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Pacers, Nets, or Celtics as favorites for playoffs?
« on: March 28, 2015, 04:13:43 PM »

Offline jpotter33

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To me, I think the Celtics should be favored for making the playoffs over the Pacers and Nets, but virtually everything I read with playoff projections has the Pacers nabbing the 8th seed from us. Does anyone else think this is a bit unfair? There are several reasons why I believe this is mistaken:

1) First and foremost, we're in the 8th seed right now, and Indiana is in 10th place a full game behind us and a half-game behind Brooklyn for 9th place.

2) As of now, we own the tie-breaker against both Indiana and Brooklyn, with Brooklyn being final and one game still against Indiana. This means not only do they have to match our record as of now, they have to play 2 games better in the remaining 10 games or beat us at home in our final game against each other. Brooklyn has to have a better record than us to get in.

3) The potential comeback of Paul George is really skewing these projections, imo. However, how much can he really help with only 10 games left? He's going to be rusty, there will be chemistry concerns, and more than likely he'll be on a minutes restriction. It's not too far to even suggest him coming back might worsen the team in the short run rather than making them better. Furthermore, it's projected that he won't be coming back until April 3 against the Hornets. when they get done with their two-game road trip against Brooklyn and us. This leaves them 7 games with PG.

4) Here's the remaining schedule for the Pacers, Nets, and Celtics, respectively:

Indy:                               Brooklyn:                             Celtics:
3/29 vs. Dallas                3/29 vs. LAL                         3/29 vs. LAC
3/31 @ Brooklyn             3/31 vs. Indiana                    3/30 @ Charlotte
4/01 @ Boston                4/01 @ New York                  4/01 vs. Indiana
4/03 vs. Charlotte           4/03 vs. Toronto                   4/03 vs. Milwaukee
4/05 vs. Miami                 4/04 @ Atlanta                     4/04 @ Toronto
4/08 @ New York             4/06 vs. Portland                 4/08 @ Detroit
4/10 @ Detroit                 4/08 vs. Atlanta                   4/10 @ Cleveland
4/12 vs. OKC                   4/10 vs. Washington            4/12 vs. Cleveland
4/14 vs. Washington       4/12 @ Milwaukee                 4/14 vs. Toronto
4/15 @ Memphis             4/13 vs. Chicago                   4/15 vs. Milwaukee
                                        4/15 vs. Orlando

Theoretically, here's what I see for each team.

Indiana: Should be wins - New York, Detroit
              50/50 - Brooklyn, Boston, Charlotte, Miami, Washington
              Should probably lose - Dallas, OKC, Memphis

Brooklyn: Should be wins - LAL, New York, Orlando
                50/50 - Indiana, Toronto, Washington, Milwaukee, Chicago
                Should probably lose - Atlanta, Atlanta, Portland

Boston: Should be wins -  :( Detroit
              50/50 - Charlotte, Indiana, Milwaukee, Toronto, Toronto, Milwaukee
              Should probably lose - LAC, Cleveland, Cleveland

So what do you guys think? Who should be the favorite to make the playoffs right now given the current standings, context surrounding each team, tiebreakers, and remaining schedule?

I'm still going with the C's, because I'm a homer!  ;) Seriously, though, I think the order of strength of remaining schedule goes 1) Boston 2) Indiana 3) Brooklyn. I think Indiana falls out of the race, and it ends up being between Brooklyn and us for the final spot, which is great because we own the tiebreaker.

Re: Pacers, Nets, or Celtics as favorites for playoffs?
« Reply #1 on: March 28, 2015, 05:21:59 PM »

Offline jpotter33

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Nobody? lol


Re: Pacers, Nets, or Celtics as favorites for playoffs?
« Reply #2 on: March 28, 2015, 05:27:12 PM »

Offline Tr1boy

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nobody is a favourite.  The playoffs start now for these teams (Pistons should be also considered). Whoever wins the most game until the season ends, makes it

Pacers are getting back George. If he is back to form sooner than later, I would have to say they are the favourite to make 8th place

Bucks have won 2 in a row but have been struggling as of late and could be 9th by the time the season ends

In the end I think the Pacers will grab 8th place. And we will have a better chance to make 8th (Pacers 7th) if the Bucks start self destructing

Re: Pacers, Nets, or Celtics as favorites for playoffs?
« Reply #3 on: March 28, 2015, 05:36:21 PM »

Offline jpotter33

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nobody is a favourite.  The playoffs start now for these teams (Pistons should be also considered). Whoever wins the most game until the season ends, makes it

Pacers are getting back George. If he is back to form sooner than later, I would have to say they are the favourite to make 8th place

Bucks have won 2 in a row but have been struggling as of late and could be 9th by the time the season ends

In the end I think the Pacers will grab 8th place. And we will have a better chance to make 8th (Pacers 7th) if the Bucks start self destructing

The Pistons? They'd probably have to win every game the rest of the way, and that'd still probably not be enough.

