alfdogg

That's more like it, Dallas. The Suns had nine points in the fourth quarter. That's unthinkable.

As a member of the staff, I'll admit that I kind of scratched my head at some of the promotions myself, but Danny and CWM wouldn't have modded those guys if they didn't think they would do a good job, regardless of whether they chat with us or not. Mik has never been in one of our chats, that I know of, and Cheech has only been in a handful. Also, keep in mind that we are helping pick up Mole's share of the bill for the site. And the ROCK MODERATOR group was made as a gag; Metal Ed doesn't have any actual powers. At least that's what Czech told me.

I don't obsessively hate you either, Leena, no matter what Slovakia says.

I got all the numbers from NBA.com (go to the standings, and there's a link at the top that says Playoff Picture). I did all the splitting into groups, though.

Here's a breakdown of the playoff situation as of right now. 1st tiebreaker is season series. 2nd tiebreaker is division record, if teams are in same division. Or conference record, if not. 3rd tiebreaker, if teams are in same division, is conference record. East 1. Boston (65-16, clinched homecourt advantage throughout playoffs) 2. Detroit (58-23, cinched Central Division and #2 seed) 3. Orlando (51-30, clinched Southeast Division and #3 seed) 4. Cleveland (45-36, clinched playoff berth) 5. Washington (43-38, clinched playoff berth) 6. Toronto (41-40, clinched playoff berth) 7. Philadelphia (40-41, clinched playoff berth) 8. Atlanta (37-44, clinched playoff berth) All the matchups in the East are set. West (relevant tiebreakers) 1. LA Lakers (57-25, clinched Pacific Division and #1 seed) 2. New Orleans (56-25, clinched Southwest Division and #2 seed) 3. San Antonio (55-26, clinched playoff berth) (HOU) 4. Utah (54-27, clinched Northwest division) (SA, HOU, PHO) 5. Houston (54-27, clinched playoff berth) (PHO) 6. Phoenix (54-27, clinched playoff berth) (SA) 7. Dallas (50-31, clinched playoff berth) 8. Denver (49-32, clinched playoff berth) (DAL) The winner of the Utah/SA game on Wednesday locks up the #3 spot. San Antonio locks up a top 4 spot with a win OR a loss by Phoenix. Utah locks up homecourt advantage in the first round with a win OR losses by Houston AND Phoenix. Houston locks up at least the #5 spot with a win OR a Phoenix loss. Dallas locks up the #7 spot with a win OR a Denver loss.

That second statement was made in general, it wasn't directed at just Orlando. Or at all against Orlando, for that matter. I should have worded it better, I guess. But yeah, I said a few weeks ago that if you're going to tout LeBron James as a major MVP candidate, then Howard has to merit some discussion, as well. A lot of people talk about what a great season Turkoglu is having, but I think Howard has a lot to do with that. He established himself as an major offensive weapon early in the season, which I don't think anyone saw coming this early in his career, and I think when teams started preparing for him defensively, that made things easier for Turkoglu.

Sun, Mar. 30 Houston @ San Antonio, 1:00 ABC Utah @ Minnesota, 3:30 New York @ Atlanta, 4:00 Miami @ Boston, 6:00 New Orleans @ Toronto, 6:00 Philadelphia @ Cleveland, 6:00 Dallas @ Golden State, 9:00 Sacramento @ Seattle, 9:00 Washington @ LA Lakers, 9:30 Mon, Mar. 31 Toronto @ Charlotte, 7:00 Miami @ Indiana, 7:00 Atlanta @ Memphis, 8:00 Washington @ Utah, 9:00 Denver @ Phoenix, 10:00 Dallas @ LA Clippers, 10:30 Tue, Apr. 1 New Orleans @ Orlando, 7:00 Philadelphia @ New Jersey, 7:30 New York @ Milwaukee, 8:00 Detroit @ Minnesota, 8:00 Boston @ Chicago, 8:30 Golden State @ San Antonio, 8:30 Phoenix @ Denver, 9:00 Houston @ Sacramento, 10:00 Wed, Apr. 2 Milwaukee @ Washington, 7:00 Cleveland @ Charlotte, 7:00 Toronto @ Atlanta, 7:00 Indiana @ Boston, 7:00 ESPN New Orleans @ Miami, 7:30 New York @ Memphis, 8:00 Minnesota @ Utah, 9:00 Golden State @ Dallas, 9:30 LA Clippers @ Seattle, 10:00 Portland @ LA Lakers, 10:30 Thu, Apr. 3 Chicago @ Cleveland, 8:00 TNT LA Clippers @ Sacramento, 10:00 Houston @ Portland, 10:30 TNT Fri, Apr. 4 Charlotte @ Toronto, 7:00 Philadelphia @ Atlanta, 7:30 Miami @ Washington, 8:00 New Jersey @ Detroit, 8:00 Golden State @ Memphis, 8:00 New York @ New Orleans, 8:00 San Antonio @ Utah, 8:00 ESPN Indiana @ Milwaukee, 8:30 Minnesota @ Phoenix, 10:00 Dallas @ LA Lakers, 10:30 ESPN Houston @ Seattle, 10:30 Sat, Apr. 5 Orlando @ Cleveland, 3:00 ESPN Atlanta @ Philadelphia, 7:00 Boston @ Charlotte, 7:00 Toronto @ New Jersey, 7:30 Washington @ Chicago, 8:30 Sacramento @ Denver, 9:00

Once again, main event, for... Also, if I have time, Team Heyross vs Felix Strutter & Reggie Lamont for the titles.

