-Joe Sanchez, D4 Board Member and player, reporting
DIVISION FOUR REPORT, WINTER ’14 (March 23, 2014)
VOTING FOR THE DIVISION’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS WILL TAKE PLACE TOMORROW (MARCH 24)AND THURSDAY MARCH 27 AT BUFFALO GLEN.
SIGN-UPS FOR THE SUMMER SEASON END ON FRIDAY, MARCH 28. THE DRAFT WILL BE HELD ON APRIL 15 AND THE SEASON BEGINS ON MONDAY, MAY 5.
TOMORROW’S GAMES:
9:00
#11 Cavaliers at #9 T-Wolves
Cavs have lost four of their last five
T-Wolves have lost two of their last three
#4 Rockets at #8 Hawks
Rockets have won six of their last seven
Hawks have won their last three
#11 Grizzlies at #19 Heat
Grizzlies have won four of their last five
The Heat are 3-6 in home games, 3-3 “away”
#11 Lakers at #11 Wizards
Lakers have lost five in a row, averaging six runs in last 4
Wizards have won two of their last three
10:30
#24 Bucks at #23 Magic
Bucks have lost 12 of their last 13 games
The Magic have lost eight of their last nine
#22 Jazz at #17 Sixers
Jazz have lost three of their last four
Sixers lost last two, but have won five of seven
#9 Pacers at #7 Bulls
Pacers have won four of six
Bulls have lost three of their last four
#11 Celtics at #20 Knicks
Celts have won three of their last five
Knicks have lost eight straight; they are 1-6 at home
12:00
#4 Warriors at #20 Mavericks
Warriors have won four straight
Mavericks have lost their last two and are 1-3 at home
#4 Pistons at #3 Suns
Pistons have won two of their last three
Suns have won five of six and are 8-1 at home
#2 Kings at #11 Bobcats
Kings have won three of their last four
Bobcats have won their last two
#1 Raptors at #17 Thunder
Raptors have won 12 consecutive games; 7-0 on the road
Thunder have won two of their last three
AROUND THE DIVISION (games of Thursday, March 20)
More than half of the Bucks’ losses (7 of 13) have been by three or fewer runs; by contrast, ALL seven Celtic wins have come by three or fewer runs ……. The Magic were held to a season-low seven hits when they were shut out and mercied by the Pacers….. The Hawks went over the .500 mark for the first time this season and the Lakers below it, also for the first time …..The Cavaliers turned seven double plays in their first seven games, but it took them another seven games to get #8…… The Suns have only lost one home game—15-13 to the Grizzlies….. By edging the Pistons in eight innings, the Kings retained a perfect record in close games (five out of five)…. Despite an ejection, the Jazz managed to win their first close game of the season to a scoring mix-up …. Twelve players missed their first game of the season: Dave Bronte (Celtics), Rick Guenther (Rockets), Mike Hack (Bucks), Wayne Lender (Warriors), Bob Logterman (Celtics), Frank Maday (Celtics), Bob Mull (Wizards), Tom Oberle (Magic), Ben Stankewicz (Sixers), Jim Wadsworth (Bulls), Noel Werking (Lakes) and Bill Whithill (Mavericks) ……. The Bulls got off to a 7-1 start, but they are 2-5 since ….. The five subs that the Lakers used drove in six of the team’s nine runs against the Grizzlies…. Due to rainouts, the Bobcats and the Cavaliers have played twice as many away games as they have been ”at home.”…… After missing his team’s first 15 games, manager Rick Valdes (Bulls) is hoping to play on Monday….. The Magic are still looking for their first “away” win (they are 0-7) ….. Until Thursday, only one Celtic player had missed a game and then three Celtics did not play on Thursday …… Since starting 2-6, the Grizzlies are 6-1….. After being mercied by the T-Wolves 17-2, the Pacers took it out on the Magic, mercying them 16-0 ….. The Pistons hit into three double plays against the Kings ….. In winning their last four games, the Warriors have given up only eight runs per game. PS (Bobcats hit five homeruns in their 13-8 win over the Cavs)
CURRENT LONG TERM DISABLED LIST
(missing more than four consecutive games)
15 Woody Lake (Magic) and Rick Valdes (Bulls)
14 Bob Braccia (Heat), Jim Einstman (Pistons)
8 Bill Greider (Grizzlies), Bo Martos (Pistons)
7 Mick McEvilly (Grizzlies), Fred Rhoades (Wizards)
6 Ken Oppenheimer (Sixers)
5 John Columbia (Grizzlies), Jim Lacey (Cavaliers)
PENNANT RACE
Unless there are rainouts, it is impossible for the Raptors and Kings to finish tied. If a rainout leads to a tiebreaker, the Kings would win it.
The remaining schedule for the two contenders:
RAPTORS: at #17 Thunder, at #4 Rockets
KINGS: at #11 Bobcats, at #22 Jazz
TOURNAMENT SEEDINGS
The post-season tournament begins on March 31 with the top eight teams drawing byes. Eight games will be played in Round One (March 31) and eight more in Round Two (April 3).