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What to watch For in the NBA's Final Two Weeks

The NBA playoffs are just around the corner but there is still much uncertainty to be settled in the last two weeks of the regular season. The introduction of the play-in game in 2021 has turned the end of the season into a frantic finale, as the 6th and 10th seeds have never been more valuable. The 7-10 seeds will be in a tournament to determine the last two seeds in the playoffs. It consists of a game between the 7 & 8 seeds, winner getting the 7th seed, a game between the 9 & 10 seeds, loser going home, and a final game between the remaining two teams (loser of 7/8 and winner of 9/10) playing for the 8th and final seed. We saw last season just how important the play-in-tournament can be, after the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers made it to the NBA Finals, and Western Conference Finals, respectively, after securing a playoff spot in the play-in-tournament. This year some of the best players in the league seem destined for the tournament. There are also big races to keep an eye on elsewhere in the league, including the various fights for home court advantage in the playoffs and the tanking battle between some of the worst teams in the league. These final two weeks of the NBA season will be filled with key battles that will help shape the playoffs and NBA Draft.

Current Standings (remaining opponents)

(as of Friday 3/29)

Western Conference Standings

  1. Minnesota Timberwolves 51-22 0 GB (CHI, HOU, TOR, @PHX, @LAL, WAS, @DEN, ATL, PHX)

  2. Oklahoma City Thunder 51-22 0 GB (@NYK, @PHI, @BOS, @IND, @CHA, SAC, SAS, DAL)

  3. Denver Nuggets 51-23 0.5 GB (CLE, SAS, @LAC, ATL, @UTA, MIN, @SAS, @MEM)

  4. Los Angeles Clippers 46-27 5.0 GB (@CHA, @SAC, DEN, UTH, CLE, @PHX, PHX, UTH, HOU)

  5. New Orleans Pelicans 45-28 6.0 GB (BOS, PHX, ORL, SAS, @PHX, @POR, @SAC, @GSW, LAL)

  6. Dallas Mavericks 44-29 7.0 GB (@HOU, @GSW, ATL, GSW, HOU, @CHA, @MIA, DET, @OKC)

  7. Phoenix Suns 43-31 8.5 GB (@NOP, CLE, MIN, @NOP, LAC, @LAC, @SAC, @MIN)

  8. Sacramento Kings 42-30 9.0 GB (UTH, LAC, @NYK, @BOS, @BKN, @OKC, NOP, PHX, POR)

  9. Los Angeles Lakers 41-33 10.5 GB (@BKN, @TOR, @WAS, CLE, MIN, GSW, @MEM, @NOP)

  10. Golden State Warriors 39-34 12.0 GB (@SAS, @DAL, @HOU, UTH, @LAL, @POR, NOP, UTH)

  11. Houston Rockets 37-35 13.5 GB (@UTH, DAL, @MIN, GSW, MIA, @DAL, ORL, @UTH, @POR, @LAC)

  12. Utah Jazz 29-44 22.0 GB (HOU, @SAC, CLE, @LAC, @GSW, DEN, HOU, @LAC, @GSW)

  13. Memphis Grizzlies 24-49 27.0 GB (@DET, @MIL, DET, PHI, SAS, @CLE, LAL, DEN)

  14. Portland Trail Blazers 19-55 32.5 GB (@CHA, @WAS, @BOS, NOP, GSW, HOU, @SAC)

  15. San Antonio Spurs 18-56 33.5 GB (GSW, @DEN, @NOP, PHI, @MEM, @OKC, DEN, DET)


Eastern Conference Standings

  1. Boston Celtics 57-16 (@NOP, @CHA, OKC, SAC, POR, @MIL, NYK, CHA, WAS)

  2. Milwaukee Bucks 46-27 11.0 GB (@ATL, @WAS, MEM, TOR, NYK, BOS, ORL, @OKC, @ORL)

  3. Cleveland Cavaliers 45-29 12.5 GB (@DEN, @UTH, @PHX, @LAL, @LAC, MEM, IND, CHA)

  4. New York Knicks 44-29 13.0 GB (OKC, @MIA, SAC, @CHI, @MIL, @CHI, @BOS, BKN, CHI)

  5. Orlando Magic 42-31 15.0 GB (MEM, POR, @NOP, @CHA, CHI, @HOU, @MIL, @PHI, MIL)

  6. Indiana Pacers 42-33 16.0 GB (BKN, @BKN, OKC@ MIA, @TOR, @CLE, ATL)

  7. Miami Heat 40-33 17.0 GB (@WAS, NY, PHI, @HOU, @IND, @ATL, DAL, TOR, TOR)

  8. Philadelphia 76ers 39-35 18.5 GB (@TOR, OKC, @MIA, @MEM, @SAS, DET, ORL, BKN)

  9. Chicago Bulls 35-39 22.5 GB (@MIN, ATL, NYK, @ORL, NYK, @DET, @WAS, @NYK)

  10. Atlanta Hawks 34-39 23.0 GB (MIL, @CHI, DET, @DAL, @DEN, MIA, CHA, @MIN, @IND)

  11. Brooklyn Nets 29-45 28.5 GB (LAL, @Ind, Ind, Det, Sac, Tor, @NY, @Phi)

  12. Toronto Raptors 23-50 34.0 GB (Phi, LAL, @Min, @Mil, Was, Ind, @BKN, @Mia, @Mia)

  13. Charlotte Hornets 18-55 39.0 GB (LAC, BOS, POR, ORL, OKC, DAL, @ATL, @BOS, @CLE)

  14. Washington Wizards 14-60 43.5 GB (MIA, MIL, LAL, POR, @TOR, @MIN, CHI, @BOS)

  15. Detroit Pistons 13-61  44.5 GB (MEM, @ATL, @MEM, @BKN, @PHI, CHI, @DAL, @SAS)

Play-in Tournament

The battle to make the play-in tournament is starting to take a toll on some of the league's top players. This season will be a massive failure for the Warriors or the Lakers if either one of these teams miss the playoffs, and even worse if they fail to make the play-in tournament. The pressure is on as both teams are currently set to be in the play-in-tournament, being the 9 and 10 seeds in the West. This year the play-in-tournament could be filled with teams that have a real chance to make it far once again, as the current 7-10 seeds in the East are the Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, Chicago Bulls, and the Atlanta Hawks, and in the West they are even scarier, with the Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Lakers, and the Golden State Warriors as the 7-10 seed. Teams do not want to have to play on April 16th and would rather have a few extra days to prepare for the playoffs, which start on April 20th. The difference between facing the Celtics, Bucks, Nuggets, and Thunder, or the Cavaliers and Timberwolves could also be massive. This is why the race for the sixth seed is so important.

