If the Pelicans were to make the playoffs, will it be over Spurs or Thunder?

[DarkHornet]

If the Pelicans could keep winning and were to beat someone out for the playoffs, do you believe our best shot is the Thunder or the Spurs? We are currently 2 games back of the Thunder and 4 games back of the Spurs. The Thunder are on a roll, even without Durant. I find it hard to believe we're going to be able to keep with their pace over the last few weeks of the season, much less better them by two games.

The Spurs are the Spurs, and you have to believe that veteran group will find a way to get in, because that's what they do. However, we are only four games back, and they are sliding a bit. Is it possible we find ourselves in a race with them for the 8th spot? Even if we didn't make it, THAT would be entertaining to watch.

[saintsinNO]

With the way Westbrook is playing and the moves they made, there is no way OKC doesn't make the playoffs. It would have to be the Spurs. I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility. I am reluctant to ever count them out because they are the Spurs, but father time has to catch up at some point.

[IamQuailman]

What about the Clippers too? Could they slip some more? I know they've been playing pretty well despite BG's injury, but they are currently 6th seed and we are only 6.5 games back with 25 games left in the season. Clippers go on a 3-4 game losing skid and that race keeps getting closer too....

We just need to keep winning games we are supposed to win. Our bench (our biggest weakness coming into the season) has developed a gritty, blue collar personality that we needed. Get us Davis back, and honestly, I like our chances. But we just gotta keep winning.

[AD23nEG10]

depends how long durant is out for. if it's the season, i say thunder. if not, spurs

[UptownFuz504]

we all should be Phoenix fans tonight.

[N.O.Bronco]

Both teams have a tough schedule to finish off their seasons but unfortunately our is just as hard. When you factor in the growth of teams like Milwaukee and the possible resurgence of a rejuvenated Kings team, the schedule has few easy games.

We are going to have to go on an unbelievable run that this seasons history says we aren't capable of doing.

[Caffeinedisastr]

Has Duncan EVER missed the playoffs?

[PhilJFry]

Has Duncan EVER missed the playoffs?

Missed the playoffs? The Spurs have never had less than 50 wins with Duncan (excluding a shortened 98-99 season where they were 37-13). If the season ended today the Spurs would have a .596 winning percentage, which would be the worst of Duncan's career.

[Caffeinedisastr]

Missed the playoffs? The Spurs have never had less than 50 wins with Duncan (excluding a shortened 98-99 season where they were 37-13). If the season ended today the Spurs would have a .596 winning percentage, which would be the worst of Duncan's career.

Then I see our playoff chances extremely slim. I don't see OKC slowing down and history has taught us NEVER to discount the Spurs.

[MichaelMcNamara]

IMO, it's the Spurs.

As I said last night - when I say the Pels have a 2% chance of making the playoffs, I am saying we have a 2% chance of catching the Spurs.

The Thunder will be a top 3 team in the NBA from here on out. If we say we will beat the Spurs in the final game of the year, then we are essentially 3 games back with 24 to go. They go 12-12 and we need to go 15-9. Then, win the final game of course.

I would give that about a 2% chance. Can't see any way we catch the Thunder.

[Caffeinedisastr]

I would think San Antonio would have to completely fall into the ******* for them to miss the playoffs.

They are still 4 games ahead of us.

[Spec3333]

IMO, it's the Spurs.

As I said last night - when I say the Pels have a 2% chance of making the playoffs, I am saying we have a 2% chance of catching the Spurs.

The Thunder will be a top 3 team in the NBA from here on out. If we say we will beat the Spurs in the final game of the year, then we are essentially 3 games back with 24 to go. They go 12-12 and we need to go 15-9. Then, win the final game of course.

I would give that about a 2% chance. Can't see any way we catch the Thunder.

