Are we guaranteed a top-3 seed in the East?

by keychey on Mar 7, 2010 6:53 PM EST

I'd like to understand how division titles affect seeding within a conference. Are we guaranteed a top-3 position assuming we win the Atlantic division? If that's true, then our only interest in following what's happening in the Southeast division would be to know who we will face in the 2nd round (ORL or ATL) since we wont have to worry about facing CLE at least till the conference finals?

Or, are the conference standings based purely on W-L records? Would be great if some one could throw some light on this topic.

Be respectful and keep it clean. Thanks.

Tweet Comment 11 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

NO... top 4

by jbuell719 on Mar 7, 2010 7:33 PM EST reply actions

just based on W-L records?

…how does the division title help?

by keychey on Mar 7, 2010 9:03 PM EST up reply actions

As far as I know (please correct me if I am wrong)

The division title guarantees a top 4 spot. The 3 division champions plus the other team in the conference with the best record are seeded 1 to 4 by their records.

We will automatically be number 4 if ever we have a tied record with the Hawks (assuming Orlando is 2nd).

"The idea is not to block every shot. The idea is to make your opponent believe that you might block every shot." - Bill Russell

Yes, intimidation is the key to domination.

by Marjun Raposon on Mar 7, 2010 10:09 PM EST up reply actions

Ah, I see, thanks for the explanation!

…and I guess the division title guarantees a 4 spot, but not home court in the first round. For example, if the 5th seed has a better W-L record than us, they still get home court?

by keychey on Mar 7, 2010 10:30 PM EST up reply actions

I believe that is wrong. Pretty sure Celts get home court, not not 100 percent

by vinnie on Mar 7, 2010 10:55 PM EST up reply actions

4 seed gets home court no matter record

by jbuell719 on Mar 7, 2010 11:53 PM EST up reply actions

That's not my understanding of it.

A few years back (prior, I think, to making the change in 2006 that guarantees a division winner only a top-four spot rather than top-three), the league ruled that homecourt advantage in each series would be determined by record first (and other tie-breakers to follow if the records were the same).

See Miami-Chicago in 2007 as an example: Miami won their division and received the four seed but finished with fewer wins than fifth-seeded Chicago, so the Bulls hosted games 1 and 2 of their eventual sweep.

-sw

Growing up in the Weinman household, you learn two rules very quickly if you aspire to reach double-digits in the years-of-age category: Hate thy Knick, hate thy Yankee.

Go Celtics, Go Dodgers. -sw

by Steve Weinman on Mar 8, 2010 12:22 AM EST up reply actions

my bad steve.. u are correct i forgot about the rule change sry bout that

by jbuell719 on Mar 8, 2010 1:06 AM EST up reply actions

Thanks guys! so...

…division titles affect playoff positions and hence the match-ups while home court purely goes by W-L record. A follow-up question would be, why even consider division titles at all? Why not just rank the 8 best teams based purely on W-L records? What’s the reasoning behind the current system of rankings?

by keychey on Mar 8, 2010 2:17 AM EST up reply actions

I think that if Stern and Co. would not consider division titles

then why bother making divisions at all? I think that is the logic behind it. That is only my opinion. Btw, the current divisions were brought about by the addition of the newest team, the Bobcats.

"The idea is not to block every shot. The idea is to make your opponent believe that you might block every shot." - Bill Russell

Yes, intimidation is the key to domination.

by Marjun Raposon on Mar 8, 2010 8:00 AM EST up reply actions

Not really

Currently, we are tied with Atlanta. And in the event that our records are tied at the end of the season, we will be no. 4 since Atlanta owns us 4-0 this season. There is a good chance that we become no. 3 if the final stretch run results is good, but as far as it being guaranteed, is actually not a good thing to believe right now.

"The idea is not to block every shot. The idea is to make your opponent believe that you might block every shot." - Bill Russell

Yes, intimidation is the key to domination.

by Marjun Raposon on Mar 7, 2010 8:24 PM EST reply actions