SFC: Warriors keep pedal to metal
Allen
Warriors keep pedal to metal
Tiebreaker situation hazy with 3 teams left in playoff fight
Janny Hu, Chronicle Staff Writer
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2007/04/11/SPGHQP6GRS1.DTL
Suddenly, it's a legitimate three-team chase in the Race for Eighth.
The Hornets knocked off the Clippers on Tuesday night to help the
Warriors in their playoff bid and, at the same time, muddy the picture
some more.
Though Golden State sits alone in eighth, just one game separates the
three postseason contenders. So it's time to break down the league's
tiebreaker procedures if teams finish with identical regular-season
records.
Playoff tiebreakers are first determined by head-to-head record,
whether that involves two teams or four teams. If that's equal, it
goes to their division records -- if the teams are in the same
division. If not, their conference records are used.
In the case of the Warriors, of all the possibilities that exist
between them finishing in a tie with the Clippers or Hornets, the
principles remain the same.
-- So far, the only head-to-head tiebreaker the Warriors have claimed
is over New Orleans, which they beat 3-1 in their season series.
-- If the Warriors finish tied with L.A., the only way they win the
tiebreaker is if they beat Sacramento on Friday and the Clippers lose
all three remaining division games: at the Lakers on Thursday, home
against Sacramento on Sunday, and at Phoenix on Tuesday.
That would give them both 6-10 records in the Pacific Division and
push the tiebreaker to their conference marks, in which the Warriors
would have the edge.
-- If it's a three-way tie, the Warriors are in no matter who wins the
regular-season finale between the Clippers and Hornets because of
Golden State's superior conference record.
The last time a tiebreaker came into play for the final postseason
spot was two years ago, when the Nets edged the Cavaliers. Each team
had a 42-40 record. New Jersey had won the season series 3-1. The Nets
were swept by Miami in the first round.
"They've changed it around almost every year," Warriors coach Don
Nelson said of the tiebreaker rules. "Somebody said 'That's not fair,
we ought to do it another way,' and they've moved it around over the
years so many different ways, I don't know what's fair, what isn't,
but it is what it is."
Which is why the Warriors aren't taking any chances. They know their
best shot is to win all their remaining games , and hope the rest
unfolds in their favor.
"That's been our goal since Jan. 17, our first game, and probably for
these guys, since training camp, so we've just got to keep winning,"
forward Al Harrington said. "We've got four games left. We've got to
win them all.
"For us, it's still an uphill climb."
Jackson's trial delayed: Stephen Jackson, who originally planned to
leave for Indianapolis following today's practice for the start of his
criminal trial, is officially in the clear for another month after his
trial was pushed back until May 10. He faces up to five years in
prison if convicted on three counts stemming from a strip-club
altercation in October while he was a member of the Pacers.
CHART: PLAYOFF PICTURE
The race for the West's final playoff spot:
Rk Team Rec GB GR
8. Warriors 38-40 -- 4
9. Clippers 37-40 1/2 5
10. Hornets 37-41 1 4
-- What's left
Warriors (4): Friday at Kings; Sunday vs.
Timberwolves; Tuesday vs. Mavs; 4/18 at Blazers.
Clippers (5): Thursday at Lakers; Friday vs. Blazers; Sunday vs.
Kings;
Tuesday at Suns; 4/18 vs. Hornets.
Hornets (4): Friday vs. Nuggets; Saturday at Rockets; Monday at
Kings;
4/18 at Clippers.
-- Tiebreakers - Between 2 teams
1. Head to head: Warriors and
Clippers split season series 2-2; Warriors took season series vs.
Hornets 3-1.
Clippers lead series vs. Hornets 2-1 with 1 game left.
2. Record in division games: Warriors are 5-10 in Pacific Division
games
with one remaining; Clippers are 6-7 in Pacific Division games with
three
remaining. This tiebreaker applies only if two tied teams are in same
division.
3. Record in conference games: Warriors are 24-24; Hornets are
21-27;
Clippers are 20-27.
