TheItalianStallion

Cleveland back in the #1 spot, tied with Boston in overall record. We're tied with Toronto in overall record, though they won the season series edge, so we're in 4th. If ATL hangs onto the #6 spot and Cleveland keeps the #1, we need to push for the #3. That way we can face ATL in round 1 and avoid Cleveland until round 3. Course, that assumes Cleveland holds off Boston.

Don't let the record fool you: Charlotte has been on a roll lately. This was a good win. Gortat actually played some defense!

The only reason not to keep Otto is if he's part of a trade for Boogie. Or maybe another possible trade. But it better be good, cuz Porter is a perfect fit for this offense.

To toy with a team that rested its best player for the entire 4th, you mean. Don't forget, we did have it into single digits with around half the quarter to go.

Him + picks for Boogie?

I just hope that Gortat's recent woes are merely a product of all the minutes he played early on in the season and aren't a product of him beginning an irreversible decline as he gets older.

Since we probably won't catch Toronto, Boston better hang on to that #1 seed.

Gortat's done. Mahinmi or Smith should be starting. It might not even be a funk at this point, it may be that all those minutes early on have worn him down and he needs the offseason to regain his form.

How the heck is that not a charge?!

Whoa.....Indy might not even make the playoffs. Chicago may still get in.

Yeah what the heck happened to Bojan's long-range shooting?

Quit fouling so darn much.

Can you suck any worse than Gortat does right now? Geez.........

If we want to stay ahead of Toronto, I think we pretty much have to win at least 1 of the next 3, sweep Hornets/Knicks, and win at least 2 of the final 3 - Heat/Pistons/Heat again. Even that might not be enough: they have it easier than we do, and could very well run the table. If Cleveland is resting their starters in the season finale, Toronto may be favored in all of their remaining games.

http://www.nba.com/article/2017/03/28/morning-shootaround-march-28-2017 No. 1: Lue may punt on high seed to rest Cavs' stars -- For the first time since Nov. 9, 2015, the Cleveland Cavaliers are not leading the Eastern Conference standings. Their 103-74 loss at the hands of the visiting San Antonio Spurs last night pushed the Boston Celtics ahead of Cleveland for No. 1 in the conference. As Cleveland looks at its last few games, coach Tyronn Lue may be willing to exchange a top-three seed so stars LeBron James and Kyrie Irving can rest up for the playoffs. Click link for the rest My thoughts: they may be mini-tanking so as to fall to the #4 and hoping that we hang on to the #3 or better, but not overtake Boston, for the sake of avoiding the Wizards (as opposed to the Wizards wanting to avoid Cleveland, which is usually what has been discussed here) until the ECF, and facing Boston in the 2nd. I think Milwaukee snags the #5, so that's who Cleveland would face if they fall to the #4. Which would leave DC to face ATL, Indy, or Miami in the 1st, and (assuming they win) Toronto in the 2nd. I like that scenario. In fact, if we stay ahead of Toronto, that would actually give us home court throughout the playoffs, including the ECF.

I'm still not ruling out the possibility of snagging the #1 seed. We're only 2 back of Cleveland and 2.5 back of Boston. Also......... http://www.nba.com/article/2017/03/28/morning-shootaround-march-28-2017 No. 1: Lue may punt on high seed to rest Cavs' stars -- For the first time since Nov. 9, 2015, the Cleveland Cavaliers are not leading the Eastern Conference standings. Their 103-74 loss at the hands of the visiting San Antonio Spurs last night pushed the Boston Celtics ahead of Cleveland for No. 1 in the conference. As Cleveland looks at its last few games, coach Tyronn Lue may be willing to exchange a top-three seed so stars LeBron James and Kyrie Irving can rest up for the playoffs. Click link for the rest My thoughts: they may be mini-tanking so as to fall to the #4 and hoping that we hang on to the #3 or better, but not overtake Boston, for the sake of avoiding US until the ECF, and facing Boston in the 2nd. I think Milwaukee snags the #5, so that's who Cleveland would face if they fall to the #4. Which would leave us to face ATL, Indy, or Miami in the 1st, and (assuming they win) Toronto in the 2nd. I like that scenario. In fact, if we stay ahead of Toronto, that would actually give us home court throughout the playoffs, including the ECF.

Hey, it very well could've been for bible study purposes. You know, missionary work and all.........

I hope he does that in the first round and - wait, what?

Too early to tell or sure, but our post-AS funk may be over now.

Did they seriously let that contact go?

Our focus has mostly been on who we want to face in the 2nd round, but I think we should be more concerned about who our first round opponent ends up being than we are. Milwaukee and Miami both scare the heck outta me. I'd rather face Indy, ATL, Toronto, or one of the teams not currently in the top 8 if they end up making it (not likely).

To what end?

Well it wasn't quite what I had in mind, but he got some good rest.

Good Lord, what a monster quarter by Wall!! 12 points, 5 assists?! Daaaaaaaamn....

I think I'd rather rest him vs Cleveland than tonight.