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- Top 7 teams within 6.5 games of each other with about a dozen games left in the season. (For comparison, there at 8 games between the 1 seed and the 2 seed in the West.)
- A play-in tournament likely featuring last year's Eastern Conference Finalist, and a team that has Kevin Durant on it.
- Games on every night with major playoff-seeding implications.
- Significant recent rivalries (The Heat, Celtics, Raptors, Sixers, Bucks have been battling for years now. There is playoff history between almost all of them.)

Is this the most exciting playoff race you can remember?
Figured it would be nice to have a stickied thread to discuss/track the seeding and matchups for the final 3 weeks of the season.

Last night, the Cavs and Bulls took Ls. That pulls the Cavs and Raps into a tie (Cavs have the tiebreak by winning the season 3-0).

The Bulls are 2 games up on the Cavs/Raps, but they have the hardest strength of schedule remaining. They also half 7 of their final 13 games on the road, and have been the worst road team amongst Eastern Conference playoff teams (unless you count Atlanta). They also just got Caruso back (still no timetable for Lonzo).

My guess is the Bulls end up in the play-in, but all they have to do is have 1 nice stretch, since they're in a position of strength right now. Cavs have gone 2-3 since Jarrett Allen went down (3-3 if you count their win over the Raps the game he got hurt, 10 minutes in).

Looking the the nets schedule and accounting for no kyrie and teams they play on road and at home. Best case is nets go 8-4. I do not think nets can make up 4 games in the loss column to get the 6 seed. So I think nets stay in the 8 slot.

I think Boston is rolling. Boston could very well end up with the 2 slot and 50/51 wins in my opinion.

So I think it will be
Heat
Celtics
Bucks
Sixers
Bulls
Raptors

Play in
Cavaliers
Nets
Hornets
Hawks

I do think nets will win their play in game especially if it’s on the road and in USA.

So nets get 7 seed
Toss up how hot hawks charlotte get Vs Cleveland.

I think hawks do squeeze in as the 8 seed winning two games. Just depends how hot charlotte or hawks offense is rolling. They can be all hit or miss.

Cleveland just doesn’t have enough experience yet. And don’t know who condition Allen will be in.

Its gonna come down to the final game for the east teams, and Im all for it!
As a Raps fan, we just need to keep winning. I dont care about seeding and matchup implications. Raps just need to secure the 6th spot and worry about the rest after. LFG!

Meeksology wrote:Its gonna come down to the final game for the east teams, and Im all for it!
As a Raps fan, we just need to keep winning. I dont care about seeding and matchup implications. Raps just need to secure the 6th spot and worry about the rest after. LFG!

Agreed - I think it will be fun just watching them play as a team in the Playoffs. We got our ring so this is just another step in the next generation of the team. Would love to see how Scottie does in the playoffs.

Nice thread! Yes it is so nice to watch this playoff race, much like last year's Western Conference playoff race.

On my side I have tried to find the best scenario for TOR to finish ahead of both CHI and CLE. Here are the conditions to get 5th seed:
- Win 1 more game than CLE in the last 13 GR
- Win @CHI on 21st. Bulls with 2 days rest while Raps with 0 days rest (2 game of B2B, previous game @PHI). If TOR wins it, CHI-TOR will be 2-2. Tiebreaker will then be Eastern Conference record (currently CHI 26-17, TOR 23-19).
- Win 2 more games than Bulls in the last 13 GR and cross fingers to hold the Eastern Conference record again CHI.
- If for whatever reason Bulls hold tiebreaker against TOR, only condition for TOR would be to win 3 more games than CHI in the last 13 GR.

My bet would be... Extremely close between all 3 and impossible to project. But would like a battle for 5/6 seed between TOR/CLE and 7 seed for CHI.

Huskies1947 wrote:

Meeksology wrote:Its gonna come down to the final game for the east teams, and Im all for it!
As a Raps fan, we just need to keep winning. I dont care about seeding and matchup implications. Raps just need to secure the 6th spot and worry about the rest after. LFG!

Agreed - I think it will be fun just watching them play as a team in the Playoffs. We got our ring so this is just another step in the next generation of the team. Would love to see how Scottie does in the playoffs.

Would def be great for our guys to get the experience.
Im hoping for OG to be back for the playoffs. See what kind of damage we can do with our starting lineup fully healthy.

Raptors just beat the Wolves, Suns, Nuggets, Spurs, Lakers, & Clippers on the road. That's huge. Now tied for Cleveland for that 6th spot.

Of the remaining 13 games, 9 will be at home for the Raptors.

Worth noting, Raptors are 12-2 against teams above .500 in their last 14 games (majority of those games were played without OG & FVV). They're for real.

I think the Raptors finish 5th, and Celtics finish 4th.... which would mean another first round series between the two rivals. Oh baby that'd be fun!

