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 Playoff Cheat Sheet… Anyone Have One?
Posted By: Josh Greene |
 Amare Stoudemire is doing his part to help the Suns win the rest of their games and gain home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.(NBAE Photos) |
I can handle simple addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Percentages are somehow no problem, either. Sure, I never met a calculator I didn’t like (or use), but when it comes to permutations – calculating the possible combinations of anything – well, no device in existence could help me keep straight every possible scenario that the impending NBA postseason poses, especially where the Suns are concerned currently.
I know seeding has something to do with conference records. And home-court advantage in a playoff series is determined by win-loss records, and not seeding.
Okay, so far.
But thanks to the playoff logjam that is the Western Conference, that’s where my personal headaches begin.
“It’s crazy right now,” said Amaré Stoudemire after Monday’s win over Golden State. “Every team is playing well. There are four teams vying for the same record. The West is as tight as I’ve ever seen it. It’s good for the fans, but it’s pretty tough for us. Whatever happens, it’s going to be a tough Western Conference team we face in the playoffs. You just have to prepare yourselves as a team, get better and accept the challenge.”
Entering Monday’s game just one game behind fifth-seeded Houston and third-seeded San Antonio, and sporting the same record as No. 4 Utah (53-26), things looked more muddled than ever before tip-off for the Suns. Sure, the sixth seed was probable, yet Phoenix still had a shot of leapfrogging all the way up to a third seed.
So, if the playoffs started Monday, it would have meant another playoff showdown against the Spurs – this time in the Opening Round. With three regular season wins over San Antonio, Phoenix locked up the tiebreaker against the Spurs, who were to play the Kings Monday.
Desperately hoping to regain some sense of mental normalcy with some answers Monday night following a Suns win, a funny thing happened.
Nothing.
Admittedly, “nothing” isn’t exactly the basis for comedy (unless your last name happens to be Seinfeld), but I and the rest of the Suns’ fans were really no closer to solving anything in terms of what’s (or in this case, who’s) next.
Obviously, Phoenix still needs to gun for a win over Portland in the regular season finale Wednesday to have some semblance of control over their fate, but they will still have to keep one eye on the scoreboard, since Monday ended with the Suns in a tie with both Houston and Utah, and all three one game behind the Spurs, who ended up beating Sacramento. To close out the regular season, the Jazz (who took care of Houston Monday) get the Spurs, and the Rockets face the Clippers.
Phoenix could face Houston to start the playoffs, and could open here at US Airways Center against the Rockets this weekend. That’s if Phoenix, Houston and Utah all win on Wednesday, finishing in a three-way tie at 55-27, in which case the Suns would win the tie-breaker with the best winning percentage in all games among the tied teams.
If Phoenix loses to Portland on Wednesday or the Spurs beat the Jazz, then the Suns travel to San Antonio for Games 1 and 2 against their rivals. If both the Suns and Spurs lose Wednesday, then Phoenix could be headed to Utah this weekend. And the possibility of tipping things off vs. the Jazz in Salt Lake City where Jerry Sloan’s club is 36-4 this season isn’t particularly appealing, but that scenario is very much still alive, too.
And all of that, of course, is assuming I understand what I’m talking about. One thing is for sure, though. Wednesday can’t come fast enough. Some of us need closure.
And next year, I’m all in favor of racking up the best record in the league. It makes for many less headaches.
Comments
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Well, if Utah, Houston and the Suns all win their last games, there would be a four-way tie (not a three way tie as you speculate). San Antonio would finish at 55-27 too. What happens then?
nbafan - phoenix
I think our best option is for phx, the jazz and houston to win. I am hoping the jazz win in sa, but who knows what team will show up for sa and everyone knows the playoffs are a different story. The Suns must not be complacent and assume that they will win every time they have a lead. No team is to be taken lightly. The focus on the this team needs to be adjusted. Once they get that straight, and hopefully we will see this against portland. Then I say the Suns are non-stoppable.
Irrelevant - Tempe
Not entirely correct Josh. Indeed, Suns CAN open here at USAC vs Rockets but that's not because they win a 3-way tie-breaker w/ Utah and Houston. Rather, it's because they come in SECOND in a 4-way tie-breaker with Utah, Houston and San Antonio.
