05-13-2021, 03:17 PM
(05-13-2021, 02:28 PM)Hogmelon Wrote: The NBA has made my life more complicated than I would prefer by scheduling all of the following games to start at 8:00 PM CDT:
Mavericks vs. Timberwolves
Trail Blazers vs. Nuggets
Lakers vs. Pelicans
Clippers vs. Thunder
Jazz vs. Kings
The most important Western Conference game on Sunday [the last day of the regular season] will probably be the Warriors vs. the Grizzlies, the two teams that are already locked in to the #8 and #9 spots in the play-in tournament.
Memphis and Golden State are currently tied in the loss column, and they have split their two head-to-head games so far. Therefore, if they are still within one game of each other as they square off on Sunday [at 2:30 PM CDT], then the winner of that showdown will be the #8 play-in team, and the loser will be the #9 play-in team.
Although the media (and possibly also the members of this group) have focused more attention on the difference between finishing the regular season in sixth place rather than seventh place, I would contend that there is actually a much more significant "gap" between eighth place and ninth place.
Seriously ... do the math.