NBA Final Run to Playoffs
As the demanding NBA season gets down to under 10 games remaining, post season is considered the second season. Not as many games but a grueling fight for the last few seeds is the beginning of post season for those few teams on the bubble. There last few games of the season is like playoff games just to get in to post season.
The question remains which teams will qualify for a playoff berth. More teams are eliminated every few days as the season ends.
Previous season win projections are within range of expectations from most teams. Two teams have already won more than expected with around 10 games left on their schedule. Projected to win 43 games, the Houston Rockets have won 48 games and should exceed their expectations by 10 games. A big improvement for any team to jump 10 more wins than expected.
The Philadelphia 76ers were projected to win 24 games but have surpassed that mark with 26 wins on pace to win 30 games. The Sixers should be in contention next year when their key injured players are healed.
Some teams are going to fall short of their preseason projected win total. The LA Clippers had a projected win total of 54 games but their current win record of 41 games is well short with 10 games left in the season. Even the playoff teams are not living up to their full potential and a lower playoff seed is expected but not favorable. Of course, success in the first few rounds of the playoffs is possible and will rectify a mediocre season.
Portland is another team that displayed a winning attitude at the end of last season. Their projected win total was 45 games but they are well short with 32 wins with less than 10 games remaining. Portland is on the bubble for the final eighth seed in the Western Conference. They are one game back of Denver and need to keep winning down the stretch. A playoff run could go down to the last game of the season.
The remaining schedule of home and away games is the key ingredient for a playoff spot.
Seven Western teams are headed for the playoffs but the middle seeds could swing back and forth. Only the battle for the eighth seed remains open with Denver, Portland and Dallas contending with each other. Denver has a slight edge over Portland and Dallas is within reach if they win out or close to it, but unlikely. It is either Portland or Denver down to the wire.
Four Eastern Conference teams have clinched a playoff spot with three teams tied for the four through seven seeds —- Atlanta, Milwaukee and Indiana. The eighth and final seed is a contentious fight down to the last few games. Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls are tied and Detroit is one game behind and Charlotte two games back.
A playoff atmosphere for a few remaining games towards the end of the season is good for the NBA leading up to the post season. A good indication of how well these bubble teams can perform in a must win situation to complete their season and move ahead to post season.
A successful NBA season is for teams to make the playoffs even if they get eliminated in the first round. The measure of the players, coaches and organization is dependent on gaining that playoff berth and nothing else matters.
