The Western Playoff Race

i agree, they will have 1 really good game to avoid the sweep(if they even make it)

The Nuggets won't miss the playoffs; they will just get their fourth 4-1 first-round defeat in a row.

I think Denver will get a spot in playoffs, and my feeling tells that they are going to be good in the playoffs.

They're still in a tough position though, even with Dallas disadvantaged. If they do miss out I'm guessing it will be by the slimmest of margins.

Unbelievable officiating in the Pistons-Suns game. WOW. The referees had FAR too much influence in deciding the outcome of that one.

DID ANYONE SEE THE WARRIORS LAKERS GAME?!?!?!

Wow Derek Fisher (and Kobe for that matter against BD) basically just mugged Monta.. and they called an offensive foul.. wow worst call ever.... and now with Denver winning, Warriors are only .5 games ahead.. THis could be the defining game too...

Warriors forced some turnovers in the last minute, but just couldn't come up with the win in OT. Damn Vujavic with some lucky three's......
And now the Nuggets are over 1/2 a half within the Warriors.
The Rockets to me, just seem to be a waste of a playoff spot in the West.
Even with their success without Yao, it just doesn't seem like they'll go far in the playoffs without him. Tmac has become a streaky scorer and you can't really rely on anyone else on the Rockets to make shots except Alston occasionally.
5/12 of the Warrior's remaining games are against teams who currently hold a playoff spot and they play Denver twice so those will be huge if they hope to make the playoffs.
Denver on the other hand has 7/11 games against teams who currently hold a playoff spot so I'm hoping for some losses here.....
And GS plays Dallas twice more and Denver once and a Nowitzki-less Mavs team seems less of a threat, which is only good news for the Warriors.

how are the rockets a waste of a playoff spot? by your logic 15 teams are just a waste

With the possibility of an upset, I don't think there is such a thing as a waste of a playoff spot. If a team qualifies for the postseason, they deserve to be there with a shot at winning it all, even if their chances are slim.

If Denver dont make it i think Karl should be fired and the team should force rebuilding stages even though we are pretty established, the system is just wrong and something new and fresh needs to be injected into the team. With Melo still young i think he can still remain but the likes of Iverson and Camby plus some of the other older guys might be handy involving trades for high draft picks and younger players.

But one thing is for certain George Karl needs to be fired for this team to move forward.

I think the Rockets are waste of a playoff spot. As shorthanded as they are, they have no chance of playoff success. For the same reason I rooted against Phoenix in every series in 2006; I root again the Rockets now. Let an exciting healthy team like Denver in instead.

that statement makes no sense at all. the rockets are a waste of a playoff spot because they have no chance to win it all, yet you root for denver? another team with no shot what so ever of winning it all?

if a 22 game win streak (the tail end without Yao) isn't exciting, you might need Viagra. Don't forget they beat the Lakers at the end of the streak without Yao.

man the race is so close i don't know who to root for beside my Hornets. I guess I'd like to see Phoenix in the 5th seed so hopefully the Hornets (if they stay in 1st) will play em in the 2nd round.

If Denver dont make it i think Karl should be fired and the team should force rebuilding stages even though we are pretty established, the system is just wrong and something new and fresh needs to be injected into the team. With Melo still young i think he can still remain but the likes of Iverson and Camby plus some of the other older guys might be handy involving trades for high draft picks and younger players.

But one thing is for certain George Karl needs to be fired for this team to move forward.

Why? Because the team has a record that most years would have them on the verge of clinching a playoff spot at this time, if they hadn't already? It's hardly Karl's fault that the West has been so unpredictably lopsided this year. Should the Mavericks fire Avery Johnson if they slip out of the Playoffs this year?

The Nuggets/Warriors game today saw them change places, Denver is now half a game in front for the eighth spot.

If they fire Avery Johnson is not a good idea i mean with him they have better record but dont have luck in the playoffs though. I would love to see Nuggets than the Warriors.

so would i.
i hate the warriors, but it wouldnt be nice if the nuggets clash with the spurs in the first round.

The Warriors. I still don't understand how that team works.

I feel the same way. They have the most un-organized team in the NBA, even more so then Denver. Their offense can get so ugly its shocking.

I think this is their playbook.
Baron brings ball up, passes to Jackson/Ellis/Harrington etc., 2 dribbles, shot.
Harrington rebounds, dribbles to halfcourt, passes to Baron for the three
Baron takes the inbound, fakes a drive, shoots three instead.

The rest of the book is filled with empty diagrams featuring one 'x' and five 'o's for the players to design their own "plays".

Watching the Warriors is like watching someone play a basketball video game.

Warriors are awesome: hands down most exciting and entertaining team.. lets go Dubs!

Can someone answer me this?
Supposing the Warriors beat Dallas tonight and once more later in their schedule and then beat the Nuggets, they would be 2-2 against Denver and Dallas.
And again supposing they all finish with identical records and 6 other teams have clinched a playoff spot, which of these three teams would make the playoffs?

In the event two or more teams are tied in the standings, a series of tiebreakers are applied to determine which team receives the higher seeding.

Two-Team Tiebreaker
1. Better record in head-to-head games
2. Higher winning percentage within division (if teams are in the same division)
3. Higher winning percentage in conference games
4. Higher winning percentage against playoff teams in own conference
5. Higher winning percentage against playoff teams in opposite conference
6. Higher point differential between points scored and points allowed

Three-Team Tiebreaker
1. Best head-to-head winning percentage among all teams tied
2. Highest winning percentage within division (if teams are in the same division)
3. Highest winning percentage in conference games
4. Highest winning percentage against playoff teams in own conference
5. Highest point differential between points scored and points allowed

I have no idea why point differential is not higher, considering its correlation with win percentage.

Ahh never mind, they won't get into a three team tiebreaker.
Denver has beaten Dallas 2-1.
Hope Warriors can close out tonight after losing by 13 in the 1st.
Edit:This is the part of the Warriors game that I love to watch.
3rd quarter and the role players step up and create momentum.
It's been awhile since I've seen Barnes and Bierdrins step up.

with less than 10 games left for almost all teams, not a single team has claimed a playoff berth, this shows how tight the race is in the west.

The three way tie should make for a furious finish. Hopefully it won't come down to a tiebreaker.

Dallas and GSW meet up again this week....should be another great one. I love nothing more than seeing GSW torture Dallas.

Hey at least if the Mavs don't make the playoffs Dirk won't gt called out for the innevitable choke job