Eastern Conference Battle for Home Court - Hawks, Celtics, Heat, Hornets

[ArbitraryWater]

Seeds 3-6 are heavily contested.

With single digits games left for all of them, these are their current records:

3. Hawks 45-30
4. Heat 43-30
5. Celtics 43-31
6. Hornets 42-31

Remaining schedule (with projections):

Hawks:
@ Toronto L
v.s. Cleveland W
v.s. Phoenix W
v.s. Toronto ?
v.s. Boston ?
@ Cleveland ?
@ Washington ?

Pretty impossible to predict, since it depends on if the Cavaliers sit starters, and if Washington is still fighting for a playoff spot.

Heat:
@ Los Angeles (Lakers) W
@ Sacramento W
@ Portland L
v.s. Detroit W
v.s. Chicago W
@ Orlando L
v.s. Orlando W
@ Detroit ?
@ Boston L

Boston crowd will be roaring, final decisive game and all, Detroit depends on what they're fighting for.

Celtics:
@ Portland L
@ Golden State L
@ Los Angeles (Lakers) W
v.s. New Orleans W
v.s. Milwaukee W
@ Atlanta ?
v.s. Charlotte ?
v.s. Miami W

Hornets:
@ Philadelphia W
v.s. Philadelphia W
@ Cleveland L
@ Toronto L
@ New York W
v.s. Brooklyn W
@ Washington ?
@ Boston ?
v.s. Orlando W

Eventually, none of these teams are fighting to avoid the Cavaliers or Raptors, they'all all be playing each other in the first round, however, home court is important, and:

the winner of the 3 v.s. 6 seed, gets to play the Raptors instead of the Cavaliers in the second round. Massive difference.

So, since these teams are all pretty much on a similar level, I would just be fine with dropping to #6, since it makes the possible next round, that much more winnable.

[Real14]

:sleeping

[coin24]

Hope we get to see heat vs cavs:rockon:

[Gileraracer]

Where tha bulls @?? :rockon:

[Im Still Ballin]

Heat get 3rd seed

[Wally450]

That Hornets Celtics game is gonna decide the seeding for the two teams. I can see it going either way. Hopefully the C's can get Jae back by then.

With that said

3. Heat
4. Hawks
5. Celtics
6. Hornets.

[Derka]

I just want to see 50 wins for the C's. That was my bold prediction at the beginning of the season. I think seven of those remaining games are winnable. We've beaten all of those teams except for GS and the Lakers so far. Those games against Miami and Atlanta are going to be Godzilla-huge.

As for first-round seeding, I don't care. Any of our prospective 1st round matchups are beatable and we're not getting past the 2nd round no matter how you slice it.

[Papaya Petee]

Heat:
@ Los Angeles (Lakers) W
@ Sacramento W
@ Portland L
v.s. Detroit W
v.s. Chicago W
@ Orlando W
v.s. Orlando W
@ Detroit W
@ Boston W

51-31 :cheers: :cheers:

[Duderonomy]

Heat get 3rd seed
You must have not been seeing any recent Hawks games with how they are playing.

I want to see to a Cavs/Heat second round. It could happen :D

[PJR]

You must have not been seeing any recent Hawks games with how they are playing.

I want to see to a Cavs/Heat second round. It could happen :D

You must not know that the Heat have the tie breaker over the Hawks, and have a cake schedule the rest of way.

Hawks will cool down. They have a couple games against Bran and company too.

[Crimsonrain777]

Heat:
@ Los Angeles (Lakers) W
@ Sacramento W
@ Portland W (Heat have good perimeter defenders that they can put on both Lillard and Mccollum and we generally defend the 3 ball well.)
v.s. Detroit ? (Detroit has won the last two matches and they play us hard)
v.s. Chicago ? (Fighting for their playoff lives right now. if theyre still in the running and both Butler and Rose play. this game will be tough.)
@ Orlando W
v.s. Orlando W
@ Detroit ? (i assume Miami will try and rest up Wade or Dragic one of the last game or two if theyre comfortable with their seeding by then)
@ Boston L

[ArbitraryWater]

Heat slacking the end spurt

[Duderonomy]

Wade is banged up they should let him heal up for the playoffs. They might be better off sliding to 6 to avoid Cleveland in the 2nd round. I hope they get the 4-5th seed tho. I wouldn't say the first round is a lock as Boston and Atlanta could beat them.

