First things first, congrats to the UConn Huskies and LSU Tigers on winning the Men’s and Women’s NCAA Championships.
Two dominant displays from both outfits throughout the entire tournament.
Since the introduction of the Play-In Tournament, the end to the NBA regular season has been a great watch.
This year is no different. It may be the best finish we’ve ever had to a regular reason. While the Eastern Conference is all but sorted, the Western Conference still has it all to play for with the 5 and 8 seeds separated by only 0.5 a game with 3-4 games to play!
The Clippers hold the tie breaker over the Warriors and sit in 5th and 6th position respectively at 41-38.
The Clippers face off against their surging cross town rivals on Thursday, with the Lakers sitting 0.5 a game back on the Clippers currently in 7th position.
The winner of that game has one foot in the door to the NBA Playoffs and avoid having to go through the Play-In Tournament.
They then finish with a Portland team who has thrown the towel in, and then travelling to Phoenix who may sit their starters having wrapped up the 4 seed at worst (they can still finish 3rd but would need the Kings to go 0-4 and them 4-0 respectively).
Golden State have been atrocious on the road this season, going 9-30 this season, and have 2 of their final 3 games on the road.
They face off with an OKC team tomorrow needing to win to cement a spot in the Play-In ahead of the Mavs, who have been a disaster since the addition of Kyrie Irving. Golden State then travel to Sacramento, who may be looking to push their in state rival into the Play-In, then wrap up in Portland.
The Lakers have been on fire to finish the season, winning 6 of their last 7 games and have 4 big games to finish the season.
They travel to Utah today, who have lost their way to finish the season on the back of some key injuries. The Lakers then travel back to LA and don’t leave LA to finish the season off, finishing at Clippers, then home to Phoenix and Utah.
They’ll be big favourites in 2 of the 4, but 2 key match ups against the Clippers and Suns may decide their fate in where they’ll finish this season.
New Orleans currently sit in 8th spot and have also won 7 of their last 8, looking to finish the season 4-0 and avoid Play-In basketball.
They’ll have their next 3 games at home, facing Sacramento, Memphis and New York, before wrapping up in Minnesota.
They’re every chance of going 4-0, but could also drop 3 of 4 and that Minny game may be for Play-In seeding to finish the season.
Will we ever see Zion back? As if he makes a return, you wouldn’t want to be facing a healthy Pels team coming into the Playoffs playing this well.
Minnesota have dropped the ball to finish the season, losing their last 3 games, 2 of those at home to the Lakers and to the lowly Trail Blazers.
Minny will finish with travelling to Brooklyn tomorrow, then face the tanking Spurs and finishing at home to the Pels.
This is another team who is capable of sneaking into the 7-8 slot, but will need results to go their way.
Finally, it’s down to OKC and Dallas for the last Play-In spot.
OKC travel to Golden State tomorrow and will be tough to win in that spot, but will be favoured to beat Utah and Memphis at home (who may very well rest).
That puts the Mavs in a terrible spot sitting a game back on OKC (and losing the tie breaker).
Dallas finish with Sacramento on Thursday, Chicago and the Spurs all at home.
Even if they go 3-0, they’ll still need a favour or 2 from OKC, and truth be told, the Mavs don’t deserve to make the Play-In.
Dallas dropped back to back games against Charlotte, and with a roster that includes Luka and Kyrie, that should never happen this late in the season with all the marbles at stake.
It’s going to be an incredible finish to the Western Conference, in one of the best final weeks in recent history.
In the East, Atlanta, Toronto and Chicago are still jockeying for 8-10 seeding.
The Hawks and Raptors are currently tied for the 8-9 seed (Hawks with the advantage), whilst Chicago sits a game behind them.
Atlanta face off in Chicago tomorrow night which is enormous, who then finish with Washington and Philly at home, and Boston on the road.
Atlanta facing Philly and Boston this late in the season when they are just about locked in to their 2 and 3 seeds respectively is huge for them, as they may very well rest.
Toronto travel to Charlotte tomorrow, before back to back road games in Boston, and finish in Milwaukee. Boston may play their troops in the first game but rest in the back to back fixture. Again, playing the bigger teams this late in the season is beneficial for the chasing pack when their seeds are wrapped up.
Chicago as mentioned early have a huge clash with the Hawks tomorrow, before travelling to Milwaukee and Dallas, followed by Detroit.
The Bulls have a much tougher run, and may very well throw the towel in if they lose to the Hawks to finish the season and settle for the 10 seed in the remaining 2 games.
There’s a lot of people who aren’t fans of the Play-In Tournament, but with this kind of finish to a season, how could you hate it??
Bauky