Comments on: Rooting Interests: The NBA’s August 9th Bubble Games

By: Robert Dailey

Robert Dailey — Mon, 10 Aug 2020 15:19:15 +0000

Losing is a “no-brainer”? I agree, if by that you mean its stupid lol.

I you start over-thinking by wanting to lose in order to manipulate match-ups, you not only trash the integrity of the game, but then you deserve whatever you get (including subsequent losses you assumed would not be losses in your foolish attempt to turn it on and off at will).

By: Lucas Hann

Lucas Hann — Mon, 10 Aug 2020 09:34:33 +0000

Our magic number to finish ahead of Houston is 1, ahead of Denver is 2. Denver’s magic # to finish ahead of Houston is 2.

Winning today would have clinched top-3, but as of now if we lose both our remaining games and Denver wins all 3 of theirs, they’d tie is and be ahead of us on tiebreaker.

By: wwshep

wwshep — Mon, 10 Aug 2020 04:11:09 +0000

Well that sucked big time…

Lucas con you confirm that even with tonight terrible loss we have locked up no worse that 3 seed? Looks to me like if Clips lose out and Rockets win out we would be tied with them in W/L but our conference record would be better so that we can’t drop below 3rd seed. Not sure if I have that right.

At this point I’m pretty much resigned to 3rd seed.

By: wwshep

wwshep — Sun, 09 Aug 2020 23:49:16 +0000

Even though Utah is much weaker without Bogan I still think we matchup much better against the Mavs, as Gobert has always created problems for us. And I’m not entirely sure that we don’t similarly match up well against Houston now that they don’t have Capella anymore. Dominant bigs like Gobert, Jokic, AD, have been our weakness, and neither Houston nor Mavs have that. I think I’d rather have Mavs followed by Houston than Utah followed by Denver.

By: Lucas Hann

Lucas Hann — Sun, 09 Aug 2020 22:24:36 +0000

honestly, I’m not sure I agree. Is Utah without Bogdanovic a tougher first-round draw than Dallas with Luka putting up 30/10/10? If the Clippers end up heading into the Denver game with the choice of:

Win, play Dallas in the first round, and play winner of Houston-Utah in the 2nd round
or
Lose, and if you win vs OKC go DAL/DEN, or if you lose vs OKC go UTA/DEN

Seems like losing is still a no-brainer.

By: wwshep

wwshep — Sun, 09 Aug 2020 22:00:11 +0000

Throwing the Denver game is a no brainer IF and only if we beat the Nets today and Denver loses to the Lakers Monday (which means we have clinched 2nd seed). Otherwise we would be foolish to potentially put ourselves in a positions where we MUST beat OKC last game of the season to retain 2nd seed.

By: Lucas Hann

Lucas Hann — Sun, 09 Aug 2020 21:55:44 +0000

Any more preposterous than the Clippers throwing vs Portland yesterday to help them get 8th? Or Utah throwing vs San Antonio last week to try to fall to 6th? Or Mike Dunleavy Sr throwing in 2006 to drop to 6th and play the Nuggets 1st round?

By: Robert Dailey

Robert Dailey — Sun, 09 Aug 2020 14:45:40 +0000

The idea of “throwing” the game against Denver to keep Houston in 4th (or for any reason) is preposterous. That is the kindest of several words I can think of to describe it.

By: John Maclean

John Maclean — Sun, 09 Aug 2020 10:49:38 +0000

Man I hope you’re right. Denver scares the crap out of me. I just want the 2 seed so we face Dallas and hope that one of the other middling teams in the scrum gives Denver some grief before we face them. Perhaps Kawhi and PG just punish the hell out of them from the wing but joker and MPJ are conversely difficult to corral.