Denver throwing a game away to Portland on purpose in hope of Houston falling to #4 seed!

I understand that premise, but you just never know. What if CP3 and Capela go down? What if Curry and Durant go down?

And I get the macro view; it makes sense from that standpoint. But, if it backfires, I don’t believe some of the players will be happy with it and star free agents will need some convincing to want to go there.

 

this is the most informed take i have read so far...
jazz really lacks motivation to beat denver because they can gain nothing from it (they will play blazers anyway even if they lose their last 2 games) and can lose everything if they win(they may get to play rockets)

 

i should rephrase; i'm not actually rooting against Houston ...ever! But i am concerned that the toughest 1st round opponent we could face in the playoffs wold be OKC. That's just my personal opinion. i think they match up well against us and i'd rather face the Clips or the Spurs.

 

Technically, Utah can catch Portland. They own the tie-breaker.

Jazz own the tie-breaker.

 

what are you trying to say?

 

That Jazz have motivation to beat Denver.

Plus, it's their last home game. Fans like last games. fwiw

 

He says that the Jazz can get the 4th seed and HC advantage, Blazers have to lose all their games.

It is at least some kind of motivation.

Even if they dun, I think, Denver is a competitive neighbor, there is enough motivation to beat the neighbor state.

 

perhaps, but in trying to do so they may end up playing the rockets...the surest thing for them is to lose both , thus 100% avoiding houston and 100% play blazers

its better for them to play blazers as a lower seed then to risk ending up playing rockets trying to get highest seed possible

 

no, its risky for them to win.... they may end up playing rockets..

if they lose both they will play blazers guaranteed 100% and avoid rockets 100%

 

its small probablility blazers lose all games and they risk having to play rockets...theres no benefit for jazz in beating denver

 

Not everyone is that good at maths......and everyone is going step by step.

You can't say, I dun want the Rockets that is why I am forfeiting homecourt advantage.

It's doing the best possible to get out of the 1st round first and worry about it later.

Blazers are not a cakewalk, even if last year suggested that.

Also we will find out about it later, there is no guarantee for us to know what the Jazzholes think about load management.

 

heyp, I saw where I was making my mistake... I thought I was looking down the Division Record column, but it was a different column. Utah does in fact have the better Division Record and would own that tiebreaker.

 

That's just straight up wrong dude.

 

But there is. I just told you the benefit.

 

Jazz beating or losing to Nuggets have no bearing on rockets seeding.. they are virtually locked in fifth position and can still actually drop to sixth.. they are playing nuggets and clippers which will both be tough games, if they lose out and OKC wins out, they are now sixth place.. So I am sure they will fight to win that game to assure a 50 win season plus a lock on fifth seed, Also 5th seed still has 80% chance of seeing blazers.. All Nuggs did was reduce Blazers that from a 95% chance to 80% chance at getting fourth seed. In the mean time they reduced there 2nd place finish from 95% certainty to about 70% certainty. So yeah I would take those odds.. But Jazz will be plenty motivated, they would be dumb not to be..

 

They also need OKC to lose one more game.

 

wilt harden all over that

 

Technically yes, but it's very unlikely, especially after they lose to the Lakers purposely. They're basically betting their very small chance of getting homecourt advantage in the first round for the chance of avoiding Rockets in the first round(or maybe even Warriors in the 2nd round).

 

Blazers have two cupcake games and an incentive to win out to try to snatch the 3rd seed from Houston if the Rockets stumble. Denver is locked into the 3 seed at worst. There are only way the Jazz do not play portland assuming Portland wins out - and that's If the Rockets lose to OKC, and the Jazz end up the 5th seed because they win a game or the thunder lose to the Bucks, then they will get the Rockets in the first round.

So if the Jazz want to absolutely avoid the Rockets in the first round, they should lose both of their remaining games. If the Rockets beat the Thunder the Jazz are locked into Portland. If the Thunder beat the Rockets and Portland wins out, then the only way they can escape the Rockets is to drop to 6th which they do if the Thunder beats the Bucks.