Celtics Playoff Seeding Thread

[SparzWizard]

Now if the Celtics can actually win games they're supposed to win...that #1 seed would be locked up.

[jpotter33]

Washington has Utah and GSW next two games.

Toronto is playing really well.

Indiana is currently the 8 seed.

1. Celtics
2. Cavs--> strugling
3. Raptors--> playing well and getting Lowry back
4. Wizards --> fading
5. Atl/Mil
6. Atl/Mil
7. Miami
8. Indiana

is a dream scenario for me.

Yeah, that's about as ideal as it gets, but I would put money on Chicago getting in at the 8 seed over Indiana.

After tonight, Chicago has 7 more games, and only one of those games is against a playoff opponent, with 5 of them being against the bottom-6 teams in the league (Brooklyn twice). And that playoff opponent is Atlanta without Millsap. Chicago pretty much just virtually sealed their tiebreaker over Indiana with that win over Cleveland, too.

On the other hand, Indiana still has games @ Toronto, @ Cleveland, vs. Toronto, vs. Milwaukee, and vs. Atlanta.

So essentially, Chicago just has to play one game better than Indiana the rest of the way to surpass them in the standings, though things get a bit more complicated if there gets to be a three-way tie with Miami, Chicago, and Indiana.

[jpotter33]

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2017-nba-predictions/

538 now projects Boston having a 64% chance of hanging onto the top seed with Cleveland having a 35% chance of reclaiming it.

[hwangjini_1]

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2017-nba-predictions/

538 now projects Boston having a 64% chance of hanging onto the top seed with Cleveland having a 35% chance of reclaiming it.

perhaps. but for me, it is the upcoming game with cleveland that will decide first place and possibly even indicate the outcome of a playoff series between them.

[CelticsElite]

I like our chances against the bulls if they make the 8th seed (might be tougher if  rondo becomes playoff rondo).  Also would make for  interesting storyline against rondo. 

[LGC88]

Chicago had great success against top teams.
They also had great downfalls with weaker teams.
This team is unpredictable.

As for Cleveland, if I were them, I'd be scared about Philly. One thing that is undeniable is that this Philly team is playing with a purpose. They bring energy and toughness for 48 minutes. If you look down on them, you lose.

This end of this season is very exciting in the east.

[YoungOne87]

seems like nobody wants the first seed... 

[trickybilly]

I like our chances against the bulls if they make the 8th seed (might be tougher if  rondo becomes playoff rondo).  Also would make for  interesting storyline against rondo.

We struggle with teams with length. We eat the Bulls in a seven game series.

[jpotter33]

Team            Record  Games Back

1. Boston         48-27    0
2. Cleveland     47-27    .5
3. Washington 46-29    2
4. Toronto        45-30    3
5. Atlanta         39-36    9
6. Milwaukee     39-36    9
7. Miami           37-38   11
8. Indiana        37-38   11
9. Chicago        36-39    12
10. Detroit       35-41    13.5
11. Charlotte    34-41   14

Bold = games still yet to be played tonight/yet to be determined

Indiana at Toronto

Denver at Charlotte

Orlando at Boston

Philadelphia at Cleveland

NYK at Miami

Detroit at Milwaukee

Washington at Utah

Perfect night/Who to root for: Boston win, Toronto win/Indiana loss, Charlotte loss (so they shut it down before our final game against them), Cleveland loss, Miami win, Milwaukee win, Washington loss

It might be a bit too much to ask, but a Philly win in Cleveland would be absolutely huge for us, though it'd have to be combined with a win by Boston against Orlando. Let's just hope that we take care of business against Orlando and maintain our lead tonight. A Toronto win/Indiana loss combined with a Washington loss would also serve us really well tonight, too.

So we have lots to root for (and against) tonight!

[mef730]

I like our chances against the bulls if they make the 8th seed (might be tougher if  rondo becomes playoff rondo).  Also would make for  interesting storyline against rondo.

We struggle with teams with length. We eat the Bulls in a seven game series.

Yum, bull meat.

