NBA Stock Report: The Last Eight Playoff Teams And Where They Stand

High tension has struck the teams battling for one of the final eight spots in the NBA. The rigor of the struggle has taken it's toll on a couple of the teams who were once firmly in the playoff chase.

This week's version of NBA Stock Report, which chronicles the chase for the final postseason spots, is decidedly different from previous versions.

The Toronto Raptors, who were challenging the Boston Celtics for the lead in the Atlantic Division, have seen their stock drop tremendously, as they have fallen from the fifth seed into a tie for sixth with Charlotte.

The Raptors have been victims of poor defense and bad luck, while the Chicago Bulls have been doomed by an injury to post player Joakim Noah.

The Bulls were solidly in the playoffs, but Noah's injury changed the complexion of the team. Chicago has fallen out of a postseason spot, and may not be able to recover in time.

One team's struggles often mean another team's success. There are several teams who have thrived in the midst of the Raptors' and the Bulls' troubles.

The Milwaukee Bucks have rode an impressive 10-2 stretch since the All-Star break into the fifth seed in the East and gained much needed confidence with their victory over the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night.

The Charlotte Bobcats, behind of their strong defense, have also benefited and have thrust themselves back into the postseason picture, after briefly falling out of the chase.

The race for the final eight postseason positions is just as exciting and drama-filled as the race for the top eight seeds, in some cases even more so due to the sense of desperation involved.

These last teams are fighting to escape the lottery for the chance to do the impossible, which is upset one of the higher seeded teams in the playoffs.

Anything can happen once you reach the playoffs. The final eight teams in each conference are displaying that attitude as they streak towards the postseason.

All positions are determined by the current NBA standings, but they are all subject to change dramatically in the last few weeks of the regular season.

Feel free to comment with your thoughts on the future direction of each team, which franchises you think will improve their seeding, or which teams may fall out altogether. Please enjoy!

16- Miami Heat: 8th East, Up

Dwyane Wade is back, and his return has corresponded with the Miami Heat returning to the playoff picture, after recently being cast aside.

The Heat finished the week with three wins against the Los Angeles Lakers, Atlanta Hawks and Los Angeles Clippers. Their lone loss came to the Charlotte Bobcats.

The game against the Bobcats may come back to haunt the Heat because in a tight playoff race, Charlotte now owns the tie-breaker over Miami should they both finish the season with the same record.

With the injury to Chicago's Noah, the Heat look like a good bet to maintain their playoff seeding, but I still have the feeling their trip to the playoffs would end with a first round exit regardless of who they might face.

15- Charlotte Bobcats: T6th East, Up

The Charlotte Bobcats are a mirror image of their coach Larry Brown. Their belief in his system and defensive philosophy have allowed them to weather a couple of bad games and return to the playoff picture.

After a big win against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Charlotte lost three consecutive games and dropped out of the playoff race.

But after a 4-0 week with wins over the Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers, Charlotte has placed themselves back into postseason discussion.

Charlotte is currently tied with the Toronto Raptors for sixth in the East but could move up if they can continue their recent play.

Stephen Jackson's leadership, and Gerald Wallace's overall athleticism have been a big reason for the Bobcats' success. But their defense is what makes them a likely bet for the postseason.

14- Toronto Raptors: T6th, Down

The Toronto Raptors have been subject to their own defensive failures. Their inability to get stops overshadows their superior efforts on the offensive end.

The Raptors are spiraling down the standings in the Eastern Conference and are in danger of falling to the seventh position after previously occupying the fifth spot.

Toronto finished the week 1-3 with a win against the New York Knicks and losses to Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and Sacramento.

The loss to the Lakers was particularly difficult, and it highlighted the Raptors' shortcomings as Kobe Bryant beat them with a last second shot.

The Raptors may be able to limp into the postseason, but once there, it's unlikely they will be able to make any noise.

13- Milwaukee Bucks: 5th East, Up

The Milwaukee Bucks have ridden the shoulders of Andrew Bogut to 10 wins in their past 12 games. They are firmly entrenched in the fifth playoff position in the Eastern Conference.

The Bucks finished the week a perfect 3-0 with wins over Washington, Cleveland and Boston. Milwaukee is beginning to show the confidence of a true postseason team.

The win over the Celtics was a testy affair, but the young Bucks stood toe-to-toe with Boston and never blinked, even when the Celtics resorted to rough-house tactics.

The ability to maintain composure is an important attribute in the playoffs. If Milwaukee can continue to play with intensity and discipline, they could possibly be a dark horse team in the East.

12- Portland Trail Blazers: 8th West, Steady

It was a pretty uneventful week for the Portland Trail Blazers, a theme which has run parallel to their entire season. They seem doomed to end in the first round of the playoffs.

The Blazers only played two games this past week and they split them with a win over Sacramento and a loss to the Denver Nuggets.

That has pretty much been the signature of Portland's season. They play just well enough to remain in the playoff picture but show no signs of being a true threat for a possible upset.

But at least they seem like a sure bet to make the playoffs. Who knows, once they get there, anything is possible, right?

11- San Antonio Spurs: 7th West, Up

The San Antonio Spurs seem to be taking the recent injury to point guard Tony Parker in stride, but it was another setback for a team that has seen it's fair share.

The Spurs finished the week 3-1 with wins against New Orleans, Memphis and New York. Their lone loss came at the hands of Cleveland.

The Spurs didn't have the look of a true contender before Parker went down. His absence will only make San Antonio a safer pick as an early round playoff casualty.

They will more than likely reach the postseason, but there is little chance for them to upset the teams ahead of them without the benefit of home court advantage.

10- Phoenix Suns: 6th West, Steady

The Phoenix Suns have been playing better since allowing Amare Stoudemire to return to his natural power forward position. Phoenix remains a scrappy contender in the West.

The Suns had a short week in which they finished 1-1 with a win over the Indiana Pacers and a loss to the Utah Jazz.

The Suns have superior offensive players, but they still can't defend. Even though they will score a ton of points, that won't translate to victories in the postseason.

Steve Nash will carry the Suns as far as his talented game will suffice, but it doesn't appear that will stretch much further than the first round.

9- Oklahoma City Thunder: 5th West, Up

The young Oklahoma City Thunder continue to show the type of chemistry and talent which makes them a serious threat in the Western Conference.

The Thunder finished the week 3-0 with wins over the Clippers, Kings and Hornets.

Led by Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Jeff Green, the Thunder have progressed more than anyone could have imagined. They were expected to be good, but not this fast.

As it stands now, Durant's scoring and Westbrook's defense make the Thunder a very dangerous team going into the postseason. Whoever they face in the first round is susceptible to an upset.