Archive for April, 2009

2009 NBA Playoffs Bracket

I thought about adding my own NBA playoffs bracket, but I found one that works so well I figured that I couldn’t top it.

So if you are looking for an informative, graphically-impressive while still easy to understand NBA playoff bracket, I highly recommend you go to here:

http://breathingfire.com/nba/playoffs/2009/bracket2009.php.

NBA Playoff Scenarios – Last Day Of Season

Final day of the regular season! What will the NBA playoff seeds be? Here are the possibilities (ranked in order of likelihood):

East

1. Cleveland Cavaliers
2. Boston Celtics
3. Orlando Magic
4. Atlanta Hawks
5. Miami Heat
6. Chicago Bulls OR Philadelphia 76ers
7. Philadelphia 76ers OR Chicago Bulls
8. Detroit Pistons

West

1. Los Angeles Lakers
2. Denver Nuggets OR Houston Rockets
3. Houston Rockets OR Denver Nuggets OR Portland Trailblazers OR San Antonio Spurs
4. Portland Trailblazers OR San Antonio Spurs OR Houston Rockets
5. San Antonio Spurs OR Portland Trailblazers OR Houston Rockets
6. New Orleans Hornets OR Dallas Mavericks OR Utah Jazz
7. Dallas Mavericks OR New Orleans Hornets OR Utah Jazz
8. Utah Jazz OR New Orleans Hornets OR Dallas Mavericks

NBA Games Tonight with Playoff Implications:

• Toronto Celtics @ Chicago Bulls
• Houston Rockets @ Dallas Mavericks
• New Orleans Hornets @ San Antonio Spurs
• Philadelphia 76ers @ Cleveland Cavaliers
• Denver Nuggets @ Portland Trailblazers

What happened yesterday?

In the East, the Philadelphia 76ers lost to the Boston Scrubs and will likely face the Boston Celtics in the first round. The Chicago Bulls must lose and the Philadelphia 76ers must beat the Cleveland Cavaliers, who are playing the best home record EVER, at Cleveland. In the West, the Utah Jazz managed to determine their destiny … by losing to the Los Angeles Lakers, and therefore giving us our first known matchup in the West, the #1 Lakers versus the #8 Jazz. All other playoff seeds in the West will be determined today.

What are the playoff possibilities today?

• Chicago Bulls win OR Philadelphia 76ers loss
  • 3. Orlando Magic vs 6. Chicago Bulls
  • 2. Bostons Celtics vs 7. Philadelphia 76ers
• Chicago Bulls loss AND Philadelphia 76ers win
  • 3. Orlando Magic vs 6. Philadelphia 76ers
  • 2. Bostons Celtics vs 7. Chicago Bulls
• Houston Rockets win AND San Antonio Spurs win AND Denver Nuggets win
  • 4. San Antonio Spurs vs 5. Portland Trailblazers
  • 3. Houston Rockets vs 6. New Orleans Hornets
  • 2. Denver Nuggets vs 7. Dallas Mavericks
• Dallas Mavericks win AND San Antonio Spurs win AND Portland Trailblazers win
  • 4. San Antonio Spurs vs 5. Houston Rockets
  • 3. Portland Trailblazers vs 6. Dallas Mavericks
  • 2. Denver Nuggets vs 7. New Orleans Hornets
• Dallas Mavericks win AND San Antonio Spurs win AND Denver Nuggets win
  • 4. Houston Rockets vs 5. Portland Trailblazers
  • 3. San Antonio Spurs vs 6. Dallas Mavericks
  • 2. Denver Nuggets vs 7. New Orleans Hornets
• Dallas Mavericks win AND New Orleans Hornets win AND Portland Trailblazers win
  • 4. Houston Rockets vs 5. San Antonio Spurs
  • 3. Portland Trailblazers vs 6. New Orleans Hornets
  • 2. Denver Nuggets vs 7. Dallas Mavericks
• Houston Rockets win AND Portland Trailblazers win (New Orleans Hornets @ San Antonio Spurs has no impact)
  • 4. Portland Trailblazers vs 5. San Antonio Spurs
  • 3. Denver Nuggets vs 6. New Orleans Hornets
  • 2. Houston Rockets vs 7. Dallas Mavericks
• New Orleans Hornets win AND Denver Nuggets win (Houston Rockets @ Dallas Mavericks has no impact)
  • 4. Portland Trailblazers vs 5. San Antonio Spurs
  • 3. Houston Rockets vs 6. New Orleans Hornets
  • 2. Denver Nuggets vs 7. Dallas Mavericks

NBA Playoff Scenarios – 2 Days Until Season End

Only two (2) days left until the NBA playoffs. What will the seeds be? Here are the possibilities (ranked in order of likelihood):

East

1. Cleveland Cavaliers
2. Boston Celtics
3. Orlando Magic
4. Atlanta Hawks
5. Miami Heat
6. Chicago Bulls OR Philadelphia 76ers OR Detroit Pistons
7. Philadelphia 76ers OR Chicago Bulls OR Detroit Pistons
8. Detroit Pistons OR Philadelphia 76ers OR Chicago Bulls

