NBA Season Thread 2013-2014

ButtersSuki

Paully D wrote: »

Who do you lads think will get the third seed in the east? Bulls or Raptors? Nets could make a good stab at it too in fairness if they go on a run.

3rd will be Raptors for the following reasons:
The Nets are realistically out as they'd have to win pretty much all of their last 8 games AND hope that BOTH the Bulls and Raptors lose a lot of theirs. So that's them out. Were it a straight fight, I'd favour the Bulls as they're the form team in the NBA Since the New Year; BUT as the Raptors will likely be the Divisional Champs that will give them the 3rd seed, regardless of what Chicago do. So, 3,4 and 5 will most likely be Raptors, Bulls and Nets in that order.

Even if Chicago finish with a better record than the Raptors, the Raptors will be 3rd seeds as long as they win their division, which as they have a 3 game head start on the nets with 8 games to go is most likely. 5 of Toronto's last 8 games are also at home.

Same logic for seeing Chicago ahead of Brooklyn, with a 3 game lead with just 8 games to go, it'd take a near perfect run from Brooklyn and a total collapse from Chicago to put Brooklyn ahead of them.

Ah, the vagaries of the NBA. You could in theory have the second best record in the NBA and be 4th seed in your conference!

D2D

^ Pretty much all of that

Nuri Sahin

Hi.

Kwame Brown 2003-04: "Bust"
10.9 - 7.4 - 1.5 - 48.9% FG

Roy Hibbert 2013-14: "All-Star"
11.1 - 6.9 - 1.2 - 45.5% FG

Bye.

PizzamanIRL

Nuri Sahin wrote: »

Hi.

Kwame Brown 2003-04: "Bust"
10.9 - 7.4 - 1.5 - 48.9% FG

Roy Hibbert 2013-14: "All-Star"
11.1 - 6.9 - 1.2 - 45.5% FG

Bye.

B-b-b-but that 0.2 PPG advantage!

stuchyg

Not sure whether I'm enjoying the disappearing pacer fans or united fans more at the minute

padraig_f

ButtersSuki wrote: »

Even if Chicago finish with a better record than the Raptors, the Raptors will be 3rd seeds as long as they win their division, which as they have a 3 game head start on the nets with 8 games to go is most likely. 5 of Toronto's last 8 games are also at home.

No I think the Bulls will get the 3-seed if they finish with a better record, I looked it up recently, and the rule is something like 'The top 4 seeds will be the 3 division winners, plus the other team with the best record. Those 4 teams will be seeded by regular season record'.

The Bulls will be the other team with the best record, so if they finish with a better record than Toronto, they'll have a higher seed. This is fair I think, because it allows for a team that was only 2nd because they were in a tough division, versus a team that was 1st in an easier division.

I think the Bulls are slight favourite now, the Raptors have a slightly tougher schedule....Rockets, Pacers, Knicks twice. The Bulls have an easier run-in on paper...Hawks, Bucks, Wizards, TWolves, Pistons, Knicks, Magic, Bobcats....although they play 5 of their last 8 on the road.

NufcNavan

PizzamanIRL wrote: »

B-b-b-but that 0.2 PPG advantage!

Kwame was the #1 pick, and couldn't sniff Roy defensively.

NufcNavan

I think it is stating the obvious the Pacers have fallen off, the players even admit to it, it is not like it is just fans that are complaining.

Potential is still there, but they haven't figured it out now, I don't have much hope they will figure it out by the time the Playoffs come around, I hope I am wrong, but I don't believe I am.

shamrock55

Anyone think the spurs are a good bet @7/2 to win it outright this year, its hard to see past them i think(but what do i know)

Nuri Sahin

shamrock55 wrote: »

Anyone think the spurs are a good bet @7/2 to win it outright this year, its hard to see past them i think(but what do i know)

One thing you have to ask yourself before pulling the trigger is whether you believe they can past OKC in the Western Conference Finals should they both meet, which I imagine they will if health isn't an issue. OKC is a terrible matchup for San Antonio and I'd fancy the Thunder to beat them. If the Spurs can get past them, the bet looks good, but you'd imagine the Heat will eventually wake up from their slumber. Pacers are spiraling out of control by the sounds of it.

Nuri Sahin

Brooklyn with a good win against the Rockets and clinch their playoff spot.

Warriors - Dallas going down to the wire right now. Overtime in Dallas.

Blazers - Lakers on TNT next.

buyer95

Nuri Sahin wrote: »

Brooklyn with a good win against the Rockets.

Lakers in Portland up next.

Bed for me now, Portland will win comfortably I presume. Money made on the Nets, solid tip Ade;)

Nuri Sahin

Tremendous game winner from Curry in overtime. Very entertaining from the 4Q onwards which is all I saw.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bikc7mIoaac

Carcharodon

Lakers on tv again !!!!! It's nearly forcing me to watch baseball.....

ButtersSuki

padraig_f wrote: »

No I think the Bulls will get the 3-seed if they finish with a better record, I looked it up recently, and the rule is something like 'The top 4 seeds will be the 3 division winners, plus the other team with the best record. Those 4 teams will be seeded by regular season record'.

The Bulls will be the other team with the best record, so if they finish with a better record than Toronto, they'll have a higher seed. This is fair I think, because it allows for a team that was only 2nd because they were in a tough division, versus a team that was 1st in an easier division.

