NBA Playoff Standings 2017: Predicting Final Playoff Seedings

As it should, NBA seeding and playoff berths come down to the season's final games.

Often criticized as too long and stretches of games classified as meaningless, there are a few teams in both conferences right now wishing they had put up victories in "meaningless" matchups so they don't have to sweat it out down the stretch.

Out in the Eastern Conference, many seeds remain up for reshuffling, while its counterpart has mostly slotted into order, creating some salivating matchups.

With about two games left for most teams and everything at stake, fans can expect an early appetizer to playoff action as teams fight for their playoff lives.

NBA Playoff Standings

Eastern Conference	Team	W	L
Western Conference
1	y - Cleveland	51	28
2	x - Boston	51	29
3	x - Toronto	49	31
4	y - Washington	48	32
5	x - Atlanta	41	38
6	x - Milwaukee	41	39
7	Indiana	40	40
8	Chicago	39	41
	Miami	39	41
1	z - Golden State	66	14
2	y - San Antonio	61	19
3	x - Houston	53	26
4	x - LA Clippers	49	31
5	y - Utah	49	31
6	x - Oklahoma City	45	34
7	x - Memphis	43	37
8	Portland	40	40

Eastern Conference

1	Cleveland
2	Boston
3	Toronto
4	Washington
5	Atlanta
6	Milwaukee
7	Indiana
8	Miami

The Eastern Conference seems more chaotic than it is.

For the most part, the standings have remained in a holding pattern, with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics swapping spots, the Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta Hawks doing the same, and the Indiana Pacers and Chicago Bulls also doing the same.

Lots of swapping, but no real shockers. The biggest spotlight centers on the playoff pursuit of the Miami Heat.

The Heat saved their season Saturday night, scoring a 106-103 win on the road against the Washington Wizards. Hassan Whiteside led the way with 30 points, and Tyler Johnson dropped 19 off the bench, a necessary flexing of depth strength ahead of the postseason.

"We're excited, but our job's not done," James Johnson, who scored 15 points, said, according to the Associated Press (via ESPN.com). "We're not worried about the standings. We're worried about these next two games and taking care of that."

Johnson was the one to seal the deal late, as the NBA captured:

Now all the Heat have to do is beat Cleveland on Monday night.

Well, and Washington again Wednesday, but one step at a time. The Heat are 2-1 against the Cavaliers this year, and though one of those wins saw the Cavaliers sit LeBron James and others, the Heat have the inside-out game to match.

Look for the Heat to steal a win at home while the rest of the standings mostly stay the same.

Western Conference

1	Golden State
2	San Antonio
3	Houston
4	LA Clippers
5	Utah
6	Oklahoma City
7	Memphis
8	Portland

The Western Conference simply hasn't been as fun as most would have predicted. 

Sure, the conference swapped out the Oklahoma City Thunder as a respectable contender in exchange for the Houston Rockets. The former losing Kevin Durant to the Golden State Warriors and the latter boasting an MVP-esque James Harden made it possible.

Otherwise, the usual suspects continue to hang around. The Memphis Grizzlies ride into the playoffs once again, and the Portland Trail Blazers have been just good enough to all but shore up a spot. The Denver Nuggets are exciting but not experienced enough, and the New Orleans Pelicans acquiring DeMarcus Cousins didn't pay off fast enough.

One can feel the balance of the conference tipping thanks to Denver and New Orleans, but not fully. As Casey Holdahl of Portland's official website pointed out, the Trail Blazers locking up a bid isn't too difficult:

Considering Oklahoma City swept Denver in two meetings so far this year, Portland can somewhat rest easy. Which is good, because the Trail Blazers finish the year against San Antonio and New Orleans.

Not that the Trail Blazers should bite their nails or anything—Damian Lillard just dropped 59 points in a 101-86 blowout of the Utah Jazz:

"I knew before the game that I was going to come out, and I was going to attack them. Knowing how important the game was, I decided early [I] was going to come out here and try to impose my will on them," Lillard said, according to the Associated Press (via ESPN.com).

Star power is the difference between Portland and Denver right now. Lillard isn't going to let his guys miss the playoffs, even if it means running into the buzzsaw that is Golden State, a team his side has yet to beat this season.

But when a guy is dropping 50 or more with everything on the line, fans should want to see him in the playoffs because anything is truly possible.

All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.