Unless WDI is involved, of course.

I'd kind of like to see the shots at the Pit cut out, as well. I'm not saying we have to sign a peace treaty or anything, but I'd rather not see those kind of discussions break out all over the place, because board wars are lame.

Something I just thought of today: This only applies to returning managers. In other words, if Fokai or Precious Roy (the only two managers I haven't heard from) decide to drop out, no one will be allowed to make trades with those teams. However, keep in mind that you don't have to keep three people, so you could drop one of your current keepers in order to have a better chance to obtain one of their big players in the draft.

Dallas, as usual, making me look like a fucking genius.

My announcement is pending a reply to my PM from Ed, btw.

Why is Devean George still in the league.

What would my board be called, Czech.

I'd throw Stan Van Gundy into the conversation, as well. I've never been a big fan of a team having both the coach of the year and the MVP. So...what is the reason why that team is so good, exactly?

I think there's kind of a double standard here with Dallas and Phoenix. When you look at both teams since the trades, almost all their games with the good West teams have been really tight. The ball has just bounced the Suns' way a few times, and Dallas couldn't get any luck until tonight. It's not as if they're being blown out every night. But, the media has continued to pump out countless excuses for the Suns, while simultaneously writing up Dallas's eulogy. Someone explain this to me.

I forgot to post this item. And the follow-up.

In addition to Dirk's return, Gilbert Arenas and Elton Brand also returned to the court tonight. EDIT: And Pau Gasol.

And the Raptors have the game stolen from them on the very next sequence, as Ford converts on a sideline lob play, but the clock started early and the referees failed to notice, thus it was waved off. Hawks go on to win in OT, putting them 3.5 games in front in the race for 8th.

Nice defense, TJ!

I disagree on the Chandler/West points. Chandler is no Tim Duncan or anything, but I think Paul can find him enough looks to constitute him as something of a threat. As for West, we saw what Carlos Boozer did to the Warriors last year, and I can see that parallel in West. Maybe not to that extent, but he has and will get his points against the Warriors. Also, those guys will both murder them on the boards (50 rebounds combined in two games this season), which is the best way to beat the Warriors. Unless the Warriors absolutely shoot out of their minds, like they did in the Dallas series, I just can't see them beating the Hornets. Of course, the Warriors have to get in first, and that's going to be tough with Dirk due back any time and the Nuggets at the top of their game. I look at the Hornets kind of like the '05 Suns. They're certainly good enough to win one round, and probably two if they get a good matchup, but after that the experience factor will catch up to them. IMO, all the pieces are falling into place for the Spurs to repeat. The Lakers (probable opponent in the second round at this point), are struggling mightily with injuries, and the only team with a better record in the West is completely unproven as a playoff team. I do think the Pistons have a great chance of beating them if their heads are on straight, though. But I still don't think Boston, in a seven-game series, is solid enough top-to-bottom to beat a battle-tested team such as the Spurs. I know they beat them both times during the season, but so did Cleveland last year, and look what happened there.

Why do you think they would lose to the Warriors? This isn't me hating on them, I just want to get your analysis on this.

Sun, Mar. 23 San Antonio @ Dallas, 1:00 ABC Denver @ Toronto, 3:30 Detroit @ Washington, 8:00 ESPN Golden State @ LA Lakers, 9:30 Mon, Mar. 24 Philadelphia @ Boston, 7:30 New Jersey @ New York, 7:30 Milwaukee @ Miami, 7:30 Phoenix @ Detroit, 7:30 Denver @ Memphis, 8:00 Sacramento @ Houston, 8:30 Portland @ Seattle, 10:00 LA Lakers @ Golden State, 10:30 Tue, Mar. 25 San Antonio @ Orlando, 7:00 New Orleans @ Indiana, 7:00 Atlanta @ Chicago, 8:30 LA Clippers @ Dallas, 8:30 Charlotte @ Utah, 9:00 Washington @ Portland, 10:00 Wed, Mar. 26 Detroit @ Toronto, 7:00 Miami @ New York, 7:00 Chicago @ Philadelphia, 7:00 Milwaukee @ Atlanta, 7:00 New Orleans @ Cleveland, 7:00 Phoenix @ Boston, 7:00 ESPN Indiana @ New Jersey, 7:30 Minnesota @ Houston, 8:30 LA Clippers @ San Antonio, 8:30 Memphis @ Sacramento, 10:00 Washington @ Seattle, 10:00 Charlotte @ LA Lakers, 10:30 Thu, Mar. 27 Miami @ Detroit, 8:00 Dallas @ Denver, 8:00 TNT Portland @ Golden State, 10:30 TNT Fri, Mar. 28 New York @ Toronto, 7:00 Phoenix @ Philadelphia, 7:00 New Jersey @ Indiana, 7:00 New Orleans @ Boston, 7:30 Chicago @ Atlanta, 7:30 Orlando @ Milwaukee, 8:30 Minnesota @ San Antonio, 8:30 LA Clippers @ Utah, 9:00 Washington @ Sacramento, 10:00 Memphis @ LA Lakers, 10:30 Charlotte @ Seattle, 10:30 Sat, Mar. 29 Phoenix @ New Jersey, 7:30 Cleveland @ Detroit, 7:30 Milwaukee @ Chicago, 8:30 Golden State @ Denver, 9:00 Charlotte @ Portland, 10:00 Memphis @ LA Clippers, 10:30

What do you guys think we can expect from the Hornets if they end up in the #1 spot?