The Hornets must defeat the LA Clippers on Tuesday night at the Arena and Dallas there on Wednesday and a LA Lakers loss against Sacramento on Tuesday night to capture the Western Conference top seed, but they could still slip as far as No. 5.
The Hornets are 15-point favorites over the Clippers as they go for a 4-0 series sweep.
There's a mess in the wild, wild West. The eight West playoff teams have been determined, but that's about it. Six teams remain 2 2/2 games or closer to the conference's best record. The ultra-competitive playoff race entered its final three-day stretch on Monday with nine teams still having something on the line. GoldenState was eliminated on Monday night. The eight remaining teams:
1. Lakers (56-25). Monday: Off. Left to Play: 9:30 Tuesday night vs. Kings. At stake: Simple -- they win on Tuesday they get home-court advantage through the West playoffs. At worst, they're No. 2.
2. Hornets (55-25). Monday: Off. Left to play: 7 on Tuesday night vs. Clippers, Wednesday at Mavericks. At stake: Need two wins and a Lakers loss to win West's top spot, still could slip as far as No. 5.
3. Spurs (55-26). Monday: Won at Kings 101-98. At stake: Stretch-run slump means they'll finish between No. 2 and No. 6.
4. Jazz (54-27). Monday: Beat Rockets 105-96. Left to play: Wednesday at Spurs. At stake: Northwest Division champs need to beat Spurs and get some help to avoid opening playoffs on the road.
5. Rockets (54-27). Monday: Lost at Jazz 105-96. Left to play: Wednesday vs. Clippers. At stake: Setback in Utah took them out of the running for the No. 1 West seed. Still could fall to No. 6.
6. Suns (54-27). Monday: Beat Warriors 122-116. Left to play: Wednesday vs. Trail Blazers. At stake: Still could earn first-round home-court edge if they beat Blazers and the Spurs lose to Jazz.
7. Mavericks (50-31). Monday: Off. Left to play: Wednesday vs, Hornets. At stake: Will be in the playoffs, but would drop to No. 8 with a loss to the Hornets coupled with a Nuggets victory.
8. Nuggets (49-32). Monday: Off. Left to play: Wednesday vs. Grizzlies. At stake: They were big Suns fans on Monday because Phoenix's win over GoldenState put Denver in the playoffs.
The Hornets will clinch the Southwest Division by defeating the Clippers.
Yeah, it's only going to cost a couple of million bucks from Louisiana taxpayers for these kind of events to happen...... Oh, but it's an ECONOMIC ENGINE!!!!!! Whoo whooo woooooooo!!!!!!!! I like those Louisiana choo-choo train types of thoughts. Written by Basketball isn't the only thing with bouncing
on 4/16/2008
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The Hornets must defeat the LA Clippers on Tuesday night at the Arena and Dallas there on Wednesday and a LA Lakers loss against Sacramento on Tuesday night to capture the Western Conference top seed, but they could still slip as far as No. 5.
