NBA playoff picture, standings: Bracket, matchups as 76ers eye playoff spot behind Joel Embiid’s return

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The NBA playoffs are almost here. Less than two weeks remain in the regular season, and the postseason is set to begin April 16 with the Play-In Tournament. The playoffs get started April 20. The playoff picture is coming into focus (13 teams have already clinched postseason spots), but there is still plenty to be decided in the regular season’s closing games. Seeding, home-court advantage and the chance to avoid the Play-In Tournament are all on the line between now and April 14.

So what’s the latest in the NBA’s playoff picture? The Philadelphia 76ers scored a massive win in Miami on Thursday, pulling them within one loss of the No. 6 Pacers and No. 7 Heat. Joel Embiid went for 29 points in 29 minutes in his second game back — both Sixers wins — from knee surgery. Philly has five games left, and four of them are against the Grizzlies, Spurs, Pistons and Nets. I like their chances to get above the Play-In line, although at present, both Indiana and Miami own tiebreakers over the Sixers. 

As a reminder, the NBA’s Play-In Tournament will determine the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds in both conferences. Four teams in each conference (the 7-10 seeds) will enter the Play-In Tournament, while the top six seeds will automatically qualify for playoff spots. The seventh- and eighth-placed teams will face each other for the No. 7 seed. The ninth- and 10th-placed teams will face each other in another game, and then the loser of the No. 7/No. 8 game will face the winner of the No. 9/No. 10 game for the No. 8 seed.

For the remainder of the season, this will be your one-stop shop playoff picture. We’ve got you covered on everything from the current standings to tiebreaker scenarios and magic numbers for both play-in spots and top-six seeds. 

Here’s where we stand entering play on Friday, April 5.

Playoff bracket if the season ended today…

West
(1) Timberwolves vs. (8)…

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Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/nba-playoff-picture-standings-bracket-matchups-as-76ers-eye-playoff-spot-behind-joel-embiids-return/

Author : Brad Botkin

Publish date : 2024-04-05 13:06:49

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