KiwiMatt wrote: ↑Tue Mar 25, 2025 8:55 pm
I've been a Debbie Downer over the last four games, but somehow the 6th seed is well and truly still within our grasp.
GSW about to drop a game at Miami and play their next four on the road against New Orleans, San Antonio, Memphis and the Lakers. Steph likely to return next game, but could be rested for another game. Then its home against Denver and Houston. Followed by at Phoenix, vs SAS, at Portland and their last game vs LAC at home.
LAC play tomorrow at the Knicks so dust off your KAT jerseys and paint them orange. They then play the following three games away at Cleveland, Brooklyn and Orlando. Then it's a home stretch of five games against western conference teams which includes Dallas twice, New Orleans, San Antonio and Houston. Followed by their last two away at Sacramento and Golden State.
The Wolves control their own destiny, but cannot afford to drop many more games.
Yeah, I'm not giving up on 6th yet either, Kiwi. No klunkers or anti-klunkers last night for me, so little change in the projected standings since my last update. The biggest development though is Dane's blood clot. If he isn't available for our game against them, a projected loss could turn into a win and propel us past the Warriors and Clippers for 6th. But you're right, we need to keep taking care of our own business. And it starts this Friday against a Suns team that has returned from the dead. Takeaways from the current projection: The top 8 are set...it's a huge gap to 9. I can't figure out the 3-way tiebreaker for 6th. The Wolves game against Memphis looms large...I have it as a projected loss, so an upset would be a 2-game swing:
OkC Who cares
Denver 51
Houston 50 (have the tiebreaker, but 2 more games to go)
Lakers 50
Griz 49
GS 47
Wolves 47
Clips 47
Sac 41
Dallas 39
The 3 way tie with the Clippers and Warriors might be the Wolves best bet to get 6th. Since the 3 teams are not all in the same division, it will come down to conference record. The Wolves have 7 more wins against the West vs the other 2 teams. That should hold.
Phenom wrote: ↑Wed Mar 26, 2025 2:22 pm
The 3 way tie with the Clippers and Warriors might be the Wolves best bet to get 6th. Since the 3 teams are not all in the same division, it will come down to conference record. The Wolves have 7 more wins against the West vs the other 2 teams. That should hold.
Are you sure about that, Phenom? As I look at the 3-way tiebreaker rules at sportingnews.com, the first criterion is any of the three a division winner (probably not), and then better winning percentage in games among the tied teams. The best conference record only comes into play if the two criteria above don't determine a winner. Now, we could end up with the best winning percentage in games among the tied teams (we're currently 4-3, and I don't think either of the other two teams have a positive record)...still one game to go between LA and GS which could have an impact.
Phenom wrote: ↑Wed Mar 26, 2025 2:22 pm
The 3 way tie with the Clippers and Warriors might be the Wolves best bet to get 6th. Since the 3 teams are not all in the same division, it will come down to conference record. The Wolves have 7 more wins against the West vs the other 2 teams. That should hold.
Are you sure about that, Phenom? As I look at the 3-way tiebreaker rules at sportingnews.com, the first criterion is any of the three a division winner (probably not), and then better winning percentage in games among the tied teams. The best conference record only comes into play if the two criteria above don't determine a winner. Now, we could end up with the best winning percentage in games among the tied teams (we're currently 4-3, and I don't think either of the other two teams have a positive record)...still one game to go between LA and GS which could have an impact.
Am I right about the 3-way tiebreaker rules?
That might be right. In that case the Wolves are 4-3, the Clippers are 3-3 and the Warriors are 3-4. The Clippers and Warriors play each other the last game of the year. So maybe at the point the Wolves win with conference record. I guess it will be 6 to one, half dozen for the next.
Yeah, a 3-way between the Wolves-Warriors-Clippers would go to the Wolves, no matter what the result of that last Clipper-Warrior game. It's just a 2-way tie with the Warriors that doesn't go our way.
But the Clippers will be out of picture according to the KOM. They are favored against the Knicks tonight, but I doubt they get the win.
An interesting development to watch is the 3-5 seeds are all at 28 losses, with both the Lakers and Nuggets playing tonight. It's not out of them realm of possibility that one or more of those teams lose enough games to enter the playoff picture with the Wolves!
60WinTim wrote: ↑Wed Mar 26, 2025 10:23 pm
Welp, not a good night playoff-wise for the Wolves. We won’t be backing into the 6 seed…
On the bright side. Randle said the had a great practice today where they really got after it, and that they needed it. Whatever that means.
Yeah, unfortunately the Knicks are not very good without Brunson, so the Clips got a break and now own 6th place in my projection. The Wolves drop to 8th, and would have to play a road play in game against Golden State, We may get a similar break if we face Milwaukee without Dane...we need an anti-klunker or two.
60WinTim wrote: ↑Wed Mar 26, 2025 10:23 pm
Welp, not a good night playoff-wise for the Wolves. We won’t be backing into the 6 seed…
On the bright side. Randle said the had a great practice today where they really got after it, and that they needed it. Whatever that means.
Yeah, unfortunately the Knicks are not very good without Brunson, so the Clips got a break and now own 6th place in my projection. The Wolves drop to 8th, and would have to play a road play in game against Golden State, We may get a similar break if we face Milwaukee without Dane...we need an anti-klunker or two.
I'll be thrilled if we just win our next two games that we are supposed to win!!!
On another note, the Warriors have lost Gary Payton for an indefinite amount of time due to a torn ligament in his left thumb. That might help the Warriors lose the games they are at least supposed to lose!
And now, the Wolves need to win the games they are supposed to win, which is 6 of the last 9... (the Warriors are only supposed to win 5 or their last 10).
