NBA Playoffs Update: Qualified Teams, Still in the Hunt

The final two weeks in the regular season is here. In the first week, teams play their final regular season games and then in the second week, 7-seeds through 10-seeds in both conferences throw down in the NBA Play-In Tournament. Check out which teams have already stamped their tickets to the postseason, which teams are on the hunt for a playoff spot, the teams that won’t make the playoffs, and a clear upset pick for both play-in tournaments. Let’s get right to it so you can plan your bets against the NBA Playoffs Odds.

2 Weeks Till End of Regular Season Who’s In, Who’s Out, On the Hunt, and Clear Upsets

NBA Season’s Final Two Weeks

When: Sunday, April 3 – Friday, April 15

Eastern Conference

Who’s In – Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics

As of March 31, the Miami Heat have a half a game lead over the Bucks for the top seed in the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs. The Boston Celtics are just 2 games back.

Expect the three teams that have secured playoff spots in the East to have a great battle for the top two seeds in the final regular season week.

Who’s Out – Indiana Pacers, Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic

The Pacers, Pistons, and Magic have pretty much been the three worst teams in the East since the season started. Indiana is sort of a surprise. But the Pacers gave up their hand when they began to explore trading Domantas Sabonis.

Detroit and Orlando have been horrible for a long time. So the fact neither made the playoffs shouldn’t surprise.

On the Hunt –Philadelphia 76ers, Chicago Bulls, Toronto Raptors

The math almost ensures the 76ers make the playoffs. For Philly, it’s a question of their seed. Will they be the 1-seed? The 4-seed? The 5-seed?

Chicago should make the playoffs. The Bulls could implode and end up in the play-in tournament. That shouldn’t happen. DeMar DeRozan won’t allow it to happen.

Toronto has a 2 ½ game lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers for the 6-seed. So Toronto should also make the playoffs.

Clear Upset

10-seed Atlanta will upset 7-seed Cleveland, win the play-in touranament, and make the playoffs

Atlanta is the 10-seed. The call here is that the Hawks make the play-in tournament, take on the 7-seed Cavaliers, and knock out Cleveland. So Atlanta makes the NBA Playoffs.

Western Conference

Who’s In – Phoenix Suns, Memphis Grizzlies, Dallas Mavericks

The Suns have the best record in the NBA. Memphis and Dallas boast two of the top five players in the league.

The Grizzlies’ Ja Morant can dominate any opponent. So can Luka Doncic with the Mavericks. Overall, though, Phoenix is the best team in the West. So neither the Mavs nor the Grizzlies should beat the Suns and win the conference.

Who’s Out – Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets

Oklahoma City is a bad team. But the Thunder is the best team in the NBA against the spread. So if you want to pad your bankroll, consider backing OKC ATS in the second to final week.

Houston has played awful basketball this season. But everyone expected the Rockets to be terrible. Houston will bounce back. Maybe not next season, but soon. The franchise is top notch and won’t languish for long.

On the Hunt – Golden State Warriors, Denver Nuggets, Utah Jazz

5-seed Utah and 6-seed Denver have a 3 game lead over the 7-seed Minnesota Timberwolves. 3-games in the final regular season week is too much to overcome.

Golden State has a shot to grab the 3-seed over the Mavericks. But the Warriors won’t beat out the Grizzlies for the 2-seed because Memphis is 6 games ahead of Golden State.

Clear Upsets

San Antonio will beat out the Los Angeles Lakers for the 10-seed, enter the play-in tournament, and knock out the 7-seed Minnesota Timberwolves

The Lakers and Spurs are fighting for the 10-seed. San Antonio should win the final play-in spot, which means the NBA Finals preseason favorite won’t even make the play-in tournament.

Once there, the Spurs will upset 7-seed Minnesota and enter the NBA Western Conference Playoffs as the 8-seed. San Antonio has no shot against the Suns. But at least they will have made the playoffs.

For the Lakers, in the offseason, LeBron James will express his willingness to finish his career in Cleveland and ask for a trade to the Cavaliers, and the Lakers will cut Russell Westbrook, become a doormat in the Western Conference, and spend the next three seasons looking for the next Kobe Bryant in the NBA Draft.