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Sorry this is so late, crazy morning . . .
Western Conference Standings:
| Team | W | L | % | GB | Last Night | Tonight | |||||||||
| 1 | Warriors | 48 | - | 12 | 80.00% | 0.0 | vs | LAC | |||||||
| 2 | Grizzlies | 44 | - | 18 | 70.97% | 5.0 | @ | NOP | L | ||||||
| 3 | Rockets | 43 | - | 20 | 68.25% | 6.5 | @ | DEN | W | ||||||
| 4 | Trail Blazers | 41 | 20 | 67.21% | 7.5 | @ | MIN | L | |||||||
| 5 | Clippers | 40 | - | 22 | 64.52% | 9.0 | @ | GSW | |||||||
| 6 | Mavericks | 40 | - | 24 | 62.50% | 10.0 | @ | LAL | |||||||
| 7 | Spurs | 38 | - | 23 | 62.30% | 10.5 | vs | CHI | |||||||
| 8 | Thunder | 34 | - | 28 | 54.84% | 15.0 | vs | TOR | |||||||
| 9 | Pelicans | 34 | - | 29 | 53.97% | 15.5 | vs | MEM | W | ||||||
| 10 | Suns | 33 | - | 31 | 51.56% | 17.0 | @ | CLE | L | ||||||
| 11 | Jazz | 25 | - | 36 | 40.98% | 23.5 | @ | BKN | |||||||
| 12 | Nuggets | 22 | - | 41 | 34.92% | 27.5 | vs | HOU | L | ||||||
| 13 | Kings | 21 | - | 40 | 34.43% | 27.5 | @ | MIA | L | ||||||
| 14 | Lakers | 16 | - | 45 | 26.23% | 32.5 | vs | DAL | |||||||
| 15 | Timberwolves | 14 | - | 47 | 22.95% | 34.5 | vs | POR | W | ||||||
I really don't have much to say. I am slacking.
What happened last night?
With the #2 and #4 teams in the West losing last night the Warriors are putting some distance from the rest of the chase group. The Pellies winning again puts them 0.5 games from the playoffs now. This is crazy. The Wolves beat the Blazers. The West is crazy. The West will always by crazy.
- MEM (2) @ NOP (9): New Orleans wins 95-89
- HOU (3) @ DEN (12): Houston wins 114-100
- POR (4) @ MIN (15): Minnesota wins 121-113
- PHX (10) @ CLE (E): Cleveland wins 89-79
- SAC (13) @ MIA (E): Miami wins 114-109
Houston is now #3 in the West, how long can they hold it?
The Race to the Bottom:
| Team | W | L | % | GB | GL | Conf | Streak | L10 | Top 3 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Knicks | 12 | - | 49 | 19.67% | 0.0 | 21 | East | 15 | L 3 | 2 | - | 8 | 64.3% | |||||||
| 2 | 76ers | 14 | - | 49 | 22.22% | 1.0 | 19 | East | 14 | W 1 | 2 | - | 8 | 55.8% | |||||||
| 3 | Timberwolves | 14 | - | 47 | 22.95% | 2.0 | 21 | West | 15 | W 1 | 3 | - | 7 | 46.9% | |||||||
| 4 | Lakers | 16 | - | 45 | 26.23% | 4.0 | 21 | West | 14 | L 4 | 3 | - | 7 | 37.8% | |||||||
| 5 | Magic | 20 | - | 43 | 31.75% | 7.0 | 19 | East | 13 | W 1 | 4 | - | 6 | 29.2% | |||||||
| 6 | Kings | 21 | - | 40 | 34.43% | 9.0 | 21 | West | 13 | L 3 | 3 | - | 7 | 21.5% | |||||||
| 7 | Nuggets | 22 | - | 41 | 34.92% | 9.0 | 19 | West | 12 | L 2 | 2 | - | 8 | 15.0% | |||||||
| 8 | Pistons | 23 | - | 38 | 37.70% | 11.0 | 21 | East | 12 | L 5 | 3 | - | 7 | 10.0% | |||||||
| 9 | Jazz | 25 | - | 36 | 40.98% | 13.0 | 21 | West | 11 | W 1 | 7 | - | 3 | 6.1% | |||||||
| 10 | Nets | 25 | - | 35 | 41.67% | 13.5 | 22 | East | 11 | L 2 | 4 | - | 6 | 4.0% | |||||||
| 11 | Celtics | 25 | - | 35 | 41.67% | 13.5 | 22 | East | 10 | W 2 | 6 | - | 4 | 2.9% | |||||||
| 12 | Hornets | 27 | - | 33 | 45.00% | 15.5 | 22 | East | 9 | W 4 | 5 | - | 5 | 2.5% | |||||||
| 13 | Heat | 28 | - | 34 | 45.16% | 15.5 | 20 | East | 8 | W 1 | 6 | - | 4 | -- | |||||||
| 14 | Pacers | 28 | - | 34 | 45.16% | 15.5 | 20 | East | 7 | W 5 | 8 | - | 2 | -- | |||||||
| 15 | Suns | 33 | - | 31 | 51.56% | 19.5 | 18 | West | 10 | L 1 | 4 | - | 6 | 2.2% | |||||||
| 16 | Bucks | 32 | - | 29 | 52.46% | 20.0 | 21 | East | 6 | W 1 | 4 | - | 6 | -- | |||||||
| 17 | Pelicans | 34 | - | 29 | 53.97% | 21.0 | 19 | West | 9 | W 1 | 4 | - | 6 | 1.8% | |||||||
| 18 | Thunder | 34 | - | 28 | 54.84% | 21.5 | 20 | West | 8 | L 1 | 7 | - | 3 | -- | |||||||
| 19 | Wizards | 35 | - | 28 | 55.56% | 22.0 | 19 | East | 5 | L 1 | 7 | - | 3 | -- | |||||||
| 20 | Raptors | 38 | - | 24 | 61.29% | 25.5 | 20 | East | 4 | L 2 | 2 | - | 8 | -- | |||||||
Wow, the Jazz only play 21 more games this season? How sad, in a bitter sweet way. Anyway, I think there are three groups: the losers, the we want to be winners, and the 'we don't know, yet' group. The losers are the Top 5 teams here looking forwards to the lotto: NYK, PHI, MIN, LAL, and ORL. No one is going to catch them, no matter how hard the Kings try.
The group that wants to win are East "contenders" and the middle West like OKC, NOP, and PHX. I don't see any teams moving into this group either.
The rest of the teams have to figure things out still. I think Utah is going to finish the season with the 8th to 12th most ping pong balls. Not bad. Not horrible. Not great. It just is.
What big games are happening tonight?
- Clippers @ Warriors -- on ABC, a big game for the Top of the West
- Celtics @ Magic -- Boston is trying to win, and Orlando trying to lose. Will they screw up each other's plans?
- Jazz @ Nets -- Utah finishes up their last long road trip of the season, Brooklyn trying to stay relevant
- Hornets @ Pistons -- two bad teams with bad players and good coaches
- Raptors @ Thunder -- Toronto needs a win, but OKC can feel New Orleans getting close every game
- Mavericks @ Lakers -- If you can name the Lakers starters for this game you get a chance to start in the next one
Utah needs to take care of business tonight, and let the chips fall where they may.