How it is still possible for Suns to get 4th seed and HCA

[jmainaz]

If Utah, Phoenix, Houston and San Antonio end up with the same record (Phx beats Portland [highly possible], Houston beats L Clippers [highly possible] and Utah beats San Antonio [could happen, Pop likes to rest players on last game and Ginobli prob won't play]) then Phoenix will have HCA and #4 seed.

It is possible because of a weird rule in NBA seeding. If more than one team is tied at the end of the season, seeding is NOT determined by head-to-head. Instead it is determined by the best record against all teams tied. Therefore it would go:

#3 Utah (7-3)
#4 Phx (6-5)
#5 Houston (5-6)
#6 San Ant (4-8)

with HCA going to the better seed.

Hope this helps clarify.

-JMAinAZ

 

[Phade]

wow thats crazy and is cold as houston is right now i'd love to have them as well..

 

[S_Nash]

I thought Houston would get Home Court as they have the better head-to-head record? That system might determine seed, but H-2-H determines HCA?

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I thought Houston would get Home Court as they have the better head-to-head record? That system might determine seed, but H-2-H determines HCA?

Same overall record 2 wins, 2 losses for each. Houston has the better conference record. They get home court. (I think)

 

[jmainaz]

Nope... Phoenix gets HCA.

 

[phxrising]

Nope... Phoenix gets HCA.

Are we sure? seeding does not "help" HCA this year. Is this in print somewhere?

thanks


Ok found something------

http://blogs.mysanantonio.com/weblogs/courtside/archives/2008/04/jeff_mcdonald_t_16.html

 

[Michael]

Even if it could happen, I don't expect Utah giving their best in trying to beat S.A.

If they lose, they'll face PHX or HOU with HCA, right?

I'm pretty sure they will prefer that scenario over a match-up with the Spurs.

Anyway, I don't want to think about it. Whenever I do and put a lot of if and could be in a game, the games never play out in a good way.
Or Utah will even win while Phoenix will lose to Portland.

Of course I'd prefer Houston over Utah and S.A. as well.

 

[az1965]

Are we sure? seeding does not "help" HCA this year. Is this in print somewhere?

thanks


Ok found something------

http://blogs.mysanantonio.com/weblogs/courtside/archives/2008/04/jeff_mcdonald_t_16.html

It still doesn't say anything about HCA and just talks about seeding. Seeding does not imply automatic HCA.

Also, I don't think Jazz wins in SA. They are a poor road team and SA will try their best to get the 3rd seed.

 

[pokerface]

I want the Spurs in the first round....thats the only way to vanquish our demons once and for all. We may or may not win the championship but at least it could be said we knocked the Spurs out.

Besides, if fans truly believed the Suns are championship material they wouldn't be overly concerned what seed we ended up with.

 

[jmainaz]

Even if it could happen, I don't expect Utah giving their best in trying to beat S.A.

If they lose, they'll face PHX or HOU with HCA, right?

I'm pretty sure they will prefer that scenario over a match-up with the Spurs.

Anyway, I don't want to think about it. Whenever I do and put a lot of if and could be in a game, the games never play out in a good way.
Or Utah will even win while Phoenix will lose to Portland.

Of course I'd prefer Houston over Utah and S.A. as well.

Yes, but then they would not get HCA in 2nd round. Which they really want.

I want the Spurs in the first round....thats the only way to vanquish our demons once and for all. We may or may not win the championship but at least it could be said we knocked the Spurs out.

Besides, if fans truly believed the Suns are championship material they wouldn't be overly concerned what seed we ended up with.

However, I'm afraid that if they go on and beat SA, they will feel like they accomplished a great goal and then have a let down in the next round. Everytime we have beaten San Antonio this year, or most good teams, we come back with a major let down in the next game. Recent example is beating San Antonio last week and then going to Houston and laying an egg.

-JMAinAZ

 

[jmainaz]

sorry for double post

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by Paul Coro - Apr. 14, 2008 09:57 PM
The Arizona Republic

The Suns got some practice for the playoffs Monday, when they divided their game into a best-of-three series - controlling the first half, embarking on second-half disaster and then turning clutch with a 26-9 close to a 122-116 victory over Golden State.

It meant curtains for Golden State's playoff hopes and a boon for Phoenix's designs on rising from its sixth-place Western Conference spot after Wednesday's regular-season finales.

If Phoenix beats Portland at home and Houston beats the Los Angeles Clippers at home on Wednesday, the Suns are looking at two playoff fates:

• Being the fourth seed with home-court advantage against fifth-seeded Houston. This preferable option requires a Utah win Wednesday at San Antonio.

• Being the sixth seed without home-court advantage against third-seeded San Antonio. This would result from a San Antonio win Wednesday.
Should the Suns and Spurs lose Wednesday, the Suns could wind up facing Utah as a sixth seed.

Phoenix would have been a sixth seed regardless if it had not snapped out of a third-quarter daze that turned a 14-point lead into a six-point hole in less than nine minutes when Golden State went on a 15-0 run.

 

[Kody Rumin]

That means the Portland game is must win, since it allows us to avoid Utah, whether the Jazz win or lose. I fear them in the first round most. Definitely a lot more than Houston or San Antonio.

 

[nashman]

Portland I agree pretty much is a must win, don't want any part of Utah for a first round opponent, though I think we can beat Utah just don't need a rough first round.

 

[Tank]

I want the Spurs in the first round....thats the only way to vanquish our demons once and for all. We may or may not win the championship but at least it could be said we knocked the Spurs out.

We've beat them in the playoffs before...

What does simply beating them in the playoffs get us?

 

[cobbler]

I want the Spurs in the first round....thats the only way to vanquish our demons once and for all. We may or may not win the championship but at least it could be said we knocked the Spurs out.

Besides, if fans truly believed the Suns are championship material they wouldn't be overly concerned what seed we ended up with.

That says it all. I always find it a tad ironic when people post that their team is GOING ALL THE WAY... then try to figure out the easiest path. If your that good and truly worthy of a championship.... it doesnt matter who you face.

 

[Kody Rumin]

The last time Phoenix beat San Antonio was in 2000, and that was with Duncan injured, and before the current Nash-era. Since that playoff win in 2000, the Suns have been eliminated by the Spurs three times (San Antonio won the championship in these years, as well).

Beating them in the first round instead of beating another team doesn't give us anything but personal satisfaction from revenge.

 

[pokerface]

Beating them in the first round instead of beating another team doesn't give us anything but personal satisfaction from revenge.

Good enough for me!

 

[Errntknght]

JMA,

If Utah, Phoenix, Houston and San Antonio end up with the same record (Phx beats Portland [highly possible], Houston beats L Clippers [highly possible] and Utah beats San Antonio [could happen, Pop likes to rest players on last game and Ginobli prob won't play]) then Phoenix will have HCA and #4 seed.

It is possible because of a weird rule in NBA seeding. If more than one team is tied at the end of the season, seeding is NOT determined by head-to-head. Instead it is determined by the best record against all teams tied. Therefore it would go:

#3 Utah (7-3)
#4 Phx (6-5)
#5 Houston (5-6)
#6 San Ant (4-8)

with HCA going to the better seed.

That's not entirely correct as NO can get into the act by losing its last two games - Clips and Mavs. In that case the Sunnies wind up 5th, still facing Houston in the first round.

The five team tie results in:
#2 Utah 10-4 - facing Mavs since they beat NO
#3 NO 9-7
#4 Hous 7-8
#5 Phx 6-9
#6 SA 6-10