Mike

[Timdawgg]

Team            Record  Games Back

1. Boston         48-27    0
2. Cleveland     47-27    .5
3. Washington 46-29    2
4. Toronto        45-30    3
5. Atlanta         39-36    9
6. Milwaukee     39-36    9
7. Miami           37-38   11
8. Indiana        37-38   11
9. Chicago        36-39    12
10. Detroit       35-41    13.5
11. Charlotte    34-41   14

Bold = games still yet to be played tonight/yet to be determined

Indiana at Toronto

Denver at Charlotte

Orlando at Boston

Philadelphia at Cleveland

NYK at Miami

Detroit at Milwaukee

Washington at Utah

Perfect night/Who to root for: Boston win, Toronto win/Indiana loss, Charlotte loss (so they shut it down before our final game against them), Cleveland loss, Miami win, Milwaukee win, Washington loss

It might be a bit too much to ask, but a Philly win in Cleveland would be absolutely huge for us, though it'd have to be combined with a win by Boston against Orlando. Let's just hope that we take care of business against Orlando and maintain our lead tonight. A Toronto win/Indiana loss combined with a Washington loss would also serve us really well tonight, too.

So we have lots to root for (and against) tonight!

Why do we want Toronto to win..they are still in striking distance...

[jpotter33]

Team            Record  Games Back

1. Boston         48-27    0
2. Cleveland     47-27    .5
3. Washington 46-29    2
4. Toronto        45-30    3
5. Atlanta         39-36    9
6. Milwaukee     39-36    9
7. Miami           37-38   11
8. Indiana        37-38   11
9. Chicago        36-39    12
10. Detroit       35-41    13.5
11. Charlotte    34-41   14

Bold = games still yet to be played tonight/yet to be determined

Indiana at Toronto

Denver at Charlotte

Orlando at Boston

Philadelphia at Cleveland

NYK at Miami

Detroit at Milwaukee

Washington at Utah

Perfect night/Who to root for: Boston win, Toronto win/Indiana loss, Charlotte loss (so they shut it down before our final game against them), Cleveland loss, Miami win, Milwaukee win, Washington loss

It might be a bit too much to ask, but a Philly win in Cleveland would be absolutely huge for us, though it'd have to be combined with a win by Boston against Orlando. Let's just hope that we take care of business against Orlando and maintain our lead tonight. A Toronto win/Indiana loss combined with a Washington loss would also serve us really well tonight, too.

So we have lots to root for (and against) tonight!

Why do we want Toronto to win..they are still in striking distance...

It's virtually impossible for them to catch us at this point. They're 3 games back with 7 games to go, and we have 3 games against Orlando, New York, and Brooklyn remaining. If we both win tonight, then we'd have to go 3-3 the rest of the way with them going 6-0 for them to catch us, which isn't happening.

We want them to win because a Toronto win and a Washington loss puts them in 3rd place and playing Cleveland in the 2nd round rather than Boston. I think we're likely to keep the number one seed at this point, so we want Washington at 4 and Toronto at 3.

[jpotter33]

Milwaukee and Miami both down in the 4th in games they should win tonight.

[jpotter33]

Milwaukee and Miami both down in the 4th in games they should win tonight.

Well, Miami lost, but Milwaukee won, which is the more important result.  They should be firmly out of the running to play us in the first round.

Both Toronto and Washington are 3-1 vs. Milwaukee this season, but most of those games didn't come lately when they've been playing better. They're going to give hell to whoever their first round matchup is, and I could see them upsetting either Washington or Toronto with how well they're playing now.

[dwlefty13]

Wizards lost to the Jazz tonight. Updated standings

1. Celtics 49-27
2. Cavs 48-27
3. Raptors 46-30
4. Wizards 46-30
5. Bucks 40-36
6. Hawks 39-36
7. Heat 37-39
8. Pacers 37-39

Outside looking in includes the Bulls a half game back of the Heat and Pacers at 36-39 followed by the Hornets and Pistons with 35-41 and 35-42 records, respectively.