March 25th Western Conference Playoff Race Update

by Scott Howard on Mar 25, 2010 1:15 AM MDT

With last night's results the Suns magic number for a playoff berth is now 3....

Wednesday March 24th Western Conference Results:

Utah Jazz 113 Toronto Raptors 87 (Recap) -The Raptors were at home, it was Chris Bosh's birthday, and they are in a dog fight at the bottom of the Eastern Conference playoff race...didn't matter. Utah blew them away in the first quarter and it was never close. Toronto is 3-12 against the 8 current Western Conference playoff teams - fortunately they only have one such tilt left (Friday v. Denver).

Boston Celtics 113 Denver Nuggets 99 (Recap) - Boston used 27 from Paul Pierce to send the Nuggets to their 3rd straight loss. It's games like these (and schedules like the Jazz have) that lead me to believe the Suns stand a much better chance of catching Denver than Utah. With the news that George Karl may be out until the playoffs and playing without Kenyon Martin - the Nuggets may be in a bit of trouble.

Oklahoma City Thunder 122 Houston Rockets 104 (Recap) - The Fightin' Durants came into this game having lost 3 of 4 but a little home cookin' against the Rockets was all they needed to keep pace in the West. On the other side of things - Houston's slim playoff hopes took another major hit with the loss. Before long they'll be off this update.

Los Angeles Lakers 92 San Antonio Spurs 83 (Recap) - In what amounted to a battle of two evils for Suns fans, the Lakers rallied from 10 down in the first to beat the Spurs. I know it's unnatural to pull for LAL but you better get used to it over the next 3 weeks as they have games against Oklahoma City, Utah, San Antonio, Portland, and Denver. Deep breaths. Why settle for second when first is available? Because first isn't available this time.

Golden State Warriors 128 Memphis Grizzlies 110 (Recap) - Speaking of barely staying on this update....nothing spells lottery quite like a loss to the Warriors. For the Dubs, Reggie Williams proved he wasn't a fluke by posting 23 points in his 29 minutes and the recently deceased Anthony Tolliver hit for 12.

Western Conference Standings:

TEAM	W	L	*PCT*	GB	*L10*	*STREAK*
1. LA Lakers	53	18	.746	-	7-3	WON 7
2. Dallas	47	24	.662	6	7-3	WON 1
3. Denver	47	25	.653	6.5	6-4	LOST 3
4. Utah	47	25	.653	6.5	7-3	WON 3
5. SUNS	45	26	.634	8	8-2	WON 5
6. Oklahoma City	43	27	.614	9.5	7-3	WON 1
7. San Antonio	42	28	.600	10.5	6-4	LOST 1
8. Portland	42	29	.592	11	8-2	LOST 1
- Memphis	38	34	.528	15.5	6-4	LOST 1
- Houston	36	34	.514	16.5	6-4	LOST 2

Thursday March 25th Western Conference Games:

Clippers @ Rockets - obvious must-win for the Rockets to stay alive.

Mavericks @ Blazers - depending on how you look at it, this is a no-lose for Suns fans. Someone in the top 8 is going to lose half a game.

Tweet Comment 24 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

not bad, 2 of 4 competitors lost

jazz looks to be really good, this year they improved so much on the road, they could easily get no2 or no3 seed…

if we can win next five, (which we can hope for, only bulls are bit tougher), and seeing denver and jazz schedule, we would be really close getting home court in first round…

by zeze_999 on Mar 25, 2010 5:01 AM MDT reply actions

I meant mavs...

jazz has pretty light schedule… maybe red-hot pacers can surprise them

by zeze_999 on Mar 25, 2010 5:09 AM MDT up reply actions

Anthony Tolliver's corpes led the Warriors to victory...

so Amare turned this guy into either a zombie or a vampire…maybe a Zombie Vampire…more reasons to love Amare and that should be part of his negotiations for a new contract…“hey Mr. Sarver… Not only did I average 30 pts 10 reb 2 blks down the stretch…I led the team to a title AND my dunks turned A Tolliver AND Kobe and Dw Howard (playoffs) into Zombie Vampires…cause I killed them…ok where do I sign”

by ron_dasun on Mar 25, 2010 5:43 AM MDT via mobile reply actions

still, no one else can upset Lakers in round 1

I hope the Spurs drop to eighth place. The Lakers beat them, but no other team who might get the eighth spot has a better chance to upset the Lakers (like the Nuggets upset the Sonics in 1994 or like the Warriors upset the Mavericks in 2007). Portland is currently the eighth seed, but why would Portland upset the Lakers?

by 8472species on Mar 25, 2010 10:42 AM MDT reply actions

Portland have B-Roy and have i think they have the best regular season record against the lakers since they got Pau

plus, remember they played most of the year without a center, they’ve been much better since they got Camby. They might be one of those teams thats actually playing better going into the playoffs than their records suggest.

by DaveJD on Mar 25, 2010 10:51 AM MDT up reply actions 1 recs

Oh…thanks for that information. By the way, I checked, and noticed that the Spurs’ remaining schedule is much harder than the Suns’.

by 8472species on Mar 25, 2010 11:25 AM MDT up reply actions

I want the Spurs in 8th too.

