1. Network Blogs

    1. Mike Barrett's Blog
    2. caseyholdahl's Blog
    3. Looking Up
    4. BlogShakaLaka
    5. Rice.
    6. make it better
    7. Tone's Blog
    8. DHawes22's Blog
    9. The BlazerDancer Blog

  2. Iama Access

    1. News
    2. Message Boards
    3. Blazer Dancers
    4. Photos
Return to blog listing -> Playoff Picture: March 27th
sarahhecht

Mar 27

Playoff Picture: March 27th

By sarahhecht Posted in: playoffs
It’s game night, which means it’s another pressure match where the Trail Blazers need a win.

The Thunder currently lead the Trial Blazers 2-0 in the season series with the final two matchups tonight in Oklahoma City and Friday back in the Rose Garden. It’s coming down to the time in the season where head-to-head series records will start to be deciding factors in playoff seeding. Getting the next two games against the Thunder and splitting the series will do nothing be help the Trail Blazers.

Tonight’s matchup in Oklahoma City has movement implications for Portland. Here are the scenarios:
    -   Portland win, we remain in 6th place
    -   Portland loss and New Orleans loss, we remain in 6th
    -   Portland loss and New Orleans win, we drop to 7th and the Hornets jump to 6th

Let’s get the W and take another step toward securing a playoff berth.

VIEWING PARTY TONIGHT!! Come out and watch the Trail Blazers battle the Thunder in the race to the playoffs!

Last night's scores and effects:

The  Dallas Mavericks downed the  Utah Jazz 94-77 in Utah. I think this may have been the dagger for the Jazz. Utah is now in 11th, four and half games behind Memphis in the final playoff spot. The Mavs remain in 3rd in the Western Conference. They’re one full game behind the LA Lakers in 2nd.



Tonight’s games with Western Conference potential playoff teams:

 Houston Rockets (38-34) vs.  Miami Heat (50-22) The Rockets are in 9th in the West, one and a half games behind Memphis in 8th. A win tonight coupled with a Memphis loss would close the gap to half a game. The Rockets are really pushing to make it into the post-season and a win tonight would be HUGE for their campaign.

 San Antonio Spurs (57-15) vs.  Memphis Grizzlies (40-33) The Spurs are staying in 1st in the West regardless of the outcome of this game. It’s Memphis that needs a win tonight. A win would keep some distance between the Grizz and the Houston Rockets, who are rapidly closing on the 8th seed.

 Portland Trail Blazers (42-33) vs.  Oklahoma City Thunder (47-24) Big game tonight for the Trail Blazers. Portland needs a win to stay ahead of New Orleans. A Trail Blazers loss coupled with a Hornets will would result in a standings flip-flop and Portland bumped to 7th in the West. Oklahoma City will stay in the 4th seed regardless of the outcome.

 New Orleans Hornets (42-31) vs.  LA Lakers (52-20) New Orleans has a chance to move up in the standings with a win. Coupled with a Portland loss the Hornets would jump into the 6th seed. The Lakers need a win too. If they lose and Dallas wins they’ll be tied for 2nd in winning percentage. If I’ve mapped out my tie-breakers correctly the Lakers would keep 2nd place based on their Conference records.

 Dallas Mavericks (51-21) vs.  Phoenix Suns (36-35) Dallas has a chance to to tie the Lakers in winning percentage. They need a win coupled with a Lakers loss. Dallas will remain in 3rd based on the Division record tie-breaker. Phoenix also needs a win tonight to keep their playoff hopes alive. They’re currently in 10th, three games behind Memphis. If the Suns win and Houston and Memphis both falter the gap between 8th and 10th shrinks to only two games.

Here are the playoff match-ups as of today:



(Tables courtesy of NBA.com)

3 Comments

  1. tiebreaker clarification: Division record is only used as a tiebreaker if all tied teams are in the same division. Since LA and Dallas are not, the tiebreaker after head to head results, would be conference record, which would favor LA by one game if LA were to lose and Dallas win tonight.

    by Doug on 3/27/2011 9:58 AM

  2. @Doug, Thanks for the clarification! Tiebreakers get me every time.

    by sarahhecht on 3/27/2011 10:04 AM

  3. Hi Miss sarah:

    Time is getting close, just took a 3 hr lunch break from work or more if our game goes into over-time. Wow everything is on the line tonight. All us bottom seeds is going to have a challange tonight. Another note on the tie breaker, Mike Barrett said, as how we have the head to head tie breaker with Phoenix and Houston, we can add another game on to how far we are ahead of them.

    I guess I don't have to tell you who I am rooting for tonight. let me tell you if SAS loses to Memphis they will be as mad as wet hornets come tomorrow night, that is another reason to root for SAS. Three reason's really, If not for the Blazers SAS would be my favorite team.

    Another thing, if the Lakers don't beat NOH, I will be as mad as a wet hornet, and that is madder then a NOH if they lose.

    I could blabber about the Blazers all day, but Wheels and tone comes on the radio in ten minutes, then pre-show at 4:30 on KGW. Then the game. got it all ready to go.

    Thank you for the up date.

    hg

    by Hg on 3/27/2011 2:48 PM
  1. Leave a comment

Blog Contributors

Most Commented

The most commented posts in the past month

Blog Archives