Then again, I already HAVE a headache so I could be off 8)
Jossi Ray Stanley - Phoenix Sun's
Dear Phoenix Sun's,
I appreciate your idea of acquiring the Diesel alias Cactus but I really missed
Swaun Marion. I wish you just keep him and trade
somebody else but not Swaun.
Next time get him back please I beg of you?
Sincerely,
Jossi Ray Stanley
Rob Bay - SLC
FYI... Utah would have the best record (between tied teams) if all 4 teams ended up at 55 and 27 with 7 wins and 3 losses, compared to the Suns with 6 wins and 4 losses.
bart - alubuquerque
I think the last two spots in East & West (7th and 8th place) should go to teams with the best records, regardless of which conference they come from. So basically, the first 6 teams are guaranteed to come from each respective conference, but not the last two spots.
jon - phils
my brain also is hurting right now trying to figure out who we'll face next. anyways, we'll just have to wait and see who's next for us to beat. just believe that the suns will rise in pheonix
Jordan - Phoenix
But what if the Suns, Spurs and Houston win?
sunschampion - phx
I just want to know how ready are the Suns, the west is so hard, every team is so good. No matter who they play, my concern is the focus of this team. Right now, the lakers have a lot of confidence going into the playoffs. With us, you have to be concerned whether this team can get fired up. I just hope the Suns can make it for everygame, that we can stay injury free and play smart. They have to be serious.
JOHN S. - SURPRISE AZ
All the different possibilities in the world are not going to matter unless our Suns finally decide to play to their potential, every minute of every playoff game. Amare has to play "smart", and rebound, something he has not done well up to this point. Nash has to assume control, stop lobbing errant passes in the middle, find it in himself to play some defense, and score. Bell must forget the pride, shut down his man, and hopefully get on a streak. Barbossa has to come out of his usual playoff slumber and be the star we know he is. Diaw needs to prove to himself and us fans that he cares what happens. Hill has to stay healthy. Shaqs job is to bring all these requirements out in his fellow teamates, he talked the "ring" thing, now prove it.
Ed B. - Yuma, AZ
Regardless of the scenario, individual preparation, turnovers & freethrows WILL matter most!
Stan - California
Golden State a team that will win 48 or 49 games does'nt make the playoffs, but Atlanta with 37 wins does. Golden State a winning record on the road, Atlanta 12-28 on the road. Somethings wrong with this... Golden State would be #4 seed in the East but in the West they are #9. They deserve some sympathy. I don't think the Spurs are looking forward to facing the Suns if they win tonight. The Spurs might just rest their players and let Utah win so they can avoid the Suns on the first round. Houston is playing the Clippers, Houston will win. That means if the Suns win they can move up to #4. With Shaq the Suns match up best against the Spurs. I want to see the Suns beat the Spurs on the first round, that will give them enough momentum to carry them through to the Finals.
james s - flagstaff
it doesn't matter who we play, we have a great chance to beat them all.
Scott V. - Laveen, AZ
I know I'll be highly distracted during the Suns game tonight while watching the scoreboard of the Utah vs. Spurs and Clippers vs. Houston games. My only concern would be in playing the Jazz who lately have been playing great. The Suns should be able to beat the Spurs or Houston in the 1st round with or without homecourt advantage. I'm assuming here that the Suns will step up their game when the playoffs begin and play ALL 48 minutes EVERY game.
A.K.A STEVE NASH -
I BELEIVE IN MY TEAM,SO I WANT EVERYBODY TO SAY:
LET'S GO SUNS!!!!!!!!!!!!,LET'S GO SUNS!!!!!!!!!!!
Jason - OC
Enjoy the Spurs in the first round folks, I'd actually be very impressed if you guys make it to the 2nd round, in which case you'll either face the Hornets or Mavs ;)
Waldz - AZ
Spurs? Jazz? Rockets?
Let's just put it this way, no matter who the Suns play in the 1st round, they (Suns) will come out the winner.
That's why they initiated the trade for Shaq.
We have been saying it all along for the last 3 years. The Suns need a legitimate big man. And now we have one (if not the best) big man on the league.
I'd say Suns over the Spurs 4-2.
Suns over the Mavericks 4-1.
Suns over the Lakers 4-3.
Then Suns over the Celtics 4-3.
There you go, Suns for the 2008 NBA championship. It's about time.
Amen. :)
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