Re: Pacers, Nets, or Celtics as favorites for playoffs?
« Reply #4 on: March 28, 2015, 05:55:58 PM »

Offline positivitize

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I don't know the other teams well enough to say anything worthwhile, but the outline you've given makes me think that the Celtics have a good shot to make the playoffs if they play to the level of which they are capable.

Again, I don't know a lot about the other teams, but, if I had to guess, I'd say that we have a 45% chance at the 8th seed, the Pacers have a 45% chance at the 8th seed if George comes back soon (ours raises to 55% and theirs goes down to 35% if he doesn't), and Brooklyn has about a 10% shot.
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Pro:
Smart, Brown, Hayward, Tatum, Kemba, Grant Williams, Sleepy Williams, Edwards!

Anti:
Kanter, Semi, Theis, Poierier

Re: Pacers, Nets, or Celtics as favorites for playoffs?
« Reply #5 on: March 28, 2015, 10:05:35 PM »

Offline chambers

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Nice post, good breakdown. TP.

I think Charlotte should be considered too. They are one win behind us, and just beat Atlanta by 15 points.

Their next game is against us in Charlotte and it will be our 2nd game of a back to back after playing the Clippers.

If we lose to the Clippers and the Hornets beat us, we could conceivably slide to 10th or 11th spot.


Going to be a big game.
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Read that last line again. One more time.

Re: Pacers, Nets, or Celtics as favorites for playoffs?
« Reply #6 on: March 28, 2015, 10:10:45 PM »

Offline jpotter33

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Nice post, good breakdown. TP.

I think Charlotte should be considered too. They are one win behind us, and just beat Atlanta by 15 points.

Their next game is against us in Charlotte and it will be our 2nd game of a back to back after playing the Clippers.

If we lose to the Clippers and the Hornets beat us, we could conceivably slide to 10th or 11th spot.


Going to be a big game.

Yeah, at the time I saw they were playing Atlanta, and I figured they would lose that and be two games back. We desperately need a win against Charlotte to keep them at bay. Hopefully IT will be back to 100% by then.

Re: Pacers, Nets, or Celtics as favorites for playoffs?
« Reply #7 on: March 28, 2015, 10:28:17 PM »

Offline gpap

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Nice post, good breakdown. TP.

I think Charlotte should be considered too. They are one win behind us, and just beat Atlanta by 15 points.

Their next game is against us in Charlotte and it will be our 2nd game of a back to back after playing the Clippers.

If we lose to the Clippers and the Hornets beat us, we could conceivably slide to 10th or 11th spot.


Going to be a big game.

Not to mention, Charlotte seems to pose a difficult match-up for the Celtics.

With their size (Jefferson and Zeller) and scoring (Mo Williams, Marvin Williams, Kemba Walker) they're tough on the Celtics (even though we did beat them last time out.)

Celts are going to have to be on their A game Monday night.


Re: Pacers, Nets, or Celtics as favorites for playoffs?
« Reply #8 on: March 28, 2015, 10:34:54 PM »

Offline jpotter33

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Nice post, good breakdown. TP.

I think Charlotte should be considered too. They are one win behind us, and just beat Atlanta by 15 points.

Their next game is against us in Charlotte and it will be our 2nd game of a back to back after playing the Clippers.

If we lose to the Clippers and the Hornets beat us, we could conceivably slide to 10th or 11th spot.


Going to be a big game.

Not to mention, Charlotte seems to pose a difficult match-up for the Celtics.

With their size (Jefferson and Zeller) and scoring (Mo Williams, Marvin Williams, Kemba Walker) they're tough on the Celtics (even though we did beat them last time out.)

Celts are going to have to be on their A game Monday night.

Yeah, we haven't played great against them at all this year other than that last game. Perhaps IT made the difference in the last game and will this time, too!  ;)

Re: Pacers, Nets, or Celtics as favorites for playoffs?
« Reply #9 on: March 28, 2015, 11:10:00 PM »

Offline gpap

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Nice post, good breakdown. TP.

I think Charlotte should be considered too. They are one win behind us, and just beat Atlanta by 15 points.

Their next game is against us in Charlotte and it will be our 2nd game of a back to back after playing the Clippers.