No one is going to feel good about going into the play-in. Atlanta and Charlotte both are capable of explosive offenses. Lose game 1 then catch Charlotte on a hot shooting night and there goes your season, Brooklyn/Toronto/Cleveland/Chicago

Both the Cavaliers and Bulls are trending in the wrong direction. It will be interesting down the stretch though. Toronto can beat and lose to anyone.

I can't believe I have a baby now and might miss so many of these games. I love that kid, but man... cramping my basketball watching lifestyle.

Duffman100 wrote:I can't believe I have a baby now and might miss so many of these games. I love that kid, but man... cramping my basketball watching lifestyle.

Congrats my guy!

Meeksology wrote:

Duffman100 wrote:I can't believe I have a baby now and might miss so many of these games. I love that kid, but man... cramping my basketball watching lifestyle.

Congrats my guy!

Thanks!

Duffman100 wrote:I can't believe I have a baby now and might miss so many of these games. I love that kid, but man... cramping my basketball watching lifestyle.

Bring mother in law!

These are my **Best Case Scenario Eastern Conference Playoff First Round Matchups**

1 Miami v. 8. Chicago - Chicago spent so much of the season near the top of the conference. They've been dealing with injuries all season, as have Miami. I think if they continue to fall to the 8 seed it would be a fun first round matchup with the Heat, especially if they are fully healthy!
2. Philadelphia v. 7. Brooklyn - This one needs no explanation
3. Milwaukee v. 6. Cleveland - I would love to see Mobley guard Giannis for a full series! Also Holiday will guard Garland and Okoro will likely guard Middleton. Great matchups all around!
4. Celtics v. 5. Raptors - As a Celtics fan, this would be so fun to watch. Both teams are passionate, skilled, and they have playoff history. In the end, the C's defense and a few big games from Tatum will be too much for the Raps, but it will be a hard fought series.

Apologies to Atlanta and Charlotte!

1. Heat - I think they get around 54 wins, but their offense is a problem for me

2. Bucks - BTW, they are deadly in the clutch. The game vs Sac last night was big 3 and big, 3 both traditional and 3 point plays

3. Celtics - Boston has the tiebreaker vs Philly

4. Sixers - Philly rest enough to fall to 4th

5. Bulls - Chicago have fallen off due to injuries, but as they get healthy and adjust to guys being back, it should stabilise them enough to avoid any more slippage.

6. Cavaliers - Logic might have Toronto being here, but I feel Cleveland finds their form again.

7. Nets - I have them finishing 8th and beating #7 Toronto

8. Hawks - #9 Atlanta over Toronto. If the Raps finish over the Cavs then I think Cleveland misses out. The play in are mini game 7s so I think that favours Durant and Trae over Garland and FVV/Spicy P

Duffman100 wrote:I can't believe I have a baby now and might miss so many of these games. I love that kid, but man... cramping my basketball watching lifestyle.

So you maded with a woman, congrats, I will inform the men.

Triple M wrote:1. Heat - I think they get around 54 wins, but their offense is a problem for me

2. Bucks - BTW, they are deadly in the clutch. The game vs Sac last night was big 3 and big, 3 both traditional and 3 point plays

3. Celtics - Boston has the tiebreaker vs Philly

4. Sixers - Philly rest enough to fall to 4th

5. Bulls - Chicago have fallen off due to injuries, but as they get healthy and adjust to guys being back, it should stabilise them enough to avoid any more slippage.

6. Cavaliers - Logic might have Toronto being here, but I feel Cleveland finds their form again.

7. Nets - I have them finishing 8th and beating #7 Toronto

8. Hawks - #9 Atlanta over Toronto. If the Raps finish over the Cavs then I think Cleveland misses out. The play in are mini game 7s so I think that favours Durant and Trae over Garland and FVV/Spicy P

Miami is ranked TOP 10 both in halfcourt and transition offense this season, so that statement doesn't really make sense. Last season though, it would've been more accurate to say that. Anyone who thinks this Heat team is the same as last season after a full offseason and an improved Herro/bench must be delusional, or a casual.

rate_ wrote:

Triple M wrote:1. Heat - I think they get around 54 wins, but their offense is a problem for me

Miami is ranked TOP 10 both in halfcourt and transition offense this season, so that statement doesn't really make sense. Last season though, it would've been more accurate to say that. Anyone who thinks this Heat team is the same as last season after a full offseason and an improved Herro/bench must be delusional, or a casual.

If there's any season to disrespect full season cumulative/aggregate stats its this season. 60%+ of the league had COVID from December to January and the Heat are known as a team to pick up good waiver wire players. That doesn't translate when rotations shorten. Their advantage of being resilient when their injured starters are not playing will be truly tested in the playoffs.

rate_ wrote:
Miami is ranked TOP 10 both in halfcourt and transition offense this season, so that statement doesn't really make sense. Last season though, it would've been more accurate to say that. Anyone who thinks this Heat team is the same as last season after a full offseason and an improved Herro/bench must be delusional, or a casual.

I am not comparing them to last year I view their offense as trending in the wrong direction. Their last game I think half their points came from the bench at the halfway point through the 4th.