Al Jeff (and the Jazz) are about to get jobbed.

[indeedproceed]

So the West has a few very interesting playoff races, and I'm not going to get into all of them, but the biggest is of course between the Jazz and the Lakers for the 8th seed.

Currently the Lakers are up one game on the Jazz. If the Jazz are going to get in, they need to beat the Grizzlies, and the Lakers need to lose to the Rockets.

This is where the screw job is going to occur.

The Rockets are currently in the 7th spot, a game behind the Warriors. If the Warriors lose and the Rockets beat the Lakers, the Rockets will face the Nuggets, who swept them convincingly during the regular season. The Warriors, with Tony Parker's lackluster recent play, would probably be okay with either the Spurs or the Nuggets as a first round opponent, but they're playing the Blazers, who were embarrassed by the Clippers tonight. The Blazers are currently on a 12 game losing streak, and desperate to end the season on a high note.

The Jazz are going to have a hard enough time beating the Grizzlies tomorrow, but even worse, the Rockets and Warriors tip off at the same time tomorrow night. The Rockets have a lot more to lose by winning than the Warriors do by losing, and can't take the risk they'll be facing a kryptonite matchup in Denver in the first round, so they might well either rest their starters, or only play them marginal minutes.

This is against a chip on their shoulder Lakers team struggling just to make the post season, and the Lakers will almost certainly take the game.

Result: Rockets lay down, Jazz gets screwed, even if they beat the Grizzlies.

[SparzWizard]

Whoever faces OKC, Denver, and LA Clippers in the playoffs...are in big trouble.

[lightspeed5]

lakers arent making the playoffs. players dont lose games for seeding purposes.

[GreenEnvy]

Better off. If Lakers somehow missed playoffs, Stern would have them win the lottery.

Let them sneak in and get embarrassed.

[bfrombleacher]

Better off. If Lakers somehow missed playoffs, Stern would have them win the lottery.

Let them sneak in and get embarrassed.

I think they dished out all their picks for Dwight

[indeedproceed]

lakers arent making the playoffs. players dont lose games for seeding purposes.

I think you really missed the point. Players don't lose games for seeding purposes, but coaches absolutely rest their starters and manage lineups under the pretext of 'needing' rest to affect seeding/draft position. And that loses games just as well.

[staticcc]

Portland is starting 4 rookies, no way are they winning against the Warriors.

Rockets win, Warriors win, and LA will still make the playoffs because Jazz will sh*t themselves and lose to the Grizz.

[Birdman]

Better off. If Lakers somehow missed playoffs, Stern would have them win the lottery.

Let them sneak in and get embarrassed.

I was going to say the same thing!!! Lakers will get a top 3 pick, no doubt

[CelticConcourse]

Rockets win, Big Al leads Jazz to a second straight home loss for MEM while Steph Curry breaks the three-point record and wins.

3Nuggets
4Clippers
5Grizzlies
6Warriors
7Rockets
8Jazz
(In an ideal world)

[scaryjerry]

Nope...not getting jobbed...simply should've won more games

[SHAQATTACK]

Of course I I want Utah to win but I  zero faith they will , they have choked and failed to put the Lakers away playing awful ball , basically threw away the season losing all those games and letting LA back in..    Al is the last person I want in a Celtic uniform.  they have a losing tradition.

I have only a little more faith in Houston beating LA. 

[Roy H.]

Of course I I want Utah to win but I  zero faith they will , they have choked and failed to put the Lakers away playing awful ball , basically threw away the season losing all those games and letting LA back in..    Al is the last person I want in a Celtic uniform.  they have a losing tradition.

I have only a little more faith in Houston beating LA.

Yeah, they had an awful stretch in March, where they went 2-9.  I guess in fairness, they played eight road games in that span, including at Chicago, NY, OKC, and San Antonio.  The only truly bad team they lost to was the Cavs.

Since then, though, they've recovered, going 9-2. 

[get_banners]

i want a kobe-less lakers nowhere near the lottery. let them make the postseason and lose. but...yeah, if they end up in the lottery, lets just say i wouldn't be shocked if they ended up with a much higher pick than they should have.

[hwangjini_1]

Better off. If Lakers somehow missed playoffs, Stern would have them win the lottery.

Let them sneak in and get embarrassed.

the lakers do NOT have their first round draft pick this year. while the conditions surrounding it are complicated, the lakers do NOT have their first round pick this year.

so, the lakers can either miss the playoffs, be embarrassed, and get nothing from the draft...

or..

the lakers can make the playoffs, get crushed in the first round, and then get nothing from the draft.

sometimes life is good. 

[CelticsFan9]

The scary part is if LA beats Houston, the Lakers get the 7 seed and play SAS.

Not saying LA would win, but it's a lot better than playing OKC.

LA is making the playoffs.  Memphis isn't going to lie down to Utah, as the Griz still have a shot at taking third in the West.

Houston also needs a miracle to win in LA.  I have a feeling the officiating is going to be lopsided.