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If The Bullets Are To Make The Playoffs...

What Will It Take?

We saw the results of last night's game against an injury-depleted Los Angeles Lakers team. The Bullets just didn't show up. The Bullets haven't won back-to-back games since the end of January. They've won at least 2 games in a row only 5 times this season.

Maybe I was premature in my prenouncement yesterday that I thought this team could make the playoffs. The new question is - what will it take for the Bullets to make the playoffs this year.

Besides winning games...

What Are The Odds?

Without knowing the results on tonight's games, the Bullets are currently 25-31. They have 26 games remaining this season. 13 home games (including 1 in Baltimore), 13 away games. 11 of the games (only 4 on the road) against teams that currently have a playoff spot, which means 15 are against non-playoff teams.

There are four teams (Orlando, Indiana, Milwaukee, Washington) contending for the final playoff spot. I'd also throw in Cleveland into the mix, as they are 1.5 games ahead of Orlando for the 7th spot. So, there are 2 playoff spots available and 5 teams battling for it. All with legitimate claims. The Bullets are the farthest out of the eighth spot, at 5 games.

But the Bullets hold some cards in that respect. They still have to play Indiana twice, Milwaukee once, and Orlando and Cleveland once each. Those last two are the final two games of the season, which could make or break the Bullets' chance.

So, the Bullets hold their fate in their hands, schedule-wise. Can they do it?

Back to the Future

In reality, the eighth seed is going to have at least a .500 record. That means the Bullets must go at least 16-10 over the final 26 games of the season. Not out of the question, for sure. But they must start winning consistently.

At this point last year, the Bullets were injury-depleted and holding a 24-32 record. Only a 1 game improvement over last year. That does not bode well for the chances of this team, considering the inspired play the Bullets got at the end of last season that still fell short. That inspired play has not shown up consistently all year.

But history is only an indicator, and not a very good one. Can this team gel in time to make a final push for a playoff spot? The failure of this team over the past month to produce consistent play would suggest no. This is not the time to be failing. This is the time to come together and win games, especially as the hour gets darker and the season rushes towards its close.

The End Sum

I think we can all agree that a failure to make the playoffs this year is going to be an extreme disappoint, especially with the relative health of the team's starters throughout the season thus far. *knock, knock*

We'll write the epitaph when we get to the end of the season. In the meantime, the Bullets chances aren't as strong as I thought yesterday. But, you know what? I believe they can do it. The question is, do they believe?

wtf 28 February 1997

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