NOK chokes away a 15-point lead at home to Utah and loses by a point.

One sacramento win and NOK is done. Two more wins and Utah is also done.

Chicago and Washington in a sad excuse for a critical game took turns screwing up in the 4th quarter. Ben Girdon went 9/9 from 3-point range but managed to suck at every other facet of the game.

Philly gets spanked in Miami, while Indy beats Minnesota.

Chicago's magic number is down to 2 (wins/philly losses) with 3 left to play. Theyre getting in.

HOWEVER, assuming that, we're left with this:

Milwaukee, Washington, Chicago and Indiana are all within 1 game of each other.

It will probably go down to the very last day to decide one single east playoff matchup.

Predicting the last 3 games of each team:

Milwaukee: 2-1

vs Atlanta W
vs Detroit W
at Washington L

Washington: 3-0

vs Cleveland W
vs Milwaukee W
at Detroit W

Chicago: 2-1

at Miami L
at Orlando W
vs Toronto W

Indiana: 3-0

at Charlotte W
at Toronto W
vs Orlando W


5-8 standings:

5. Washington 42-40
6. Indiana 42-40
7. Milwaukee 41-41
8. CHicago 40-42

HOWEVER, assuming that, we're left with this:

Milwaukee, Washington, Chicago and Indiana are all within 1 game of each other.

It will probably go down to the very last day to decide one single east playoff matchup.

Wow.

The bottom half of the Eastern Conference sucks (moreso than the Western Conference).

Orlando is officially out.

No, Orlando is technically still alive.

But they need to go 3-0 and have Chicago and Orlando both go 0-3. Theyre not a realistic shot by any means, but they cant be X'd out yet.

It helps Orlando that they play both chicago and Philly at home, but they cant control the rest. I just cant see Chicago losing at home to toronto on the final day if it comes to that.

I hope Orlando gets in, but it's a hell of a longshot.

nvm, Orlando is OFFICIALLY out. They would lose a tiebreaker to Chicago via conference record by 1 game.

I was wrong, Orlando isn't even a factor anymore.

my whole life ive said that if your record isnt .500 you shouldnt get in the playoffs. i know its not feasable cuz how would you just have 6 or 7 playoff teams in a conference if the playoff team number is decided down the stretch. not gonna happen. but usually my argument just concerns the 8 seed so it was easy to say have a 12 team playoff (6 from each conference) or even 7 apiece with a bye team, and that would solve it. but right now, the 5th seed in the east, yes the 5TH SEED does not have a winning record. most pathetic thing i have ever seen in my life. its not parity, its bloated playoffs.

once again...

5TH SEED is under .500

and that makes me wanna cry.

The Nets scored 25 1st half points and still won the game.

LOL@Boston

OK I think I was wrong. Technically Orlando is still alive. Here's the only possiblity it'll work.

If they win out and Chicago loses out, they end up with the same record but Chicago edges them out since they have a better conference record.

But...

In case of a three-way tie, that is, for Philly to win one of the remaining 2 games and lose the other, Orlando gets in by virtue of a better record for games among these three teams. What we'll have is, Orl:Chi 2:2, Orl:Phi 3:1, Chi:Phi 2:2

OK I think I was wrong. Technically Orlando is still alive. Here's the only possiblity it'll work.

If they win out and Chicago loses out, they end up with the same record but Chicago edges them out since they have a better conference record.

But...

In case of a three-way tie, that is, for Philly to win one of the remaining 2 games and lose the other, Orlando gets in by virtue of a better record for games among these three teams. What we'll have is, Orl:Chi 2:2, Orl:Phi 3:1, Chi:Phi 2:2Nope. It goes by division record first now, thus the reason for them bieng alive.

If Chitown loses out, and Orlando wins out, magic in, bulls out.

The odds of that happening are slim, but I've seen crazier things.

http://www.nba.com/statistics/playoff_picture.html

Orlando doesn't have tiebreaker against Chicago.