WHY? ESPN's Lakers Playoffs Simulations!

[JBKB]

Ok, ESPN has been using a program that allows them to simulate 10,000 possible outcomes of how the Lakers will finish their last 48 games as a way to determine their chances of making the playoffs.

Well, the Lakers are not the only team that are under or near 0.500. Therefore, why are they only providing the outcomes for the Lakers?

[R-Star]

Originally Posted by JBKB

Ok, ESPN has been using a program that allows them to simulate 10,000 possible outcomes of how the Lakers will finish their last 48 games as a way to determine their chances of making the playoffs.

Well, the Lakers are not the only team that are under or near 0.500. Therefore, why are they only providing the outcomes for the Lakers?

Two reasons. Its so unfathomable that they're playing so bad considering everyone pegged them as a top 3 team before the season started, and the other reason is simply that they're one of the most popular franchises in the league.

[JBKB]

"Unfathomable" : ) I'm not sure why anyone thought the Lakers would be a top 3 team after losing Andrew Bynum, and the acquisition of a non-competitive, playful Dwight Howard who childishly refuses to improve his free-throw shooting, and a sluggish 40-year-old point guard (Oh wait, Nash won't be 40 until Feb 2014 so I'm about a year off). Be realistic Lakers fans!

Nevertheless, the Lakers are a popular franchise, so I see where you are coming from in that regard.

[R-Star]

I'm not even a Laker fan, I'm a Pacers fan bro. I'm probably Dwights biggest critic on the site, but I never thought he'd be so lazy and out of focus in LA. I certainly thought he'd out produce Bynum defensively and at the very least come close to matching him on offense.


Its been a trainwreck for them.

[Adam]

I think they will make the playoffs. They're better than Minnesota, Portland, and Utah.

[Diable]

http://espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/playoffodds

If you look at those it seems though Hollinger believes that there is only one spot left for three teams in the West. East looks a lot less credible, but similarly it seems that he believes there is one playoff spot left and a bunch of teams in the mix for it.

I don't know what to think about his methods, but basically the Lakers will need two things to happen for them to make the playoffs. They will have to start playing championship caliber ball and at least a couple of the teams ahead of them will have to play putrid ball.

To this point there's not much reason to believe that the Lakers are capable of playing incredibly well, so their biggest hope would be for those other teams to suck in a deep and profound way.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Diable

http://espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/playoffodds

If you look at those it seems though Hollinger believes that there is only one spot left for three teams in the West. East looks a lot less credible, but similarly it seems that he believes there is one playoff spot left and a bunch of teams in the mix for it.

I don't know what to think about his methods, but basically the Lakers will need two things to happen for them to make the playoffs. They will have to start playing championship caliber ball and at least a couple of the teams ahead of them will have to play putrid ball.

To this point there's not much reason to believe that the Lakers are capable of playing incredibly well, so their biggest hope would be for those other teams to suck in a deep and profound way.

They're really not that far back from the 8th seed. They will make it.

[Diable]

Five games isn't a lot? Yeah, whatever. Portland is four games over .500 and the lakers are six games under. So long as Portland continues to play decent ball the Lakers have almost no chance. In order for them to catch them they have to have those other teams all play poorly.

Exactly how are they better than those other teams? On paper or some shit?

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Diable

Five games isn't a lot? Yeah, whatever. Portland is four games over .500 and the lakers are six games under. So long as Portland continues to play decent ball the Lakers have almost no chance. In order for them to catch them they have to have those other teams all play poorly.

Exactly how are they better than those other teams? On paper or some shit?

Wanna bet your Django avatar they don't make it?

[The Big Dipper]

LOL OP is actually baffled why ESPN covers the Lakers?

Be a man just say you don't like the Lakers, no need for passive aggression.

[Luke]

Regardless of whether we're good or not we're still going to be one of the most polarizing teams in the league. Whether that's fair or not is a different conversation entirely but espn is retarded and people should be used to this by now. I just hope that by the end of the season they're positive segments haha.


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[Dee-Zy]

5 games is not a lot. We are still in January. 5 games in march is different.

[R-Star]

Originally Posted by Dee-Zy

5 games is not a lot. We are still in January. 5 games in march is different.

5 games in March means you're out of the playoffs.

[XxIrvingxX]

Originally Posted by Luke

Regardless of whether we're good or not we're still going to be one of the most polarizing teams in the league. Whether that's fair or not is a different conversation entirely but espn is retarded and people should be used to this by now. I just hope that by the end of the season they're positive segments haha.


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THIS

[JBKB]

Originally Posted by The Big Dipper

LOL OP is actually baffled why ESPN covers the Lakers?

Be a man just say you don't like the Lakers, no need for passive aggression.

I like the Lakers, so why would I at all say what you're suggesting?

I just think it's silly to only provide simulations for the Lakers, and not any other teams below the eight spot that mathematically have a chance to make the playoffs. Just my two cents! : )