The NBA regular season has entered the countdown stage, the Western Landscape is clear, the Suns have locked in the first place, the Grizzlies have basically ensured the top two, the Warriors Jazz Lone Ranger position is relatively stable, and the suspense is the Nuggets and Timberwolves, who are competing for the last playoff ticket. The Clippers are basically 7th, the Lakers and Pelicans are in the second half of the playoffs, and other teams are unlikely to make another playoff. In contrast, the East can be said to be completely chaotic, with 4 teams vying for first, 3 teams vying for fifth, and the Nets falling tenth if they are not careful
4 teams compete for number one: Heat 47 wins and 27 losses, 76ers 46 wins and 27 losses, Bucks 46 wins and 27 losses, Celtics 46 wins and 28 losses (5 consecutive wins)
In today's game, the Heat were reversed by the Knicks by 17 points, which gave them a three-game losing streak. In the three games lost, the opponents were the 76ers without Harden Embiid, the Warriors without Curry Cleglin, and the Knicks, a fish-belly team. It is also these 3 games that make the Heat's hard-won advantage disappear, and the Heat also has infighting, if they can not adjust in time, the ranking will fall again and again.
The Celtics, despite one more loss, are too strong and have the best record in the league since February, with good chemistry after the trade adjustment. The 76ers and Bucks are also striving for the first, which is related to embiid and the MVP of the alphabet brother, and no one will slacken off. And this year the Competition in the East is so fierce that everyone wants to have home-court advantage in the playoffs.
Teams 3 competed for fifth place: the Bulls 42-31, the Cavaliers 41-32, and the Raptors 41-32
1-4 is the first group, 5-7 is the second group, but the competition between these 3 teams is even more brutal, who is 7th who wants to play the playoffs. Both the Bulls and Cavaliers suffered two straight losses, which gave the Raptors the possibility of counterattacking, and then the Bulls had to contact the Heat, Bucks, and Celtics, who had a zero winning percentage when playing the top three teams in the East and West. It can be said that the Bulls have now become the most likely team to play the play-offs among the 3 teams.
The Nets are likely to fall 10th: the Nets are 38-35, the Hornets are 38-36, and the Hawks are 37-37
The Nets lost two games less, but in the next schedule, the Nets will have to play against the Hornets and Hawks, one of the major games. Such a card battle is of great significance, if the Nets lose both games, it is likely to fall directly to the 10th place in the East. So the Nets still can't be careless and try to win every game.
Although Irving has been allowed to play in home games, no one can guarantee a win-win format in the play-offs. Staying in the first half of the play-offs, you have 2 chances, and if you grasp one time, you will be promoted, but if you fall into the second half, there is no way back, you must win 2 games in a row, the difficulty is directly multiplied.
As for teams outside the 10th place in the East, the 11th Knicks have also widened the gap of more than 5 wins with the 10th Hawks, and only the theoretical possibility of reaching the playoffs is left.