With the regular season drawing to a close, it is still uncertain which teams will fill the few remaining playoff births and what the first round matchups will be.
Here's the contenders for a playoff birth heading into the last sim...
EASTSIDAZIn contention:
Miami Heat
Atlanta Hawks
Miami Heat:Currently: Miami stand 2.5 games ahead of Atlanta, and currently hold thee 8th spot.
Injury Status: Clean bill of health
Remaining Fixtures: After a tricky 3 game road trip to New Jersey, Orlando and San Antonio, the Heat return home to face Atlanta, Indiana and Cleveland, before rounding off their regular season away in Atlanta.
Chances: Just don't choke and you'll be just fine...
With the Hawks and Heat competing so fiercely for that last spot the 2 times they face each other will be crucial.
Atlanta Hawks:Currently: The Hawks are 2.5 games back but with a double header vs the 8th seed Heat they have the potential to cause an upset with a late charge.
Injury Status: Sydney Green - 31 days, Torn ACL. Dean Ekezie - 3 days, Sprained ankle.
Remaining Fixtures: With 10 games in 10 days and 7 of which on the road the Hawks have a daunting task ahead of them! The 2 games vs Heat will prove decisive.
Chances: See that shear cliff face..? Climb it..!
Verdict: The Heat are in the driving seat and destiny is in their own hands...
With the shear size and strength of the Hawks remaining schedule it would take something special for them to clinch the last spot.
Heat to hold on to the 8th seed.
WESTSIDEIn contention:
Its pretty much cut and dried who will make the playoffs in the Western Conference... but who will finish where..?
Denver, Golden State, Sacramento, Dallas, San Antonio, LAC and Houston are separated by 3 wins!!!
Denver Nuggets:
Currently: 8th seed in the West but a good run can change everything in the competitive Western conference.
Injury Status: Fighting fit
Remaining Fixtures: 9 games in 10 days, 6 of which are at home. Some tricky opponents like Nets and Celtics could be real tests for the Nuggets. Last game of the regular season at home to the lowly Jazz, could this be decisive..?
Chances: Everything to play for. Plenty games and 2 thirds of which at home.
Golden State:Currently: 7th in the West but have won only 3 of the last 10. Again, everything to play for but will need to pick up on recent performances.
Injury Status: Terry Porter - 25 days, bulging disk (OUCH!)
Remaining Fixtures: 7 remaining games, 4 at home. Blazers, knicks, Jazz and Lakers are games the Warriors will expect to win!
Chances: They have every chance of moving higher, but I wonder how much Terry Porter's bench scoring will be missed..?
Sacramento Kings:Currently: 6th in the West, 5-5 over the last 10 games
Injury Status: Benoit Benjamin - 2 days, sprained ankle.
Remaining Fixtures: 8 games to come. 4 on the road, 4 at home.
Chances: With Benjamin coming back the Kings have to fancy their chances of climbing the standings... although they do have to play the mighty Rockets which is enough to shatter any teams confidence
Dallas Mavericks:Currently: 5th and charding. 7 wins in their last 10 show they are in good form.
Injury Status: Firing on all cylinders.
Remaining Fixtures: 8 to come, 7 at home where they have only lost 12 times this year..!
Chances: Very good! with 7 home games to come they have an excellent chance of homecourt!
San Antonio:Currently: 3rd and, like the Mavs, have won 7 of their last 10.
Injury Status: All hands on deck!
Remaining Fixtures: Only 5 games left with some stern tests against Rockets, Pacers, Heat and Kings. They do have to play the Wolves though, so it ain't all bad!
Chances: The Spurs will find it hard to hold on to that spot and have possibly the hardest schedule of all...
Los Angeles Clippers:Currently: 3rd but way behind Phoenix in their division.
Injury Status: Nothing to report.
Remaining Fixtures: 9 games in 10 days to come for the Clippers. 4 at home to some very average teams. (Wolves, Pistons and 76ers should be W's)
Chances: As high as they can go right now as the 1st and 2nd seed is protected for the division winners... which won't be them. Have to travel to the Kings, Cavs and Hornets which is not ideal. Despite their devastating home form, I can see them slipping...
Houston Rockets:Currently: 2nd in the west and top of the Mid-West. Best form in the West right now going 8-2 over their last 10.
Injury Status: Couldn't be better!
Remaining Fixtures: 8 to come and 5 on the road! Could be tricky and the only weaker team they have is the Blazers twice.
Chances: A tough schedule but they are in form and have really gelled over the last couple of sims. MJ is starting to lead as he should and they have recent wins over the Hornets, Nets and Nuggets.
Verdict:2nd Houston Rockets
3rd Dallas Mavericks
4th Los Angeles Clippers
5th Sacramento Kings
6th San Anontio Spurs
7th Golden State Warriors
8th Denver Nuggets