-- Tiebreakers - between 3 teams
1. Best record in games among tied teams: Warriors are 5-3 vs.
Clippers
and Hornets; Clippers are 4-3 with one game left vs. Hornets; Hornets
are 2-5
with one game left vs. Clippers.
2. Record in division games: Doesn't apply because three teams
involved
aren't in same division.
3. Record in conference games: Warriors are 24-24; Hornets are
21-27;
Clippers are 20-27.
E-mail Janny Hu at j...@sfchronicle.com.
This article appeared on page D - 2 of the San Francisco Chronicle
Don
> San Francisco Chronicle
> Warriors keep pedal to metal
> Tiebreaker situation hazy with 3 teams left in playoff fight
> Janny Hu, Chronicle Staff Writer
>
I guess this tight race is great fodder for beat writers (or
columnists like Ray Ratto).
My take on the playoffs is simple: If the Clippers lose one more, the
Warriors just need to win out and they are in. Obviously, it would be
helpful if the Clippers lost more. However, that would give an
opening to the Hornets to sneak in there.
The tiebreaker between the Warriors and the Clippers is almost
irrelevant to me. If the Clippers were to somehow drop their last
three Pacific Division games, I think that would likely take them out
of the race. The Hornets have a tough road as well as they take on
Denver and Houston the next two games. The Clips got the Lakers,
Portland and Sacto.
The Warriors can definitely go 2-0 against Sacto and Minnesota. I see
the Hornets easily dropping games to Denver and Houston to drop them
out of the race.
I don't want to ask too much, but at minimum I hope the Lakers don't
screw up again and lose to the Clips. Asking Portland and Sacto to
win might be too much, but it's not entirely out of the question.
In an ideal situation.....the Hornets/Clips simply fall into a
tailspin and lose all their upcoming games. The Warriors win their
two weekend games and the playoff picture is settled by sunday
evening.
Am I dreaming? Maybe, but it's not entirely out of the question given
how the Warriors have been playing. Now would be a perfect time for
the usual Clipper swoon. :)
Don
Preacher
> On Apr 11, 9:51 am, "Allen" <lonewolfb...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > San Francisco Chronicle
> > Warriors keep pedal to metal
> > Tiebreaker situation hazy with 3 teams left in playoff fight
> > Janny Hu, Chronicle Staff Writer
> > Wednesday, April 11,
> >2007http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2007/0
> >...
> >
>
> I guess this tight race is great fodder for beat writers (or
> columnists like Ray Ratto).
>
> My take on the playoffs is simple: If the Clippers lose one more, the
> Warriors just need to win out and they are in. Obviously, it would be
> helpful if the Clippers lost more. However, that would give an
> opening to the Hornets to sneak in there.
Well, I'm glad that's enough to give the Warriors an opening, but I'd
feel better if the Clips lost at least a couple.
> The tiebreaker between the Warriors and the Clippers is almost
> irrelevant to me. If the Clippers were to somehow drop their last
> three Pacific Division games, I think that would likely take them out
> of the race. The Hornets have a tough road as well as they take on
> Denver and Houston the next two games. The Clips got the Lakers,
> Portland and Sacto.
>
> The Warriors can definitely go 2-0 against Sacto and Minnesota. I see
> the Hornets easily dropping games to Denver and Houston to drop them
> out of the race.
>
> I don't want to ask too much, but at minimum I hope the Lakers don't
> screw up again and lose to the Clips. Asking Portland and Sacto to
> win might be too much, but it's not entirely out of the question.
The Lakers are dogs. They've proven we can't count on them.
> In an ideal situation.....the Hornets/Clips simply fall into a
> tailspin and lose all their upcoming games. The Warriors win their
> two weekend games and the playoff picture is settled by sunday
> evening.
Oh yeah!
> Am I dreaming? Maybe, but it's not entirely out of the question given
> how the Warriors have been playing. Now would be a perfect time for
> the usual Clipper swoon. :)
If only they had traded for all around 3 MDJ...