If we lose to the Clippers and the Hornets beat us, we could conceivably slide to 10th or 11th spot.


Going to be a big game.

Not to mention, Charlotte seems to pose a difficult match-up for the Celtics.

With their size (Jefferson and Zeller) and scoring (Mo Williams, Marvin Williams, Kemba Walker) they're tough on the Celtics (even though we did beat them last time out.)

Celts are going to have to be on their A game Monday night.

Yeah, we haven't played great against them at all this year other than that last game. Perhaps IT made the difference in the last game and will this time, too!  ;)

Well Isaiah certainly looked a lot better last night than he did on Wednesday vs Miami so I think he should be up to the task. He seemed to have a more of a bounce in his step last night.

Re: Pacers, Nets, or Celtics as favorites for playoffs?
« Reply #10 on: March 28, 2015, 11:28:58 PM »

Offline SHAQATTACK

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I don't feel good about the Celtics chances with the way they ve played lately....not good enough to beat all these good teams the have left to play

I really don't see them wining many of the remaining games

Schedule is just too hard ......unless there is a a lot more help (losing) by other teams .

The playoff pic for Celtics , make be make or break ,  if the Cavs REST their stars those last couple games. 

LeBron may control the C's destiny

If George returns Pacers and Heat should take 7 and 8 spot s

If the Buck would rot and wither , fall out , maybe the C's would grab that spot.

I give C's only a slim chance right now .



Re: Pacers, Nets, or Celtics as favorites for playoffs?
« Reply #11 on: March 28, 2015, 11:43:47 PM »

Offline Smitty77

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I don't feel good about the Celtics chances with the way they ve played lately....not good enough to beat all these good teams the have left to play

I really don't see them wining many of the remaining games

Schedule is just too hard ......unless there is a a lot more help (losing) by other teams .

The playoff pic for Celtics , make be make or break ,  if the Cavs REST their stars those last couple games. 

LeBron may control the C's destiny

If George returns Pacers and Heat should take 7 and 8 spot s

If the Buck would rot and wither , fall out , maybe the C's would grab that spot.

I give C's only a slim chance right now .

Literally, the key to our season is likely the Cavs beating the Bulls on Sunday, April 5th and hopefully virtually locking up the 2 seed in this game in Cleveland.  Then, I would bet that the Cavs rest two of their Big Three in both games and maybe all three in the last one.  Could help us get in!!!!  The freaking Hornets were literally given a GIFT by the Hawks, who rested all stinking five starters in Charlotte after the Hornets lost a double overtime game in D.C. last night.  I can see the Commish allowing a team to rest two to three starters, but resting all five should be punishable by a HUGE fine or something.

Smitty77

Re: Pacers, Nets, or Celtics as favorites for playoffs?
« Reply #12 on: March 29, 2015, 01:15:09 AM »

Offline konkmv

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I cannot se us winning more than 4 games... do not think it would be enough

Re: Pacers, Nets, or Celtics as favorites for playoffs?
« Reply #13 on: March 29, 2015, 01:15:34 AM »

Offline jpotter33

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I don't feel good about the Celtics chances with the way they ve played lately....not good enough to beat all these good teams the have left to play

I really don't see them wining many of the remaining games

Schedule is just too hard ......unless there is a a lot more help (losing) by other teams .

The playoff pic for Celtics , make be make or break ,  if the Cavs REST their stars those last couple games. 

LeBron may control the C's destiny

If George returns Pacers and Heat should take 7 and 8 spot s

If the Buck would rot and wither , fall out , maybe the C's would grab that spot.

I give C's only a slim chance right now .

Literally, the key to our season is likely the Cavs beating the Bulls on Sunday, April 5th and hopefully virtually locking up the 2 seed in this game in Cleveland.  Then, I would bet that the Cavs rest two of their Big Three in both games and maybe all three in the last one.  Could help us get in!!!!  The freaking Hornets were literally given a GIFT by the Hawks, who rested all stinking five starters in Charlotte after the Hornets lost a double overtime game in D.C. last night.  I can see the Commish allowing a team to rest two to three starters, but resting all five should be punishable by a HUGE fine or something.

Smitty77

Hmmm, I was wondering how Charlotte won that game so easily. The Hawks are definitely sending the message that they don't want to see us in the playoffs  ;)

Re: Pacers, Nets, or Celtics as favorites for playoffs?
« Reply #14 on: March 29, 2015, 01:28:08 AM »

Offline tarheelsxxiii

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Since yesterday, I have been thinking Brooklyn is going to snag the 8 seed. Picking up big wins, clicking at the right time, .5 game back, and most favorable schedule :/
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