Question about Seeding

[syfy9]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/standings;_ylt=ArweSDH2nMxe1tZzpAazNqC8vLYF

As you see in the Atlantic Division, Boston and the 76ers are tied at 27-22. Philly has the 4th spot, yet Indiana and Atlanta are 29-19 and 30-20 respectively and have the 5th and 6th spots.

Does this mean when we surpass the 76ers, do we jump to the 4th seed, and Philly takes the 5th? Can anyone clear this up for me?

[nickagneta]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/standings;_ylt=ArweSDH2nMxe1tZzpAazNqC8vLYF

As you see in the Atlantic Division, Boston and the 76ers are tied at 27-22. Philly has the 4th spot, yet Indiana and Atlanta are 29-19 and 30-20 respectively and have the 5th and 6th spots.

Does this mean when we surpass the 76ers, do we jump to the 4th seed, and Philly takes the 5th? Can anyone clear this up for me?

The winner of the Atlantic division is guaranteed no less than a fourth seed. If a runner up in another division has a better record than the Celtics after they win the Atlantic division, then they get the 3rd seed, if not the winner of the Atlantic division, the C's get the third seed.

If Philly finishes behind the C's in the Atlantic then they are seeded where ever they fall in the best team thereafter category. Therefore, the Sixers could finish a game behind the Celtics in the Atlantic and yet not even make the playoffs because they finish 9th in the Eastern Conference. Sadly, the same could be said of the Celtics if they don't win the Atlantic.

[Moranis]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/standings;_ylt=ArweSDH2nMxe1tZzpAazNqC8vLYF

As you see in the Atlantic Division, Boston and the 76ers are tied at 27-22. Philly has the 4th spot, yet Indiana and Atlanta are 29-19 and 30-20 respectively and have the 5th and 6th spots.

Does this mean when we surpass the 76ers, do we jump to the 4th seed, and Philly takes the 5th? Can anyone clear this up for me?

The winner of the Atlantic division is guaranteed no less than a fourth seed. If a runner up in another division has a better record than the Celtics after they win the Atlantic division, then they get the 3rd seed, if not the winner of the Atlantic division, the C's get the third seed.

If Philly finishes behind the C's in the Atlantic then they are seeded where ever they fall in the best team thereafter category. Therefore, the Sixers could finish a game behind the Celtics in the Atlantic and yet not even make the playoffs because they finish 9th in the Eastern Conference. Sadly, the same could be said of the Celtics if they don't win the Atlantic.

Yep and it should also be noted that home court in the playoffs is by record, so Boston could be the 4th seed and not have home court advantage if the 5th seed has a better record.

[PierceMVP08]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/standings;_ylt=ArweSDH2nMxe1tZzpAazNqC8vLYF

As you see in the Atlantic Division, Boston and the 76ers are tied at 27-22. Philly has the 4th spot, yet Indiana and Atlanta are 29-19 and 30-20 respectively and have the 5th and 6th spots.

Does this mean when we surpass the 76ers, do we jump to the 4th seed, and Philly takes the 5th? Can anyone clear this up for me?

The winner of the Atlantic division is guaranteed no less than a fourth seed. If a runner up in another division has a better record than the Celtics after they win the Atlantic division, then they get the 3rd seed, if not the winner of the Atlantic division, the C's get the third seed.

If Philly finishes behind the C's in the Atlantic then they are seeded where ever they fall in the best team thereafter category. Therefore, the Sixers could finish a game behind the Celtics in the Atlantic and yet not even make the playoffs because they finish 9th in the Eastern Conference. Sadly, the same could be said of the Celtics if they don't win the Atlantic.

Your post just a raised a question for me... Are the division winners guaranteed a playoff sport regardless of whether they have a top 8 record? 

For instance, if the Celtics win the division, but their record is only 9th best in the east, do they then qualify as the 4th seed and the team with the 8th best record in the conference misses the playoffs?  That would seem to be an oversight of this rule but certainly does add meaning to the division title, which i know the NBA is trying to do.

[RyNye]

Your post just a raised a question for me... Are the division winners guaranteed a playoff sport regardless of whether they have a top 8 record? 

For instance, if the Celtics win the division, but their record is only 9th best in the east, do they then qualify as the 4th seed and the team with the 8th best record in the conference misses the playoffs?  That would seem to be an oversight of this rule but certainly does add meaning to the division title, which i know the NBA is trying to do.

Technically, yes, this is what would happen. However, it is pretty unlikely that a team can win a division and not have a top 8 record in the conference. It is possible, though, if the NBA gets a division that's abjectly terrible ... so if, for example, the OKC Thunder randomly blew up their roster next season for no real reason whatsoever and tanked their way out of the play-offs, the Jazz could have a shot at winning the division with a not top 8 record.

[Moranis]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/standings;_ylt=ArweSDH2nMxe1tZzpAazNqC8vLYF

As you see in the Atlantic Division, Boston and the 76ers are tied at 27-22. Philly has the 4th spot, yet Indiana and Atlanta are 29-19 and 30-20 respectively and have the 5th and 6th spots.

Does this mean when we surpass the 76ers, do we jump to the 4th seed, and Philly takes the 5th? Can anyone clear this up for me?

The winner of the Atlantic division is guaranteed no less than a fourth seed. If a runner up in another division has a better record than the Celtics after they win the Atlantic division, then they get the 3rd seed, if not the winner of the Atlantic division, the C's get the third seed.

If Philly finishes behind the C's in the Atlantic then they are seeded where ever they fall in the best team thereafter category. Therefore, the Sixers could finish a game behind the Celtics in the Atlantic and yet not even make the playoffs because they finish 9th in the Eastern Conference. Sadly, the same could be said of the Celtics if they don't win the Atlantic.

Your post just a raised a question for me... Are the division winners guaranteed a playoff sport regardless of whether they have a top 8 record? 

For instance, if the Celtics win the division, but their record is only 9th best in the east, do they then qualify as the 4th seed and the team with the 8th best record in the conference misses the playoffs?  That would seem to be an oversight of this rule but certainly does add meaning to the division title, which i know the NBA is trying to do.

The first sentence of the post you quoted answered your question.

[syfy9]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/standings;_ylt=ArweSDH2nMxe1tZzpAazNqC8vLYF

As you see in the Atlantic Division, Boston and the 76ers are tied at 27-22. Philly has the 4th spot, yet Indiana and Atlanta are 29-19 and 30-20 respectively and have the 5th and 6th spots.

Does this mean when we surpass the 76ers, do we jump to the 4th seed, and Philly takes the 5th? Can anyone clear this up for me?

The winner of the Atlantic division is guaranteed no less than a fourth seed. If a runner up in another division has a better record than the Celtics after they win the Atlantic division, then they get the 3rd seed, if not the winner of the Atlantic division, the C's get the third seed.

If Philly finishes behind the C's in the Atlantic then they are seeded where ever they fall in the best team thereafter category. Therefore, the Sixers could finish a game behind the Celtics in the Atlantic and yet not even make the playoffs because they finish 9th in the Eastern Conference. Sadly, the same could be said of the Celtics if they don't win the Atlantic.

So this only applies to the Atlantic division every year? Or does it change after every other season?

[Neurotic Guy]

How is draft order impacted?  If the C's have the 6th best record in the East but win the Atlantic to get the 4th seed, does draft order reflect seeding? Actually, I'll bet the answer is that draft order ignores seeding and reverts to pure record -- no other way to make that fair considering both conferences.