[WayOfWade]

Of all these teams, I feel like only Miami or Boston could possibly pose a threat to either Toronto or Cleveland, I feel however like Boston will get the 4 seed and Miami will get the 5. Mia-Bos would be a very fun series

[GrapeApe]

I don't think seed is that important for Miami. Yeah it would be nice to have HCA but health is more important. Wade should probably sit out for the next few games. Bring him back for the final 2-3 games to get some rhythm. I'd like to see Dragic, JJ, and Deng get some rest as well. Let the young guys play big minutes and fine tune some things before the playoffs.

[Hotlantadude81]

Seeds 3-6 are heavily contested.

With single digits games left for all of them, these are their current records:

3. Hawks 45-30
4. Heat 43-30
5. Celtics 43-31
6. Hornets 42-31

Remaining schedule (with projections):

Hawks:
@ Toronto L
v.s. Cleveland W
v.s. Phoenix W
v.s. Toronto ?
v.s. Boston ?
@ Cleveland ?
@ Washington ?

Pretty impossible to predict, since it depends on if the Cavaliers sit starters, and if Washington is still fighting for a playoff spot.

Heat:
@ Los Angeles (Lakers) W
@ Sacramento W
@ Portland L
v.s. Detroit W
v.s. Chicago W
@ Orlando L
v.s. Orlando W
@ Detroit ?
@ Boston L

Boston crowd will be roaring, final decisive game and all, Detroit depends on what they're fighting for.

Celtics:
@ Portland L
@ Golden State L
@ Los Angeles (Lakers) W
v.s. New Orleans W
v.s. Milwaukee W
@ Atlanta ?
v.s. Charlotte ?
v.s. Miami W

Hornets:
@ Philadelphia W
v.s. Philadelphia W
@ Cleveland L
@ Toronto L
@ New York W
v.s. Brooklyn W
@ Washington ?
@ Boston ?
v.s. Orlando W

Eventually, none of these teams are fighting to avoid the Cavaliers or Raptors, they'all all be playing each other in the first round, however, home court is important, and:

the winner of the 3 v.s. 6 seed, gets to play the Raptors instead of the Cavaliers in the second round. Massive difference.

So, since these teams are all pretty much on a similar level, I would just be fine with dropping to #6, since it makes the possible next round, that much more winnable.

Are any of these teams worth a shit?

Just do a Cleveland vs. Toronto series and a Warriors vs. Spurs series and let the winners play in the finals. The rest of the teams are worthless.

[ArbitraryWater]

Are any of these teams worth a shit?

Just do a Cleveland vs. Toronto series and a Warriors vs. Spurs series and let the winners play in the finals. The rest of the teams are worthless.

damn

[Nash]

BEastern Conference

[GrapeApe]

Are any of these teams worth a shit?

Just do a Cleveland vs. Toronto series and a Warriors vs. Spurs series and let the winners play in the finals. The rest of the teams are worthless.

One of those teams doesn't belong. The Heat probably have the best chance of beating the Cavs. They could also lose in the first round, as could the Raptors. Point is, I wouldn't lump the Raptors in with the Cavs, Warriors, and Spurs. The Cavs are the only team in the east with a (somewhat) realistic chance of winning the title.

[MMM]

that win the other night in the east bay put the Celtics in pretty solid position and made up for a tough loss in portland. They also have tie breakers over Cha/Mia and finish the season @ Atl, vs. Cha, and vs. Mia so contol their fate to a degree.

[Hotlantadude81]

One of those teams doesn't belong. The Heat probably have the best chance of beating the Cavs. They could also lose in the first round, as could the Raptors. Point is, I wouldn't lump the Raptors in with the Cavs, Warriors, and Spurs. The Cavs are the only team in the east with a (somewhat) realistic chance of winning the title.

Well, they have one of the four best records.

Miami isn't going to win anything.

[GrapeApe]

Well, they have one of the four best records.

Miami isn't going to win anything.

They actually have the 5th best record, but my point is the Raptors aren't winning anything either. It's essentially a 3 team race.

The Heat obviously aren't winning a title but I like their chances against the Cavs more than anyone else in the east.

[Real14]

Leastern conference