Playoff Tiebrakers?

by preverbal on Apr 16, 2006 9:25 PM CDT

Okay, so the Bulls have clinched the 8th seed! Awesome. And they have the same record as Indiana and Milwaukee. What is the tie break situation vis a vis those teams? Do the Bulls lose the tie break against both if they end with the same record? What about the Pacers vs. the Bucks?

As a New Yorker, I am fantasizing about the Bulls getting the 6 seed, so I can head out to
Jersey and root our boys on.

So what has to happen for my dream to become a reality?

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i believe

for 2 teams, it goes by conference record and then division record. for more than 2 teams, it goes by record against the tied teams.

by smegmatic on Apr 16, 2006 10:39 PM CDT reply actions

From ESPN.com

Link:
Two-Team Tiebreaker

Better record in head-to-head games
Higher winning percentage in conference games
Higher winning percentage within division (if teams are in the same division)
Higher winning percentage against playoff teams in own conference
Higher winning percentage against playoff teams in opposite conference
Higher point differential between points scored and points allowed

Three-Team Tiebreaker

Best head-to-head winning percentage among all teams tied
Highest winning percentage in conference games
Highest winning percentage within division (if teams are in the same division)
Highest winning percentage against playoff teams in own conference
Highest point differential between points scored and points allowed

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Apr 17, 2006 12:09 AM CDT reply actions

I'm confused

Thanks for the info on tiebreakers. But now I'm confused. I took a quick look at the season schedules for the Bulls, Bucks and Pacers. If the season ended today, and there was a 3-way tie, the first tiebreaker is best head-to-head among all teams tied. The Bulls are 3-2 vs. the Bucks, 2-2 vs. the Pacers, and the Pacers and Bucks are 2-2 vs. each other. So if we end up in a 3-way tie, the Bulls get the 6 seed, right?

How come they are listed as the 8 seed in the standings?

by preverbal on Apr 17, 2006 11:05 AM CDT reply actions

Playoff seeding

First the Bulls are 2-2 against the Bucks not 3-2.

Secondly, I'm pretty sure that the tiebreaker rules Matt got from ESPN are wrong.

If you are in the same division, then Division record comes before Conference record in calculating seeding. That being the case both Indiana (6-10)& Milwaukee(5-10) have the tiebreaker against the Bulls (4-12).
The Bulls (28-22)do have the tiebreaker against the Wizards(27-23), based on conference records because they are in different divisions.

Ye Olde Bull

by OldeBull on Apr 17, 2006 12:30 PM CDT up reply actions

I'm an idiot

Thanks for the clarification OldeBull. I quickly added up the records from the complete schedule listing on espn, not noticing that it included the preseason (when we beat the Bucks). At the time, I thought it was odd that there would have been 5 games against the Bucks.

So you think it goes division record before conference record? That makes sense, since otherwise the Bucks and Bulls would both have the tiebreaker over the Pacers.

by preverbal on Apr 17, 2006 12:41 PM CDT up reply actions

ESPN changed the rules

now it reads like this:

Two-Team Tiebreaker

Better record in head-to-head games
Higher winning percentage within division (if teams are in the same division)
Higher winning percentage in conference games
Higher winning percentage against playoff teams in own conference
Higher winning percentage against playoff teams in opposite conference
Higher point differential between points scored and points allowed

Three-Team Tiebreaker

Best head-to-head winning percentage among all teams tied
Highest winning percentage within division (if teams are in the same division)
Highest winning percentage in conference games
Highest winning percentage against playoff teams in own conference
Highest point differential between points scored and points allowed

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Apr 18, 2006 11:04 PM CDT up reply actions

That was my calculations too.

I don't get it. I guess it may be a moot point after we win and they lose. GO BULLS!

by cubbybear on Apr 17, 2006 11:21 AM CDT reply actions

DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHHH

Gotcha Oldebull. I did the same thing. I hope they can win the last two, and Bucks and Pacers can screw it up. GO Bulls!

by cubbybear on Apr 17, 2006 4:07 PM CDT reply actions

Detroit

is on the horizon for milwaukee and washington. i wonder if they're going to play their starters or not. the have everything that can be clinched clinched so probably not. i guess the most likely way to move up is to hope for 2 bulls wins and milwaukee to lose both. indiana will win at toronto, but if orlando still has a chip on its shoulder it could beat indiana and the bulls.

indiana - @toronto, orlando
milwaukee - detroit, @ washington
washington - milwaukee, @ detroit

Dalibor and Dragan!
Like Pizza? Me too.

by FAQ on Apr 17, 2006 5:07 PM CDT reply actions

Avoiding Detroit

If what I read is correct, if we win on Wednesday against Toronto, we will avoid Detroit no matter what happens with any other team. We won't be the 8th seed

I like having something to play for.

I'm not sure about the exact round up -- the particulars, but that's friggin' awesome.

Go Bulls.

Nocioni!!!

I love Grant Park in June!! Been there six times!!!

by james@lifeinthecell on Apr 18, 2006 3:58 AM CDT reply actions

Playoff Seeding

That's what I understand too.
After Wednesday's win the Bulls will be 41-41.

Since the Wiz are playing Milwaukee one of them must lose.

If Milwaukee loses then they finish 40-42.
If Washington loses they can finish no higher than 41-41 and the Bulls hold the tie breaker, but that the 2 team tiebreaker. What happens if all 4 teams tie at 41-41?

Indiana is home to Orlando and I expect Orlando is bent on finishing on an up note and will play hard so this could well be a Pacer loss and we would finish ahead of them also.

Ye Olde Bull

by OldeBull on Apr 18, 2006 9:19 AM CDT up reply actions