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Posted: 12:05 PM- Here are the Jazz's possible playoff scenarios, with the respective records each team would be left with and the explanation of tiebreakers. This is assuming New Orleans wins one of its final two games.
IF JAZZ WIN WEDNESDAY AND ...
Houston wins, Phoenix wins
Records: Jazz 55-27, Phoenix 55-27, Houston 55-27, San Antonio 55-27.
Tiebreakers: This is the much-discussed four-team tie. According to the NBA office, the tie is broken first by removing the Jazz, who are guaranteed a top four seed as the Northwest Division champions. Then you do a three-way head-to-head tiebreaker with the games the Rockets, Suns and Spurs have played against each other. Phoenix is 5-3, Houston is 4-4 and San Antonio is 3-5. The Suns and Jazz then are part of a tiebreaker to determine the Nos. 3 and 4 seeds. The Jazz own the season series with Phoenix so they are third, the Suns fourth, the Rockets fifth and the Spurs sixth. NBA spokesman Tim Frank confirmed this Monday.
Jazz would play: San Antonio with home-court advantage
Houston loses, Phoenix wins
Records: Jazz 55-27, Phoenix 55-27, San Antonio 55-27, Houston 54-28
Tiebreakers: Phoenix won the season series against San Antonio so they would be the top four seed. The Jazz own the tiebreaker against the Suns, so they are third again, the Suns fourth, the Spurs fifth and the Rockets sixth.
Jazz would play: Houston with home-court advantage
Houston wins, Phoenix loses
Records: Jazz 55-27, San Antonio 55-27, Houston 55-27, Phoenix 54-28
Tiebreakers: San Antonio has a better division record than Houston, which would give them the tiebreaker for the top four seed. The Jazz would hold the season series tiebreaker against San Antonio, leaving the Jazz third, Spurs fourth, Rockets fifth and Suns sixth.
Jazz would play: Phoenix with home-court advantage.
Houston loses, Phoenix loses
Records: Jazz 55-27, San Antonio 55-27, Houston 54-28, Phoenix 54-28
Tiebreakers: The Jazz would own the season series against the Spurs while Houston would have a better conference record than Phoenix. That would leave the Jazz third, Spurs fourth, Rockets fifth and Suns sixth.
Jazz would play: Phoenix with home-court advantage
IF JAZZ LOSE WEDNESDAY AND ...
(Keep in mind the Jazz are guaranteed no worse than a No. 4 seed as the Northwest Division champion)
Houston wins, Phoenix wins
Records: San Antonio 56-26, Jazz 54-28, Houston 55-27, Phoenix 55-27
Tiebreakers: The Spurs are the third seed (also could be New Orleans), the Jazz are fourth and the Rockets fifth thanks to their conference record over the Suns.
Jazz would play: Houston without home-court advantage
Houston loses, Phoenix wins
Records: San Antonio 56-26, Jazz 54-28, Phoenix 55-27, Houston 54-28
Tiebreakers: None needed.
Jazz would play: Phoenix without home-court advantage
Houston wins, Phoenix loses
Records: San Antonio 56-26, Jazz 54-28, Houston 55-27, Phoenix 54-28
Tiebreakers: None needed.
Jazz would play: Houston without home-court advantage
Houston loses, Phoenix loses
Records: San Antonio 56-26, Jazz 54-28, Houston 54-28, Phoenix 54-28
Tiebreakers: The Rockets would be the fifth seed again thanks to their conference record over the Suns. The Jazz would have home-court advantage against the Rockets after winning the season series
Jazz would play: Houston with home-court advantage