Can the Sixers Catch the Hawks?
by Jordan Sams on Mar 19, 2011 12:23 PM PDT
in Future Stuff
Email
PrintWith 13 games remaining the Sixers find themselves just three games behind the Hawks for the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs, and a less unfavorable first round match-up with the Orlando Magic. The Magic are a superior Eastern Conference team, but they're no Heat or Bulls or Celtics. The best chance the Sixers have of winning their first playoff series in eight years is by playing Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic for the second time in three years.
But the Hawks aren't the only team the Sixers must outlast to obtain the fifth seed. The seventh-seed Knicks sit a miniscule half game behind the Sixers for the sixth seed, and like the Sixers, have 33 losses.
Can the Sixers hold off the Melo-full Knicks and catch the Hawks simultaneously? After the jump we'll take a look at the remaining schedules of all three teams.
Games Remaining: 13
Home Games: 7
Road Games: 6
Against above .500: 6
Against below .500: 7
Back-to-backs: 3
Vs. Sixers + Knicks: 1
Tiebreaker over Sixers: Yes
Predicted record: 8-5
Games Remaining: 13
Home Games: 8
Road Games: 5
Against above .500: 7
Against below .500: 6
Back-to-backs: 3
Vs. Sixers + Knicks: 2
Predicted record: 8-5
Games Remaining: 14
Home Games: 8
Road Games: 6
Against above .500: 6
Against below .500: 8
Back-to-backs: 4
Vs. Sixers + Knicks: 1
Tiebreaker over Sixers: No, but depends on April 6th meeting
Predicted record: 9-5
----------------------------------
Looking at the schedules, it will take a Baby Jesus-sized miracle for the Sixers to catch the Hawks. The Hawks own the tiebreaker over the Sixers so instead of a three-game cushion, it'll play out as a four-game lead. With only 13 games remaining, and four games separating the teams, the Sixers would have to go something like 10-3 and hope the Hawks go 6-7. Not likely. Any hope the Sixers have for the fifth seed will hinge on their head-to-head match-up with the Hawks on March 23.
However; the sixth seed is very much up-for-grabs. The Sixers currently own a half-game lead over the Knicks and the tiebreaker. Both teams have pretty similar schedules, with the Knicks playing one extra game. The biggest game of the season will be the head-to-head match-up on April 6. The winner of that game will all-but lock up the tiebreaker and the sixth seed.
So a first round match-up with the Magic looks unlikely. The sixth seed will probably earn the Sixers a trip to South Beach, and falling to the seventh seed will match the Sixers up with either the Bulls or Celtics, and erase almost all hope for a first-round upset.
It's sixth seed or BUST for me. I want bragging rights over the Knicks, 40 dollars, and the opportunity to take my blogging talents to South Beach for the first round.
15 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
I don’t think it’s that unrealistic that the Sixers can beat the Celtics…they’re not the same team after the trade and have been playing very poorly of late with losses to the Nets, Clips, Rockets and us. I’d rather play them than the Heat
Different situation
The celtics have a lot of new players getting used to each other plus the injuries that have hit the team. You’ve all seen the ciricism they got last year and they got themselves one game of a championship. Its a different time come the playoffs never underestimate them.
its going to be tough...
It is going to be very hard to get this 5th seed. I think it is great though that the sixers have the opportunity to prove whether they deserve it or not by playing nyk and atl straight up
The Sixers blew their shot for the 5th seed this past week with the Utah and Milwaukee losses (not to mention the OT OKC loss).
Derek Bodner
LibertyBallers || @derekbodner || derek.bodner@draftexpress.com
Who made those goofy projections? It seems like they were pulled out of the nether regions of a bovine!
Atlanta is 3-7 in their last 10, so how can anyone realistically think they will win 8 out of their last 13? They have a 3 game lead but are falling apart, whoever gets them in the first round will wipe them out. New York is playing .500 ball and can’t catch us.
These last 13 games are when the teams that are playoff ready are winning and everyone looking at an early vacation is playing for pride. The playoff teams that are flagging now are suspect.
