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Matt York/Associated Press
It had been bigger than a decade for the rationale that Phoenix Suns final went to the NBA playoffs. However that drought is now over.
On Wednesday night, Phoenix clinched its first playoff berth since 2010, changing into the fourth team in the NBA to find a space in the postseason this year. The Utah Jazz are the most simple assorted Western Convention team to contain done so, whereas the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers contain clinched in the Eastern Convention.
Unlike previous years, most efficient the tip six groups from each convention are guaranteed of taking half in in the foremost round of the playoffs. The groups that assign in the Nos. 7-10 spots in each the East and West will then take half in a play-in match to gaze who strikes on.
Here’s a take into yarn at the most up-to-date NBA standings, along with extra on the postseason image.
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Kathy Willens/Associated Press
Eastern Convention
1. Brooklyn Nets (42-20, clinched playoff berth)
2. Philadelphia 76ers (41-21, clinched playoff berth)
3. Milwaukee Bucks (38-23)
4. Fresh York Knicks (35-28)
5. Atlanta Hawks (34-29)
6. Boston Celtics (33-30)
7. Miami Heat (33-30)
8. Charlotte Hornets (30-32)
9. Indiana Pacers (29-32)
10. Washington Wizards (28-34)
11. Chicago Bulls (26-36)
12. Toronto Raptors (26-36)
13. Cleveland Cavaliers (21-41)
14. Orlando Magic (19-43)
15. Detroit Pistons (19-43)
Western Convention
1. Utah Jazz (45-17, clinched playoff berth)
2. Phoenix Suns (44-18, clinched playoff berth)
3. Los Angeles Clippers (43-21)
4. Denver Nuggets (41-21)
5. Los Angeles Lakers (36-26)
6. Dallas Mavericks (34-27)
7. Portland Disappear Blazers (34-28)
8. Memphis Grizzlies (31-30)
9. San Antonio Spurs (31-30)
10. Golden Enlighten Warriors (31-31)
11. Fresh Orleans Pelicans (27-35)
12. Sacramento Kings (25-37)
13. Oklahoma City Suppose (21-41)
14. Minnesota Timberwolves (19-44, eradicated from playoff contention)
15. Houston Rockets (15-47, eradicated from playoff contention)
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Eric Satisfied/Associated Press
Fresh Play-In Tournament
Play-in Recreation 1: No. 8 Charlotte Hornets at No. 7 Miami Heat (winner would play No. 2 seed)
Play-in Recreation 2: No. 10 Washington Wizards at No. 9 Indiana Pacers (loser eradicated)
Play-in Recreation 3: Recreation 2 winner at Recreation 1 loser (winner would play No. 1 seed)
Whereas the Heat reached the NBA Finals final year, they’re looking out to wait on far from having to take half in the play-in match this year. They currently contain the identical narrative as the No. 6 Boston Celtics, so they light contain time to switch up the Eastern Convention standings.
Miami has won 5 of its previous seven video games, but it surely’s had an inconsistent season that has considered it lose six straight video games at one level in leisurely March. So it could perhaps perchance well deserve to wait on the certain momentum going down the stretch to take a take into yarn at to wait on far from the play-in match.
The Hornets, Pacers and Wizards would all currently be in the play-in match no matter getting dropping recordsdata. However they assign not seem like in the certain but, as the Bulls and Raptors (each owning 26-36 recordsdata) are most efficient two video games back of the Wizards for the No. 10 space.
However Washington has been on a roll of leisurely, winning nine of its previous 10 video games and 11 of its previous 13. With Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal in the backcourt, the Wizards is incessantly a foul team in the play-in match, as prolonged as they’ll protect onto their space to fetch it there.
Chicago and Toronto are working out of time to switch up the standings, and each team has a complex closing customary-season agenda. The Bulls contain 5 mixed video games against the Nets, 76ers and Bucks, whereas the Raptors’ subsequent four video games are against four prime-5 groups in the Western Convention standings.
Or not it’s light that you could perchance well be have faith that the Knicks, Hawks or Celtics could perchance well collapse the standings and into the play-in match, as Fresh York (the most up-to-date No. 4 seed) is most efficient two video games sooner than Miami. So things stay tight in the center of the Eastern Convention.
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AJ MAST/Associated Press
Fresh Play-In Tournament
Play-in Recreation 1: No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies at No. 7 Portland Disappear Blazers (winner would play No. 2 seed)
Play-in Recreation 2: No. 10 Golden Enlighten Warriors at No. 9 San Antonio Spurs (loser eradicated)
Play-in Recreation 3: Recreation 2 winner at Recreation 1 loser (winner would play No. 1 seed)
The Disappear Blazers didn’t play neatly for most of April, as they continued a stretch wherein they misplaced nine of 12 video games earlier to their most up-to-date two-recreation winning trudge. However they started their most up-to-date six-recreation boulevard traipse with victories over the Pacers and Grizzlies, so maybe that’s a signal of greater things to reach back.
If it’s far, the Blazers could perchance well switch up the standings and wait on far from the play-in match. They’re most efficient a half of-recreation back of the Mavericks and two video games back of the Lakers.
The Grizzlies, Spurs and Warriors contain somewhat happy leads over the Western Convention groups that would currently cross over out on the play-in match. Fresh Orleans is four video games back of Golden Enlighten for the No. 10 seed with correct 10 video games closing on its agenda.
The Warriors want to come again into the playoffs after their injury-plagued 2019-20 campaign. They really contain a reasonably light upcoming agenda, with their subsequent six video games coming against groups that would currently be out of the playoffs and play-in match. And Golden Enlighten is assured in its skill to prevail if it must fetch into the postseason.
“As far as groups enthusiastic to gaze us in the playoffs, I could perchance well not want to,” forward Draymond Inexperienced fair not too prolonged ago talked about on NBC Sports actions Bay Set. “I could perchance well not want to play any team with Steph Curry on it, in yell that’s correct me although, maybe no person else care, but I could perchance well not want to.”