They might not beat the Lakers but they will do them physical harm…and I’m cool with that.

http://seasonsofdiscontent.com/

by Scott Howard on Mar 25, 2010 11:12 AM MDT up reply actions 1 recs

+1

by magenta on Mar 26, 2010 2:23 AM MDT up reply actions

March 29th is a day I'm looking forward to...

The Nets and Spurs meet. Who wouldn’t laugh if the Spurs end up losing to the Nets and give the Nets either their 9th or 10th win? Of course the Spurs are the only Western Conference playoff contender that the Nets play besides the Suns for the rest of the season. After they play the Spurs, they play us so here’s hoping for a Spurs loss to the Nets and a Suns win. These are the must-win games.

by NashMV3 on Mar 25, 2010 11:50 AM MDT reply actions

I can see it now...

Pop going off on his team like he did on Ginobili when T-Mac erupted for 13 in 35 seconds.

by NashMV3 on Mar 25, 2010 11:51 AM MDT up reply actions

I think some new threads about the danger of Amare Stoudemire leaving are warranted. Compared to that concern, wondering how to best arrange the playoffs for someone to upset the Lakers (thereby helping the Suns) is a waste of time. In the debate over whether he deserves all the money he wants, it’s possible to forget that Stoudemire is the future of the team, its only star who isn’t tired and approaching retirement.

by 8472species on Mar 25, 2010 12:59 PM MDT reply actions

The danger?

It’s pointless to think about it now. Kerr won’t talk about it and the talk from the normal media sources are bs as far as I’m concerned. I’m not worrying about it until it happens. And prepare yourself for change my friend, because there’s nothing you are I can do to stop it.

Blogging Suns Basketball. Twitter: @willcantrellphx

by Wil Cantrell on Mar 25, 2010 1:16 PM MDT up reply actions

LOSE DENVER LOSE

I’d love to see a faultering Nuggs squad first round instead of the Jazz. Maybe if they blow it enough they can fall to 5 and we can grab home court.

Has anyone taken a look at the East Coast trip the Suns have ahead of them. It won’t be easy.

Blogging Suns Basketball. Twitter: @willcantrellphx

by Wil Cantrell on Mar 25, 2010 1:18 PM MDT up reply actions

Good point, sir. It sounds like you think he is going to leave.

by 8472species on Mar 25, 2010 1:46 PM MDT up reply actions

Other teams want him too... A good big man is harder to find these days, compared to good guards

by magenta on Mar 26, 2010 2:24 AM MDT up reply actions

The media is reading way too much into what Amar’e said. He was asked some simple questions and didn’t lie. He said it would be exciting to be in the free agent class of 2010. Why wouldn’t? Lebron might be there too. He’s right. He also said that it would be the best time for him to opt out. Of course it would. He’s right. We already know this stuff. It’s not news.

What people are overlooking is Amare’s other comments. He said that those factors don’t decide whether he will opt out or not. He didn’t say what will decide it though.

There are two things that will decide whether Amar’e opts out. 1. How far we go in the playoffs. 2. Whether Kerr and Sarver are wiling to add more years onto their offer for him. That’s it and we already know that.

Guys, this talk isn’t anything we haven’t already heard or knew.

by Beavis 25 on Mar 25, 2010 1:42 PM MDT up reply actions

Now lets just focus on the season at hand and not worry about all that off-season crap.

by Beavis 25 on Mar 25, 2010 1:44 PM MDT up reply actions

no, there's another factor

The third factor is that Stoudemire soon won’t have Steve Nash. He has to know that.

by 8472species on Mar 25, 2010 1:48 PM MDT up reply actions

But, he could have Dwayne Wade.

Guys, at least we don’t have it as bad as the Cavs fans do. Lebron(the future of the NBA) could possibly be leaving them next season. Lets just enjoy this season.

by Beavis 25 on Mar 25, 2010 1:51 PM MDT up reply actions

+1 on the D Wade comment

by magenta on Mar 26, 2010 2:24 AM MDT up reply actions

That is exactly why

I didn’t link to that recent quote / story about Amare and free agency. Nothing there.

Blogging Suns Basketball . twitter: @sethpo

by Seth Pollack on Mar 25, 2010 2:19 PM MDT up reply actions

That’s fair. Amare Stoudemire blows so much smoke, his latest nickname should be “Smokeblower” or “The Big Smoke.” Or more to the point, “The Man of Mystery.”

by 8472species on Mar 25, 2010 3:01 PM MDT up reply actions

With the dallas loss..

The Suns are now 1.5 games behind the 2nd seed :O

"What I've achieved now is something that I always figured I would as a kid. I've had that type of determination since I was a youngster playing around the playgrounds, getting dirty after school." - Amare Stoudemire

by Suns R Us on Mar 25, 2010 11:26 PM MDT reply actions