The NBA came to the sprint stage of the regular season, and the competition for the top four in the East was white-hot, which can be said to be a mess. Originally, striving for a better ranking, so as to get more home advantage in the playoffs, should be the first choice for all strong teams. However, due to the presence of the Nets in the 7th or 8th position in the bottom half of the region, the competition for the top four in the East has become delicate, and almost every team in the top four has an acting component.
The Heat had previously suffered four consecutive defeats and conceded no. 1 in the East. After six consecutive wins, the Celtics suddenly took a double break, causing the team to lose and "return" to 4th place. And Philadelphia, who had previously rested hardened embiid, has now suffered two consecutive defeats and fallen to the 4th place in the East. All kinds of powerful and powerful acting skills, random flowers gradually want to charm the eyes. After all, even if they are confident in their own strength, they are not willing to play against the Nets in the first round. From the current situation, Philadelphia, which has lost consecutive games, may be the final winner.
Take a look at the Nets' last six opponents: Bucks, Hawks, Rockets, Knicks, Cavaliers and Pacers. The Cavaliers' last six opponents are the Lone Rangers, Knicks, Philadelphia, Magic, Nets and Bucks. Obviously the Nets have an easier schedule. And even if the Cavaliers eventually hold on to the 7th place, they will most likely need to play against the Nets in the first round of the playoffs. According to the current state of the Cavaliers and Nets, the Nets will eventually reach the 7th place in the East, which will be a high probability event.
The Nets finished 7th in the East and will play 2nd in the East in the first round. And now the competition in the top 4 in the East is confusing, and the best way to avoid the Nets is to stay away from the top 2, which will completely rule out the possibility of playing against the Nets in the first round. From this point of view, the 3rd and 4th in the East can be called fragrant, especially the 4th in the East, not only can avoid the Nets in the first round, but also most likely in the second round will also avoid potential Nets.
Moreover, the opponent in the first round of the 4th round of the East will most likely be the Bulls who have suffered 0 wins and 16 losses in the top 3 against the division this season, and the odds are very high. Therefore, Philadelphia's losses in the past 2 games can be said to be a blessing in disguise. Of course, Philadelphia's next opponents, namely the Pistons, Hornets, Cavaliers, Pacers, Raptors, Pacers, pistons, is not very difficult, and it is difficult to say whether it can finally "hold" the 4th place in the East, after all, not only Philadelphia is "smart".