Looking at the schedule.....

[Diesel]

We might go 6-13 in these last games. If we can beat Milwaukee.

40-42 on the season.

[Alex]

I can see Milwaukee ending their last 20 games at 8-12 although some late games depend on how their opponents play it. Which would put Milwaukee at 40-42 as well.

[Guest]

Our 3 games against Milwaukee may decide if we make the playoffs or not.

[macdaddy]

i just don't see anyway we could slip out of the playoffs. we might fall to number 8 but the last i checked there is a huge gap between 8 and 9 and i'm guessing none of those teams below 8 even want to make the playoffs at this point.

[Bahamut]

i just don't see anyway we could slip out of the playoffs.

[macdaddy]

9.5 games ahead of 9th place. If we go 6-13 then to make up lets say 10 games to make it easy then someone has to go 16-3 right? Maybe my math is wrong but even with tanking good luck getting toronto or philly to want or be able to win at that clip. So in a lot of ways unless we are making a run for homecourt advantage these games are pretty meaningless. Well other than staying out of the dreaded 8th position and a miami beatdown.

[Watchman]

i just don't see anyway we could slip out of the playoffs. we might fall to number 8 but the last i checked there is a huge gap between 8 and 9 and i'm guessing none of those teams below 8 even want to make the playoffs at this point.

I agree. I think we make the playoffs in almost any event, however we may be the #8 seed.

[Guest]

i just don't see anyway we could slip out of the playoffs. we might fall to number 8 but the last i checked there is a huge gap between 8 and 9 and i'm guessing none of those teams below 8 even want to make the playoffs at this point.

Ok - I didn't even check to see how many games we were above 9th place.

[MaceCase]

The playoffs have been a forgone conclusion since January, it's only been an issue of seeding (or draft pick) as the team has been within a game of 2nd and now a game and 1/2 of 8th.

[macdaddy]

Here's a question though. Are we better off slipping to the 8th spot or out of the playoffs altogether? Not that that is a possibility but you have to think that is what philly has been thinking. Keep their distance away from that 8th spot and certain demolition.

[MaceCase]

Here's a question though. Are we better off slipping to the 8th spot or out of the playoffs altogether? Not that that is a possibility but you have to think that is what philly has been thinking. Keep their distance away from that 8th spot and certain demolition.

Well the Hawks can avoid certain demolition themselves considering that they are closer to 5th than 8th but to your question, you're better off taking the demolition and revenue than hoping on the .005, .006, .007 chance that you get a top 3 pick. Houston is already gifting us the 16th pick and that's close enough to the 14th pick we'd most likely be guaranteed to get.

If you are going the tanking route you're aiming more for the top (bottom?) 10 spots both from a value and chance standpoint rather than any of the later lotto slots. Look at Indiana, they were the epitome of a limbo team with late lotto selections every year until they lucked into Paul George at, you guessed it, pick 10.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Diesel, I refuse to believe that this team will crash and burn like that. It will be the worst case scenario if they do. Surely they can go at least a little above or below .500 in these next 19 games.

[benhillboy]

I haven't looked at our competing teams schedules, but it doesn't help on the same nights we're expected to lose (like tonight), the Celtics and Bulls should be favored. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say the Wizards pull it off at home versus the Bucks since they've finally gotten healthy and are playing well. I hope anyway. The team faired well early against the cupcakes, and it's paying dividends now that we're running into more teams that can simply outclass us. We pretty much put in our playoff bid in December when Drew won C.O.T.M. and I felt a spot was inevitable after the last win in Utah. Then again, injuries have a lot of say, and we can't afford to lose any key guy down the stretch like many of the teams in our boat. All I can say is thank goodness we're in the East. But I do want to avoid that 8 seed at all costs. The Heat just toyed with us this season.

Edited March 13, 2013 by benhillboy

[MVP23]

It sucks, but we will make the playoffs. Toronto isn't going 16-3, and we are closer to 5 than 8. The Bucks suck also.

[Watchman]

I haven't looked at our competing teams schedules, but it doesn't help on the same nights we're expected to lose (like tonight), the Celtics and Bulls should be favored. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say the Wizards pull it off at home versus the Bucks since they've finally gotten healthy and are playing well. I hope anyway. The team faired well early against the cupcakes, and it's paying dividends now that we're running into more teams that can simply outclass us. We pretty much put in our playoff bid in December when Drew won C.O.T.M. and I felt a spot was inevitable after the last win in Utah. All I can say is thank goodness we're in the East. But I do want to avoid that 8 seed at all costs. The Heat just toyed with us this season.

We play the dead mouse role to the Heat's cat role very well.

[MVP23]

Whoever gets the 8th seed would be better off just not showing up.

[High5]

I'll never root for the Hawks to be 9th instead of 8th, but we could see something worse than the 0-4 Magic series if we meet the Heat. There's no chance at an upset there. New York on the other hand is very beatable. Especially if Amare's knees are acting up. That's who I'm hoping to play out of the top 4 seeds.

[Guest]

Whoever gets the 8th seed would be better off just not showing up.

Not too long ago, we were an 8th seed going up against mighty Boston and their BIG 3. No one gave us a chance to win one game - it was "sweep,sweep. MMMM...guess what we took them to 7 games. With these Hawks you just never know which team will show up on any given night.

[sillent]

I'll never root for the Hawks to be 9th instead of 8th, but we could see something worse than the 0-4 Magic series if we meet the Heat. There's no chance at an upset there. New York on the other hand is very beatable. Especially if Amare's knees are acting up. That's who I'm hoping to play out of the top 4 seeds.

I would like to see a Woodson vs Drew matchup as well as a Joe Johnson and Brooklyn vs. Hawks. We've matched up pretty good with the Pacers as well !!