West

1. Los Angeles Lakers
2. Denver Nuggets OR Houston Rockets OR Portland Trailblazers OR San Antonio Spurs
3. Houston Rockets OR Denver Nuggets OR Portland Trailblazers OR San Antonio Spurs
4. Portland Trailblazers OR San Antonio Spurs OR Houston Rockets OR Denver Nuggets
5. San Antonio Spurs OR Portland Trailblazers OR Houston Rockets OR Denver Nuggets
6. New Orleans Hornets OR Dallas Mavericks OR Utah Jazz
7. Dallas Mavericks OR New Orleans Hornets OR Utah Jazz
8. Utah Jazz OR New Orleans Hornets OR Dallas Mavericks

NBA Games Tonight with Playoff Implications:

• Utah Jazz @ Los Angeles Lakers
• Boston Celtics @ Philadelphia 76ers

What happened yesterday?

In the East, the Detroit Pistons lost to the Chicago Bulls and will face the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round. Only the Chicago Bulls and the Philadelphia 76ers remain to be seeded. In the West, there is *still* only have one spot determined, although we were able to get a somewhat clearer view on where teams may end up. The Denver Nuggets need either a win or a Houston Rockets loss to wrap up the 2 seed, and can finish no lower than 3. I certainly did not expect to be writing that at the beginning of the season. The Houston Rockets still can finish anywhere in the 2 through 5 range. The San Antonio Spurs and the Portland Trailblazers are fighting for position within the 3 through 5 range. The 2 through 5 range will all be determined tomorrow, as the only Western Conference game tonight with playoff impact is with the Utah Jazz.

2009 NBA Playoffs – Who Owns the Tiebreakers?

Thanks to the NBA.com Playoff Picture page, I was able to determine who owns the tiebreakers for this thrilling NBA playoff race.

• Philadelphia owns tiebreaker over Chicago
• Houston owns tiebreaker over Denver, Portland & San Antonio 
• Denver owns tiebreaker over San Antonio & Portland
• Portland owns tiebreaker over San Antonio
• Utah owns tiebreaker over New Orleans & Dallas
• New Orleans owns tiebreaker over Dallas

Just goes to show that the regular season *does* matter. Ain’t that right, Shaq?

NBA Playoff Scenarios – 3 Days Until Season End

Only three (3) days left until the NBA playoffs. I took an Easter Sunday break yesterday on the playoff what-ifs, but we’re back! So what will the seeds be? Here are the possibilities (ranked in order of likelihood):

East

1. Cleveland Cavaliers
2. Boston Celtics OR Orlando Magic
3. Orlando Magic OR Boston Celtics
4. Atlanta Hawks
5. Miami Heat OR Philadelphia 76ers OR Detroit Pistons
6. Chicago Bulls OR Philadelphia 76ers OR Detroit Pistons OR Miami Heat
7. Philadelphia 76ers OR Detroit Pistons OR Chicago Bulls OR Miami Heat
8. Detroit Pistons OR Philadelphia 76ers OR Chicago Bulls OR Miami Heat

West

1. Los Angeles Lakers
2. Houston Rockets OR Denver Nuggets OR Portland Trailblazers OR San Antonio Spurs
3. Denver Nuggets OR Houston Rockets OR Portland Trailblazers OR San Antonio Spurs
4. Portland Trailblazers OR San Antonio Spurs OR Houston Rockets OR Denver Nuggets OR New Orleans Hornets
5. San Antonio Spurs OR Portland Trailblazers OR Denver Nuggets OR Houston Rockets OR New Orleans Hornets OR Dallas Mavericks
6. New Orleans Hornets OR Dallas Mavericks OR Utah Jazz OR Portland Trailblazers OR San Antonio Spurs
7. Dallas Mavericks OR Utah Jazz OR New Orleans Hornets
8. Utah Jazz OR New Orleans Hornets OR Dallas Mavericks

NBA Games Tonight with Playoff Implications:

• Minnesota Timberwolves @ Dallas Mavericks
• Chicago Bulls @ Detroit Pistons
• New Orleans Hornets @ Houston Rockets
• Los Angeles Clippers @ Utah Jazz
• Sacramento Kings @ Denver Nuggets
• San Antonio Spurs @ Golden State Warriors
• Oklahoma City Thunder @ Portland Trailblazers

What happened yesterday and the day before?

In the East, the Orlando Magic stumbled into the #3 seed, which clinched the #2 seed for the Boston Celtics. We also got our first playoff matchup determined with the Miami Heat clinching the #5 seed and setting a date with the Atlanta Hawks. In the West, we still only have one spot determined with only 3 days left in the season. We now know that the New Orleans Hornets, the Dallas Mavericks and the Utah Jazz will take 6, 7 and 8 – but we aren’t sure of the order. Additionally, we now know that the Houston Rockets, the Denver Nuggets, the Portland Trailblazers and the San Antonio Spurs will take 2, 3, 4 and 5 – but, again, we aren’t sure of the order. In fact, within those two ranges there are no certainties. This makes for an exciting finish to the 2008-2009 NBA season.