timberwolves utterly slim playoff hopes update
for bruno, mostly, i suppose
(also alex, if she happens to be reading)
(also everyone else too [wouldn't want to leave you out...]):
the situation as of late saturday night/actually early sunday morning is as follows. as you know, to get into the playoffs the wolves must win each of their last 3 games (vs. seattle (good), new orleans (bad), san antonio (good)). meanwhile, the grizzled bears of memphis must lose each of their final two games (vs. san antonio and dallas).
a few things to keep in mind with these matchups regarding the timberpuppies' hopes:
first of all, the ambivalent news: tim duncan has just recently returned from his ankle injury and the spurs have not played many games yet with him back. he is unqustionably the most important part of their game plan. he was out for a decent amount of time, and while he was they had to adjust their game plan a fair amount. now with him back they have a very limited amount of time before the playoffs start in which to try to regain the rhythm they had built up before his injury. as a result, they may choose not to rest him at all the last couple of games of the season, which they might otherwise normally do if they were not trying to get back into their groove. this is both good and bad for the wolves, because both the wolves and the grizzles play san anton.
now the good news: the #1 seed (and the home court advantage it carries with it) is still a mathematical possibility for san antonio (their competition for it is phoenix). the monday game between san antonio and memphis begins before the phoenix/denver game, meaning that san antonio will still at that point be able to possibly get the #1 seed, meaning in turn that they will be playing to win and won't be resting their stars for that game. so that game should be a tough one for memphis to win.
so if the wolves win sunday, and if the spurs beat the grizz monday it all comes down to wednesday night. now, if phoenix wins monday vs. denver, then san anton will be eliminated from the #1 seed. if this happens, there is definitely a chance, despite the whole rhythm thing mentioned above, that san anton will rest their starters vs. the wolves on wednesday because they are locked into the #2 seed regardless, giving the wolves a much better chance. [however, if, on the other hand, phoenix loses monday and san anton wins monday, then san anton still mathematically have a chance at the #1 seed, which means they will be playing to win wednesday against the wolves, which is bad]. so root for the suns on monday while you are rooting against the grizzly adams'.
now the bad news: dallas, memphis's opponent on wednesday, has locked themselves into the #5 seed. this is significant because it means there is a good likelihood that they will rest their starters on wednesday vs. the grizz, making it a much easier game for them to win. (a win that would, of course, eliminate the wolves).
and it goes without saying (then why am i saying it? you may ask...well, i suppose it doesn't really completely go without saying...i guess i just needed a new transition phrase...) that all of this is assuming the wolves can even beat seattle sunday. possibly by the time you read this that game will be over and, if the wolves lose, all of this will be rendered obsolete. let us hope that that is not the case, at the very least for the fact that the precious time i spent writing this instead of writing my paper or sleeping or flipping between access hollywood and the antiques roadshow will all have been for nought (alt. spelling=naught).
so, to recap, here is who you want to win:
wolves both sunday and wednesday (absolutely necessary)
spurs over grizz monday (ditto)
phoenix over denver monday (preferable)
got that? that is all for my hastily written and non-proofread playoff outlook. does that at least momentarily satisfy your desire for the sharing of my basketball-related info (while at the same time giving you hope that i may again use this, my little corner of cyberspace, to share with you fine people my basketball thoughts and ramblings)?
i hope so.
(also alex, if she happens to be reading)
(also everyone else too [wouldn't want to leave you out...]):
the situation as of late saturday night/actually early sunday morning is as follows. as you know, to get into the playoffs the wolves must win each of their last 3 games (vs. seattle (good), new orleans (bad), san antonio (good)). meanwhile, the grizzled bears of memphis must lose each of their final two games (vs. san antonio and dallas).
a few things to keep in mind with these matchups regarding the timberpuppies' hopes:
first of all, the ambivalent news: tim duncan has just recently returned from his ankle injury and the spurs have not played many games yet with him back. he is unqustionably the most important part of their game plan. he was out for a decent amount of time, and while he was they had to adjust their game plan a fair amount. now with him back they have a very limited amount of time before the playoffs start in which to try to regain the rhythm they had built up before his injury. as a result, they may choose not to rest him at all the last couple of games of the season, which they might otherwise normally do if they were not trying to get back into their groove. this is both good and bad for the wolves, because both the wolves and the grizzles play san anton.
now the good news: the #1 seed (and the home court advantage it carries with it) is still a mathematical possibility for san antonio (their competition for it is phoenix). the monday game between san antonio and memphis begins before the phoenix/denver game, meaning that san antonio will still at that point be able to possibly get the #1 seed, meaning in turn that they will be playing to win and won't be resting their stars for that game. so that game should be a tough one for memphis to win.
so if the wolves win sunday, and if the spurs beat the grizz monday it all comes down to wednesday night. now, if phoenix wins monday vs. denver, then san anton will be eliminated from the #1 seed. if this happens, there is definitely a chance, despite the whole rhythm thing mentioned above, that san anton will rest their starters vs. the wolves on wednesday because they are locked into the #2 seed regardless, giving the wolves a much better chance. [however, if, on the other hand, phoenix loses monday and san anton wins monday, then san anton still mathematically have a chance at the #1 seed, which means they will be playing to win wednesday against the wolves, which is bad]. so root for the suns on monday while you are rooting against the grizzly adams'.
now the bad news: dallas, memphis's opponent on wednesday, has locked themselves into the #5 seed. this is significant because it means there is a good likelihood that they will rest their starters on wednesday vs. the grizz, making it a much easier game for them to win. (a win that would, of course, eliminate the wolves).
and it goes without saying (then why am i saying it? you may ask...well, i suppose it doesn't really completely go without saying...i guess i just needed a new transition phrase...) that all of this is assuming the wolves can even beat seattle sunday. possibly by the time you read this that game will be over and, if the wolves lose, all of this will be rendered obsolete. let us hope that that is not the case, at the very least for the fact that the precious time i spent writing this instead of writing my paper or sleeping or flipping between access hollywood and the antiques roadshow will all have been for nought (alt. spelling=naught).
so, to recap, here is who you want to win:
wolves both sunday and wednesday (absolutely necessary)
spurs over grizz monday (ditto)
phoenix over denver monday (preferable)
got that? that is all for my hastily written and non-proofread playoff outlook. does that at least momentarily satisfy your desire for the sharing of my basketball-related info (while at the same time giving you hope that i may again use this, my little corner of cyberspace, to share with you fine people my basketball thoughts and ramblings)?
i hope so.
posted by Josh Peterson at 2:18 AM
3 Comments:
Perfect. Now I know who to root for and I don't have to spend another 25 minutes in the hallway talking to you to figure it out. Less human interaction + less capitalization = blogging. You've got the hang of it now.
Oh, Josh. Thank you for giving me so much hope. I cannot wait to see the Twolves in the playoffs. It will be the one and only happy part of my year thus far.
-4/29/05
um. i am confused. why do you write such things on 4/29 when it is obvious that the timberwolves have not made it to the playoffs and are instead wallowing in lottery dissapointment. why must you torment me so? why can't you let this fiasco of a season rest!
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