Road to the Playoffs: Raptors hanging onto fifth place by a thread

With simply over two weeks remaining within the NBA season, the playoff image is beginning to take form.

The 10 groups that may go into the post-season from every convention are actually set, however questions stay about what the ultimate standings will seem like.

In the East, the one-to-four seeds are practically full, however there’s fairly a logjam from fifth to Tenth. Just 3.5 video games separate the fifth-place Toronto Raptors and the Tenth-place Charlotte Hornets. 

As for the West, the questions revolve round whether or not the Oklahoma City Thunder can maintain onto the highest seed. Their lead over the Spurs is simply 2.5 video games, and San Antonio has a recreation in hand over the defending champions. 

The West’s play-in match is usually solidified with the No. 6 Houston Rockets 3.5 video games up on the No. 7 seed Phoenix Suns. The probability of the Suns passing the Rockets is slim with so little time left, however they need to have home-court benefit for play-in video games with a six-game lead over the Tenth-place Golden State Warriors. 

The East’s combat for a top-six end

The Detroit Pistons have rotated their franchise over the previous two seasons. After successful simply 14 video games in 2023-24, they’ve now clinched a second-straight playoff berth and are on the verge of clinching their first Central Division title since 2008.

The Pistons maintain a four-game benefit over the Boston Celtics, who’ve additionally clinched their playoff spot, for the East’s high seed. Detroit can obtain its division title by beating the Raptors on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+), however Toronto will probably be combating for a victory to keep away from falling under sixth place. 

The Raptors, who’re coping with a number of accidents, are simply barely holding onto fifth place. Their incapability to defeat good groups has hindered their potential to be checked out as a severe contender. They’ve gone 2-1 over the past week, however that one loss was a 25-point beatdown from the Los Angeles Clippers. 

Toronto has a simple schedule for the remainder of the best way, with 5 of its eight video games towards groups beneath it within the standings.

The Raptors might want to keep composure with the scorching-hot Atlanta Hawks tied with them within the standings. The Hawks are 17-3 since Feb. 19 (the third most wins within the NBA) with their duo of Jalen Johnson and Canadian Nickeil Alexander-Walker each within the midst of profession years. 

It doesn’t get a lot simpler behind the Hawks, with the Philadelphia 76ers lastly again at full energy. Tyrese Maxey returned early from a finger harm, Joel Embiid bought again within the lineup and Paul George completed serving his suspension for violating the league’s drug coverage. 

This trio has virtually by no means gotten the possibility to get an prolonged run collectively, however with a playoff spot on the road, it might lastly be time to point out the world why Daryl Morey spent a lot cash on all of them. 

Beyond the highest seven, it does seem to turn out to be a weaker combat with the Orlando Magic, Miami Heat and Charlotte Hornets. The Magic have gone .500 by way of March, and the Heat are at 8-7, whereas the Hornets had an excellent run at 9-5.

Orlando suffered its worst loss ever with a 53-point blowout by the hands of the Raptors on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Heat’s Bam Adebayo voiced his displeasure with probably being within the play-in for the fourth straight season. 

“I don’t want to be in the f—— play-in,” Adebayo stated after a latest string of losses. 

These six groups battling to get out of the play-in will take the courtroom seven occasions over the subsequent week. Here is when these essential matchups happen:

Raptors at Pistons – March 31, 8 p.m. ET (Sportsnet, Sportsnet+)

Hawks at Magic – April 1, 7 p.m. ET

Celtics at Heat – April 1, 7:30 p.m. ET

Pistons at 76ers – April 4, 7 p.m. ET

Raptors at Celtics – April 5, 3:30 p.m. ET (Sportsnet, Sportsnet+)

Knicks at Hawks – April 6, 7 p.m. ET

Pistons at Magic – April 6, 7 p.m. ET

The West is an entire totally different story from the East; on this aspect of the standings, there ought to be little to no motion from seventh to Tenth place. 

The high groups within the convention have carried out their jobs and have maintained data effectively above .500 to make sure themselves an opportunity to compete for the Larry O’Brien trophy. The Thunder, Spurs, Lakers, Nuggets, Timberwolves and Rockets will most certainly make up the highest six seeds, however the order by which they are going to end is unclear. 

It will certainly be one of many Thunder or Spurs ending first. They have been the perfect two groups all season, and of their final 15 video games, every has gained 14. 

Where the distinction could are available in is of their remaining few video games. OKC has simply six video games left and the fourth–hardest schedule remaining within the NBA, per Tankathon. They will face the Lakers twice, the Nuggets, the Clippers and the Suns on this remaining stretch. 

Meanwhile, the Spurs have the 14th-toughest schedule left and keep a recreation in hand on the Thunder, with seven left to play. San Antonio additionally has the benefit of not needing to move OKC; they simply have to tie them within the standings, as they gained the season sequence 4-1. 

The Nuggets have additionally gotten sizzling within the midst of a six-game win streak and are 8-2 of their final 10. However, Denver has the misfortune of getting to face the Spurs twice and the Thunder as soon as of their remaining six video games. 

Behind the highest two, simply 3.5 video games separate the No. 3 Lakers and No. 6 Rockets. The Lakers have gone 14-2 in March and lately gained 9 straight video games, with Luka Doncic averaging 37.2 factors, 8.2 rebounds, 7.1 assists and a couple of.3 steals per recreation within the month. 

In fifth place is the Timberwolves, who can’t now be counted out to leap a number of spots within the standings with Anthony Edwards returning to the lineup on Monday. Edwards had missed six video games, however having his close to 30-point per recreation manufacturing offers them a combating probability on any night time.

The Rockets are the least doubtless of the bunch to leap up the standings as a consequence of their latest stage of play. In March, they’ve had an 8-7 document, extra losses than any of the groups they’re chasing. It’s to not say they don’t have a shot; any crew with one of many biggest scorers of all time, Kevin Durant, might go on a run in the event that they discover their groove. 

The high 10 seeds within the West will probably be in motion 5 occasions towards each other over the subsequent week. Here is once we will see some decisive matchups and potential playoff previews: 

Spurs at Warriors – April 1, 10 p.m. ET

Lakers at Thunder – April 2, 9:30 p.m. ET

Spurs at Clippers – April 2, 10:30 p.m. ET

Spurs at Nuggets – April 4, 3 p.m. ET

Rockets at Warriors – April 5, 10 p.m. ET