I think the Bulls are slight favourite now, the Raptors have a slightly tougher schedule....Rockets, Pacers, Knicks twice. The Bulls have an easier run-in on paper...Hawks, Bucks, Wizards, TWolves, Pistons, Knicks, Magic, Bobcats....although they play 5 of their last 8 on the road.

hey padraig,

Thanks for that clarification. It must have changed in recent years as it certainly used to be that the 1,2, and 3 seeds in each Conf. went to the Divisional winners and the 4th seed was next in line. It seems kinda strange that they'd downgrade Divisional Champ status by not rewarding them with at least a guaranteed 3rd seed, but I'll take your word for it as I don't have either the time or the inclination to double-check it!

Basically what I'm saying is I'm too old to be keeping up with all these changes in permutations......:rolleyes:

ButtersSuki

For all you the pacers fans out there:




Also read a stat last night that their current below 80pts run (5 in 6 games) is the 2nd worst in NBA history, only behind the Bobcats 7 game win season in the shortened season a couple of years back. Pretty amazing fall.

Nuri Sahin

Lance Stephenson, George Hill Reportedly Had to Be Separated in Loss vs. Spurs

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2013097-lance-stephenson-george-hill-reportedly-had-to-be-separated-vs-spurs

astonaidan

stuchyg wrote: »

Not sure whether I'm enjoying the disappearing pacer fans or united fans more at the minute

Just wait till the Lakers start winning again, Ill show you just how annoying and opinionated a fan can be :cool:

Why do we hate Pacer fans????

Nuri Sahin

astonaidan wrote: »

Just wait till the Lakers start winning again, Ill show you just how annoying and opinionated a fan can be :cool:

Why do we hate Pacer fans????

I don't think anybody hates the Pacers per se. More a case we've had Pacers cliches, catchphrases, ridiculous expectations, etc shoved down our throats for too long in this thread by one person. I find it amusing furthermore that one person has gone into hiding, just like I had said would happen if **** did hit the fan which is happening right now. Think AIG in the soccer forum with Barca and Chelsea, very similar case when his teams lose. Only difference is that he's more eloquent in his posting. Me saying during his and the Pacers hot start to the season, that Paul George has all the talent in the world, but isn't a superstar was scoffed at. Likewise me saying the Pacers have a real possibility of burning themselves out with their insane 110% effort and commitment into every game for the first three months of the season. You can't critique them at all and when you're proven right eventually, he's nowhere to be found.

BQQ

astonaidan wrote: »

Why do we hate Pacer fans????

We don't.

One particular Pacer fan is kind of annoying though.

Nuri Sahin

Few decent games on tonight.

Battle for NY, Warriors - Spurs, Clippers - Suns and Rockets - Raptors.

The former is being shown on BT Sports for those unaware.

D2D

We've got the Magic tonight so hopefully a win for us, a win for Chi Town over the Hawks and that the Nets can hand a loss to the Knicks would be a perfect night for me

Oh yeah, forgot to mention this, whoever knew George Karl was into hip hop?

NufcNavan

It's a damned if you do damned if you don't game for the Pacers tonight.

The only way a win will make me feel good is if we come out from the first quarter and put our foots on their throats and dominate the game by 20+ all the way through. Even then I will just be happy.

A loss will just be accepted as part of the failure that is the end of this season, sadly.

An ugly win that we have to scrape and struggle to get will be better than a loss but in the grand scheme of things will mean nothing.

I just want the regular season over with no matter what.

Paully D

Nuri Sahin wrote: »

Few decent games on tonight.

Battle for NY, Warriors - Spurs, Clippers - Suns and Rockets - Raptors.

The former is being shown on BT Sports for those unaware.

I'll be watching Bulls/Hawks myself but it's definitely an intriguing night of games.

PizzamanIRL

DRD, I'll get your team back to winning ways because I'm backing Detroit to beat them tonight.

Paully D

padraig_f wrote: »

No I think the Bulls will get the 3-seed if they finish with a better record, I looked it up recently, and the rule is something like 'The top 4 seeds will be the 3 division winners, plus the other team with the best record. Those 4 teams will be seeded by regular season record'.

The Bulls will be the other team with the best record, so if they finish with a better record than Toronto, they'll have a higher seed. This is fair I think, because it allows for a team that was only 2nd because they were in a tough division, versus a team that was 1st in an easier division.

I think the Bulls are slight favourite now, the Raptors have a slightly tougher schedule....Rockets, Pacers, Knicks twice. The Bulls have an easier run-in on paper...Hawks, Bucks, Wizards, TWolves, Pistons, Knicks, Magic, Bobcats....although they play 5 of their last 8 on the road.

Thanks for that mate (and to Butters for the original post), very informative.

If we get the #3 seed then you never know. Miami look set to take the #1 now so in that situation we'd avoid Brooklyn in round one, avoid Miami in round two and the way the Pacers are playing lately we could beat them.

Dublin Red Devil

Things are just not going our way right now. Its frustrating because everyone knows that the ability is there. Whatever is causing this slump is purely psychological. This team has the ability to beat anyone in the NBA on there day. Whatever is going on, The Pacers need to find an answer to pretty fast or else we may not even get back to East finals this year.

shamrock55

Is howard still out for rockets? Hope so anyway, lowry missing for us tonight and i think we will suffer because of it, thebattle between us and the nets could get hairy if rockets win tonight

PizzamanIRL

shamrock55 wrote: »

Is howard still out for rockets? Hope so anyway, lowry missing for us tonight and i think we will suffer because of it, thebattle between us and the nets could get hairy if rockets win tonight

Yeah I think Howard is out resting his ankle after getting fluid drained from it.

Alfred Borden

The Pacers must be tanking, they look terrible again. First round exit for sure.