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How the schedule could impact three key NBA playoff races
It's a bit quaint to look back on the past in the NBA and remember the late-season playoff hunts. Teams were really seeking the No. 1 seed and home-court advantage through the playoffs. When Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls had their double three-peat in the 1990s, you know what their record was from March 5 through the end of the regular season? 112-30. They won 79% of their games, and Jordan didn't sit them out.
With load management and the play-in tournament, there are different ways of managing a team's late stretch to set up for playoff success. The Indiana Pacers came from the 4-seed to nearly take out the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals last season. The Dallas Mavericks came from a 5-seed to make the Finals the year before. So now there are different targets. A top-six seed is important to avoid the play-in, but note that Miami made the Finals in 2023 after going through the play-in.
NBA Playoff Picture: Updated Probabilities and Biggest Storylines Impacting the Standings
With just over a month left in the NBA’s regular season, the playoff picture in both conferences is starting to fall into place.
While the teams that will be within the 10-team play-in tournament field in each conference are all but solidified with some teams in a full-force tank, plenty can change over the final chunk of the regular season in terms of playoff seeding. In the loaded Western Conference, the third- and sixth-place teams are separated by only 1 1/2 games. The Suns, the first team out of the top six and guaranteed playoff berth that comes with it, are two games back of the sixth-place Lakers.
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: Thunder grabbing 1st seed is 'very important'
Hoping to grab the first seed for the third consecutive year, the Oklahoma City Thunder will likely have to earn the top spot in the final days of the regular season — unlike last year when they cruised to it.
You can thank the San Antonio Spurs for that. They've come out of nowhere to be one of the NBA's three best teams. They've figured out this whole winning thing. The young squad has won 14 of its last 15 games. That includes going undefeated in February.
The Thunder have kept pace, though. Despite juggling injuries, the reigning NBA champions have found a groove since the NBA All-Star break. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has returned from a three-week absence. After a 104-97 win over the Golden State Warriors, he talked about the importance of the first seed.
For more detailed information, explore updates concerning How the schedule.
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