Analysis The Race for Home-Court Advantage - 25/26 Playoffs Seed Tracker

[BatManu20]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2042649444068528332

Denver trying to get the 4th seed?

Yea they most likely prefer to avoid the 3-Seed as it presents the toughest road for them imo. MIN has given them issues over the past few years as we know (Min sent them home in b2b years just couple years ago) and it could potentially be a grueling 6 or 7 game First Round series. Then the Spurs would likely give them another grueling 6 or 7 game series. And if they got through that, then they'd face another grueling 6 or 7 game series with OKC on tired legs.

Think they'd rather face HOU in the First Round and then just face OKC in the 2nd Round. They're going to have to beat OKC regardless if they want to advance to the Finals, so prob smarter to face them earlier on fresher legs after defeating HOU in 5 or 6 games.

Edit*: Of course with that said, HOU wants no part of DEN in the First Round, so they're going to try to win their last 2 games to sneak into that 3-Seed, but the Lakers own the tiebreaker over them this season, so if they can somehow win their last 2 games, they'd get the 3-Seed and HOU would be stuck in the 4 slot and would have face DEN in the First Round. So we'll see what happens. We'll know more after tonight. My guess is that DEN winds up getting the 3rd Seed regardless (punishment for beating us last week tbh) as it'll be tough to lose to the dog-shit lineup OKC is about to throw out there tonight.

 

[Dbreiden83080]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2042649444068528332

Denver trying to get the 4th seed?

OKC will lay down in this one, no matter what.

 

[spurraider21]

The Thunder and Nuggets should just play all their guys and try to score on the wrong baskets.

they should both play at full strength but trying to score on the opposite rim

 

[Exstatic]

they should both play at full strength but trying to score on the opposite rim

That would probably be more entertaining than what will actually happen.

 

[Arguendo]

McCain drops 50 to lead the Thunder past Hardaway and the Nuggets 82-80

 

[Mugen]

Memphis @ Utah is a high stakes tank game tonight. OKC/Denver should sit back and watch actual professional tankers show them how it's done...

I could see Ainge aiming a t-shirt gun at Ace Bailey during jumpball tbh.

 

[scott]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2042649444068528332

Denver trying to get the 4th seed?

Memphis and Utah are going to put on an amazing tankfest tonight (both have major lotto odds to lose by winning).

But likewise, OKC and DEN are going to be throwing an epic tankfest, just on the other side of the standings.

People were so worried about the people who paid good money and will miss out on watching Lauri Markkanen and Ja Morant... I promise you there are people who paid a hell of a lot more for a late season SGA-Joker matchup... weird, haven't seen similar concern for them. It's almost like that concern... wasn't real... or something.

 

[spurraider21]

to be fair, denver has ruled their starting lineup as questionable, whereas OKC ruled their entire rotation out yesterday

 

[scott]

Don't know if this is real... but have seen that the Spurs are going to try to pull this off for Game 1.

Assuming they coordinate this right, could be pretty awesome.

 

[tearsofmorningdew]

Don't know if this is real... but have seen that the Spurs are going to try to pull this off for Game 1.

Assuming they coordinate this right, could be pretty awesome.

View attachment 1597

It’s real. Game 2 shirt is more traditional, going to that one. Hope I can snag one of these

 

[spursistan]

Nuggets aren't going through a Wolves-Spurs-OKC-Celtics gauntlet. Simple as that. Even all time great teams need a 'soft' series to win a championship. Would be foolish if they were in position to clean the clock of the skeleton crew Lakers in a swift sweep but decide to pass on it.

 

[Seventyniner]

Memphis and Utah are going to put on an amazing tankfest tonight (both have major lotto odds to lose by winning).

But likewise, OKC and DEN are going to be throwing an epic tankfest, just on the other side of the standings.

People were so worried about the people who paid good money and will miss out on watching Lauri Markkanen and Ja Morant... I promise you there are people who paid a hell of a lot more for a late season SGA-Joker matchup... weird, haven't seen similar concern for them. It's almost like that concern... wasn't real... or something.

All the more reason to implement that anti-tanking idea I put in the other thread. If the team that wins the game (scores more points) decides who gets the "win" for playoff and lottery purposes, all 4 teams involved would have every incentive to win tonight.

 

[Russ]

McCain drops 50 to lead the Thunder past Hardaway and the Nuggets 82-80

Then he gets cut.

 

[Kick-Stand]

Shameless to the point where I can kinda respect it tbh

I mean why would you not tank that game? They get to have the Spurs, Nuggets, and Wolves on the other side of the bracket so they only have to play one of them and get the trashed by Mr Getoffmydickerson crew instead of anyone who is a threat in the second.

 

[Kick-Stand]

they should both play at full strength but trying to score on the opposite rim

Bend over, I'll score on your opposite rim

 

[ace3g]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2042744517603012899

 

[spursistan]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2042744517603012899

wow Nuggets officially ducking Wolves Was thinking they would leave the decision until second half Spurs game once the picture becomes clearer?

 

[Seventyniner]

Well, someone has to lose that game. If it's tied down the stretch will they actually score on the wrong basket? Jack up half court threes on every possession? Throw the ball out of bounds on purpose?

 

[Coyote2!]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2042381430659887398

Yeah, OKC isn’t winning

I suppose we won't know until tomorrow for sure, but the fact that this blatant bullshit where teams throw games late in the season to protect favorable seeding is not penalized with heavy fines - especially after Silver and the NBA made a big show about penalizing Utah and other bottom-feeders for throwing games in order to tank - rubs me the wrong way. I understand resting players in the last game or two of the season because you've got nothing to play for win or lose, but in this case, OKC has a vested interest in losing

Anyway, fuck OKC. I guess we'll just have to take it out on them after we beat the Nuggets in round 2.

Don't know if this is real... but have seen that the Spurs are going to try to pull this off for Game 1.

Assuming they coordinate this right, could be pretty awesome.

View attachment 1597

Mmm... rainbow sherbet

 

[scott]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2042744517603012899

Biblical levels of tanking by top teams... I kind of love it.