The game tonight against Portland will go a long way towards demonstrating how able the Sixers are. They were able to rest their starters in a cakewalk victory over Sacramento. The loss to Milwaukee right after the Boston game was a real let-down, but not entirely unexpected.
Frankly, Miami looks like the weakest of the top 4 Eastern teams heading into the playoffs. I’ll wait until they play them next to make a prediction, but Miami is 4-6 in their last 10 and the Sixers are a better team even if their top 3 are better than any one player on ours.
Atlanta is definitely in range if the Sixers really want to play Orlando instead.
I agree in that I don’t think Miami will be a strong playoff team. They are flawed and shallow. However, I don’t think the sixers match up well to them. Lebron will be a handful for Iguodala, likewise, Wade will be a handful for Jrue (assuming he’s guarding him over Meeks). I think the sixers will be able to pull a couple games out of the series, but ultimately I see Miami losing in the second round.
I’m actually more in favor of the sixers matching up to the Celtics. I don’t like the trades they made. I think it made them weaker. Their bench is pretty bad anymore and I think the sixers had success exploiting the celtics’ weaknesses.
All in all, if the sixers make the 7th seed, I’m hoping that they play the celtics over chicago.
"I admire his competitiveness. As much as I admire it, I thought that he was trying too hard."- Eddie Jordan
Not the nether regions of a bovine!?
Liberty Ballers / Ridiculous Upside / SBN Philly / Twitter
The Artist Formerly Known As The Artist Formerly Known As Michael Bourn
by Michael Levin on Mar 19, 2011 11:09 PM PDT up reply actions
Yeah it's gonna be close to impossible unfortunately
No Iguodala tonight and we’ve just blown too many games this year. Great season for us regardless but it’s kinda a shame there. As for the playoff match-ups, we’re going to be an underdog regardless and I really don’t care.
Getting the 5 seed would be awesome, however, I agree that is probably unlikely. I’m thinking Miami is going to pass Boston for the 2nd seed in the East. Miami is 2 games behind them now and are starting to pick things up and play good ball. Boston, on the other hand, seems to be going in the opposite direction. I’ve watched them a bit since the trade and something just doesn’t seem right with them. Why they decided to mix things up at the trade deadline is kind of puzzling to me. Don’t get me wrong, I like Jeff Green a lot and I think Kristic is solid BUT Kendrick Perkins helped give Boston that badass vibe that everyone feared. Who the hell wants to battle down low against him and Garnett? They seem lost right now, and are definitely missing their brother Perkins. Like Jordan, I think we end up in the 6th seed and play Boston, and believe it or not, I think we might give them a hard time. Am I calling an upset? Nah not really, but just sayin.
Perkins only played 12 games for Boston this year. It wasn’t his badass that was the reason they’re winning. Now, Green and Krstic getting minutes in their frontcourt I can buy more than the loss of Perkins.
Derek Bodner
LibertyBallers || @derekbodner || derek.bodner@draftexpress.com
by Derek Bodner on Mar 19, 2011 5:00 PM PDT up reply actions
I’d much rather play Miami than Orlando, both teams aren’t NBA finals contenders in my opinion(then, Boston is falling apart and Atlanta is meh). So that basically means a Spurs championship. Pending on if they can edge out Lakers, OKC as a dark horse.
Miami isolates too much, they have no center and their coach is geniunely clueless. It shouldn’t have to take Chris Bosh whining for Spoelstra to realize he has a power forward.
Their PG play is also in question, especially compared to the Jruth.
If we wanna make noise in the playoffs, no better way then beating a “superior” Miami team.
Heat record against .500 teams: 18-20
Heat record in games decided by 5 or fewer: 6-13
Are the Sixers a good team? Yes.
May Collins outcoach the hell out of Spoelstra.
Let me rephrase, there’s not an eastern team that as of now, has even the slimmest hope of beating a top-4 team. Do you think the Heat beat the Mavericks this time around? Unless they get 2007-esque treatment, I don’t think so.
Never mind the Lakers, Spurs, Thunder, when the games start counting in April-June.
The title’s staying in the west, bare some unknown surprise.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
NBA Playoffs Content Module
Related FanPosts on Liberty Ballers
Related FanShots on Liberty Ballers
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