Steph Curry has tears in his eyes, while biting his mouthpiece, after Draymond's ejection.

Western Play-In Race

In the West, the 6 and 9 spots are only 3 and a half games apart from each other, so things are about to get crazy. Many of these teams will play each other in their last 8 or 9 games too. The Suns play two games against both the Pelicans and Clippers. The Pelicans finish their season against the Kings, Warriors, and Lakers. Golden State has the most on the line though, as they have a chance to miss the play-in altogether, as the Rockets are catching up to them in the Standings after winning their last 11 games with Jalen Green catching fire. The Warriors play a huge game against the Rockets on April 4th and have other big games against the Mavs on the 2nd and 5th, the Lakers on the 9th, and the Pelicans on the 12th. LeBron James and Stephen Curry will always have a chance in a series, but if either one fails to even make the play-in game, talks of their eventual departures from LA and GS will only grow louder.


Joel Embiid and Maxey holding up peace signs

Eastern Race for The 6th Seed

In the East, the Pacers currently hold the 6th seed, with the Heat and 76ers only 1 and 2.5 games back, respectively. The Heat are the reigning Eastern Conference Champions, and the 76ers have teased the return of Joel Embiid, the 2022-23 NBA MVP. Both the 76ers and Heat are teams that have the chance to make the finals, but I doubt they would be too thrilled to face the best team in the league, the Boston Celtics, in the first round. Catching the Pacers and missing out on the play-in game entirely has to be the goal, especially for Philly, as they need to give Embiid as much time to come back from his torn meniscus as possible. Key games include Miami playing vs Philadelphia on April 4th and then at Indiana on the 7th. The 6th seed could be vital in a potential finals run for either team, but if not, the play-in game between the 76ers and Heat for the 7th seed would be fantastic.


West's # 1 Seed is Still up for Grabs

The defending champion, Nuggets, are still one of the top teams in the league but two viable challengers have arrived this season. The Thunder and Timberwolves are both tied for the 1 seed, after the Nuggets lost to Minnesota last night. The Nuggets are now just 0.5 games back from that # 1 seed. The Nuggets will play the Timberwolves again on April 10th, which might decide this race, especially considering the Thunder's upcoming 5 game road trip to the East Coast. Earning home court advantage throughout the western conference playoffs could be the difference during the Western Conference Finals, but also for a potential 2 vs. 3 seed semifinals matchup. Each of these teams are great at home as their home records are 26-9 for the Timberwolves, 29-8 for the Thunder, and 29-7 for the Nuggets. These teams could finish in any order, and these last two weeks could eventually decide who becomes the Western Conference champion. 


Tankathon

There are some storylines to watch for the worst teams in the league too. Some teams have already packed it in this season (Detroit and Washington), or have started to rest players (Charlotte), while others are enjoying watching their young superstars develop before their eyes (Wembanyama). Other than having the opportunity of watching your young players for the last time until the Summer league or in Wemby’s case, the Olympics, the main priority is the draft. This means checking tankathon.com every night for teams that could improve their odds in the lottery. The Raptors are the team with the most to lose and have a major reason to tank as their pick is top 6 protected, but they are only a game ahead of the Grizzlies for the sixth spot. This means their first round pick goes to San Antonio if they fall out of the top six, and with winnable games against Washington, Indiana, and Brooklyn on their schedule, they could win too many games. If Memphis passes them in the Tankathon rankings, and they don’t win one of the top four spots in the Draft Lottery, then they won’t have their first rounder, although they will have Indiana's mid to late first round pick. Losing their first would be a tough pill to swallow especially after cementing their rebuilding position with the trade of Pascal Siakam earlier this season. Every team has something to root for in these final two weeks, and if you're a Raptors fan, that includes becoming a Grizzlies superfan.


 

Photos by Getty Images


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