Assume a win over Miami tomorrow, putting the Bobcats at 31-31 and the Heat at 32-32. How will the Cats do the rest of the season? Turn to the schedule, and here are the ostensible chalk results, with wins in bold.
MARCH
@Philadelphia
Los Angeles Clippers
@Orlando
@Indiana
Oklahoma City
@Atlanta
@Miami
@Washington
Minnesota
Washington
Toronto
Philadelphia
APRIL
Milwaukee
@Chicago
Atlanta
@New Orleans (2nd half of a back to back)
@Houston
Detroit
@New Jersey
Chicago
This is admittedly crude, but if the Bobcats go 10-10 the rest of the way, that leaves them at... 41-41, or better than what I thought they'd be at the start of the season, and better than what I thought they'd achieve after picking up Stephen Jackson.
Eyeballing Chicago's schedule, they're in the midst of a brutal nine-game stretch in which they could easily lose every game, and they only have three gimmes the rest of the way. Meanwhile, Miami has a far easier stretch run. All seven games in April are easily winnable, and the rest of March ain't exactly a test of spirit.
Obviously, anything can happen, but from the looks of things, the Cats will need wins the last three games to sneak in to the playoffs with the eight seed, behind the Heat and ahead of the Bulls.