptors			9:00 PM
May 16	@ Minnesota Timberwolves			12:00 AM

Current standings:


1. Utah 50-19
2. Phoenix 48-20
3. LA Clippers 45-23
4. Denver 44-24
5. Dallas 40-28
6. Portland 40-29
7. LA Lakers 38-30
8. Golden State 36-33




Here are our narratives...

The Lakers obviously want no part of a play-in..

No wants a part of a play-in, but a team that had a lot of injuries just might get stuck in it...

No one, as a higher seed, wants to potentially face the Lakers as a 7 seed...

Yes, I am assuming if the finish at #7 that they win the play-in...


Looking at the top, Phoenix and Utah obviously want that #1 seed. Phoenix holds the tiebreaker. This is two-fold right now because you might miss the Lakers in Rd1 and also would most likely not see the Clippers till round the Western Conference Finals.

So, I want to use this as a capping tool as we hit these last few games... so lets get a solid discussion going here...

Portland is going to have a HUGE say in how all of this shakes out.

 

[twinkie13]

We gotta think Lakers don’t want Clippers 1st round.

 

[twinkie13]

And Portland has the most to say and the toughest schedule, yes?

 

[KJ]

Suns ain't catching Utah I don't believe although GSW helped them last night for sure

 

[B.A.R.]

Suns ain't catching Utah I don't believe although GSW helped them last night for sure

Well, they need to win their games and get one Utah loss..

That clinches the #1 seed unless I'm missing something.

 

[Inspekdah]

League doesn’t mind Lakers launching the new play in format and winning their game and moving on as the 2 and then getting a Suns team they’re confident against.

 

[B.A.R.]

League doesn’t mind Lakers launching the new play in format and winning their game and moving on as the 2 and then getting a Suns team they’re confident against.

Oh, I know the league doesn't...

 

[KJ]

Book prolly happy to end up on the Lake/Clip side of the bracket for all that extra Kendall ass during the playoffs anyway

 

[B.A.R.]

That Suns 4th quarter collapse all but clinches things for Utah as #1 seed.

Unless we see something wild happen losing to bad teams...