NBA Western Playoff Race

I won't blog about basketball very often, because the honest truth is that it isn't my strong point. It is not a favorite sport of mine, and I'm not extremely knowledgeable about it. I hope to improve in that regard; get to know the players and the teams better over the next few years - but for now, blogging on something I know very little about just isn't good for anyone. It'll make me look like a buffoon (like I need help), and it will give you lackluster reading material. As such, I'll only blog about basketball when it is actually (in my opinion at least) somewhat interesting information that I have some legitimate input on.

Because as I was checking baseball and hockey scores, I accidentally skimmed through the NBA scores; and saw that the Lakers had lost to the Suns (not surprising), the Clippers had beaten the Trailblazers (not surprising), and the Warriors had beaten the Kings (not surprising).

What was a little surprising, though, was that all three went the way they should have. Because even if the Lakers had an 80% chance of losing and the Clippers and Warriors had an 80% chance of winning (I'm just making these numbers up here to make a point), the odds of all three happening would be .80 X .80 X .80; .512, about a coin flip.

SO, heads is interesting playoff race, tails is uninteresting playoff race. Flip. Heads.

It is a VERY real possibility that these teams end in a 3 way tie for the 7th, 8th, and 9th spots in the west. Unlikely, sure, but not out of the question.

The 40 - 40 Lakers face Seattle at home, then head to Sacramento to close out their regular season. The Lakers couldn't lose to Seattle if they tried. As for Sacramento, the Lakers absolutely should win that game too. But it is a division rival on a division rival's home court, and as Kansas City Chief's Herm Edwards coined and my brother loves to repeat, "You don't play just to play." Sacramento will be playing their hardest, and upsetting the ice-cold Lakers would not be one of the craziest things in sports history.

The 39 - 40 Warriors have games left at home against Minnesota and Dallas, and on the road against Portland. Yes, Warriors fans, I've heard a million times that you "match up well against Dallas. Your still going to lose that game. Minnesota and Portland are winnable games though, and would put the Warriors to 41 - 41.

The 39 - 40 Clippers have Sacramento, @Phoenix, and the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets to end their season. Much like the Warriors, they should lose their game to the superior opponent and beat the two inferior opponents. Guess what record that leaves them with?

Or, perhaps the Mavs and Suns rest starters, seeing as they don't need these games and are already focusing on the playoffs, and the Warriors, Clippers, and Lakers all win out the season; and all end up 42 - 40.

Either way, a 3 way tie is not too far fetched.

So who would make it in? Drum roll, please!

Lakers VS. Warriors: LAKERS get the tiebreaker, as they won the season series between the two teams 4 - 0 (think the Warriors want a few of those games back?)

Lakers VS. Clippers: LAKERS get the tiebreaker, season series tied at 2 - 2 , so it comes down to conference record, which the Lakers have better.

Warriors VS. Clippers: WARRIORS get the tiebreaker, season series tied at 2 - 2, and the Warriors have fared better in-conference.

So a 3 way tie would send the Clippers home golfing.

Where, of course, the Lakers and Warriors would join them in a few weeks when they get crushed by Dallas and Phoenix in the postseason.