The only way we are catching the Thunder is if Westbrook suffers a serious injury, which is not out of the realm of possibility given the way he plays and his injury history the past couple of years. Even a healthy Durant would not make up for the loss of Westbrook this year. I'd give the Pelicans another 2% for this possibility.
In addition, I think there is also a small chance that the Mavericks or Clippers slide enough for us to catch them. Both of these teams have pretty difficult schedules the rest of the way. Dallas is dealing with Rondo drama, and Clippers don't have Blake right now. I'd give us a 1% chance of catching Mavs or Clips.
So, adding it all up, I'd say the Pelicans have a 5% chance of making the playoffs.

[MichaelMcNamara]

Let's say we win 46 games, which is the most optimistic I think we can reasonably be. Dallas would have to go 7-15. Clips would have to go 9-15.

I don't think that has even a 1% chance of happening personally.

[NOLA93]

First post here. I am going to say the Spurs. They are old and may continue to fall down the stretch. Plus we have that critical home game against them the last game of the season. So that is a must win for us and we would hold the tie breaker. Therefore, we are in my mind, three games behind SAS since we must win that last game and two games behind OKC.

[dmmlsu]

Spurs

[new city champ]

The initial question is can we take care of our end. With 25 games left and a seriously depleted roster, what is our ceiling? I'd be pretty impressed if we went around .500, which of course would still land us well short of the playoffs. Still, given how things are, I'd count a 42-40 finish as a job well done from this point. I'd put 46-36 as the outer limit, meaning a 16-9 finish. That would be damn impressive and would mean our role guys play above their heads for a long stretch. I still can't see the Spurs or Thunder or anyone else in the top current top 8 stumbling enough to finish with 46 wins, barring catastrophic injury to a key player or players. If we were at full strength, I'd give us a shot to get over the hump, just a shot. But asking this squad to play .650 ball the rest of the way is asking too much.

[DefensiveMind]

We are in the ballpark, but's a severe longshot. It's gotta be the Spurs though. Every year the Spurs are counted out because people think this is the year they finally fall off. At some point it will happen, the question for us is.. is it going to happen over these next 25 games. Even still its going to take us having a streak of good basketball that we haven't seen since Monty's first 8 games.

[DarkHornet]

We are in the ballpark, but's a severe longshot. It's gotta be the Spurs though. Every year the Spurs are counted out because people think this is the year they finally fall off. At some point it will happen, the question for us is.. is it going to happen over these next 25 games. Even still its going to take us having a streak of good basketball that we haven't seen since Monty's first 8 games.

The only reason I even brought it up is because I'm wondering if it's happening right now. Granted, every season the Spurs go through stretches where you wonder if they're sliding only to have them turn it on when it matters. I fully expect that to happen again. Still, being an optimist and finding it fun to speculate, I'm looking for places to hope. If I had to bet on which horse is going to be last of the 8 horses in front of us, I'm going with the Spurs.

[DroopyDawg]

OKC has Phoenix tonight and Portland tomorrow night. If they lose these 2 and we win tomorrow that would help big time.

[tyler]

You know what I notice... Pelican's has a decent bench now

[NOLA93]

OKC lost tonight. They play Portland tomorrow. It's possible to be even with then in the loss column after Friday nights games.

[LouisianaPride]

Westbrook went down at the end as well. We'll see how that ends up

[Pantazis76]

OKC have a hard schedule, westbrook can go on a cold stretch and they will lose everyone cos his still gonna take 38 shots...
Pelicans have the second easiest schedule in the league to go

[UptownFuz504]

I don't know if the Pels will make the playoffs but I think there is a legitimate chance that the Pels can make it. If I'm not mistaken, the Pels own the tie breaker over the Thunder. All the Pels need to do is keep pace and they'll get in based on the tie breaker. Winning the final games against the Suns and Spurs is paramount.

[1ShotSniper]

If the pelicans were to make the playoffs it would be because of OKC falling which would mean Durant is out longer and Westbrook goes cold or misses time too. I think that if we can keep winning like we have the last 3 games and play like our backs are against the wall we have a chance of making it. I think all of our players are tired of not playing in the off-season .