Today's Win over 76ers has an impact on tie-breakers

[tomatolander]

Today we got a great win vs Sixers  
And that got us a 3 game lead over both Sixers and Knicks.
But.... The lead isn't very safe if you look at our daunting schedule.
What if we are all tied up with Sixers, or Knicks, or both of them at the end of the season?

We lost the tie breaker to Sixers, 1W2L
Sixers lost the tie breaker to Knicks, 1W2L

Our tie breaker with Knicks is still up in the air, we now lead them 2W1L. We can own it (3W1L) with a win @ NYK on 17th Apr. But if we lose the game, that will be tied (2W2L).
The next rule to determine the tie breaker will be division record. Now we sit at 7W4L.  Knicks are 6W6L. If we count the Knicks game as a loss, the record would be: Celtics 7W5L, Knicks 7W6L.
That means the remaining divisional games are very crucial. We have Nets and Raptors remaining; while Knicks have Nets and Wizards.
If we take care of business and win both Nets and Raptors, that will earn us the tie breaker vs Knicks regardless of win/loss vs Knicks on 17th Apr. And that's why today's win over Sixers matters!.....

And now what if all 3 teams are tied?
The division winner is determined by record among all the teams involved.
Now we are 3W3L, Sixers 3W3L, Knicks 3W3L.... all identical!
So the 17th Apr game will determine the 3-team tie breaker.
We win, we will get it; Knicks win, Knicks will get it; Sixers will lose the 3-team tie breaker no matter what! And that's why today's win over Sixers matters again!

I wish our season won't come to these situations. If we take care of business, we should solidify our position and even gun for the 3rd seed! But division games seem to be have extra value, right?

[manl_lui]

wow, thanks for the info, we have to win the back-back-back games. I think its against the Bobcats, Raptors and Nets, which all should be easy wins but don't know how the Cs will do in a 3 day 3 game period. Knicks are playing well without Mike D'antoni, but they are without Amar'e JLin. Hopefully Rondo will take care of business with Baron Davis and KG on Tyson, Pierce should take care of himself with Melo

[chambers]

I didn't know how this was affected so thanks heaps for posting the info. It's great to know these smaller details that give them even more motivation to finish strongly.

TP

[green7]

good thing there is not really a back to back to back, because there would be no need to play neither of our active players against the bobcats lol,that can be moore & johnson time to shine.