NBA Eastern Conference Playoff Race: Breaking Down The Final Three Spots

Danny Dolphin

Mar 21, 2011

With the NBA regular season heading towards an appropriately dramatic close, let’s take a look at where the Heat stand in the race to win the East and who has the most favorable schedule moving forward.

Chicago Bulls

Record: 49-19

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Last 10: 8-2

Games Remaining: 14 [ Sacramento (H), Atlanta (A), Memphis (H), Milwaukee (A), Philadelphia (H), Minnesota (A), Detroit (A), Toronto (H), Phoenix (H), Boston (H), Cleveland (A), Orlando (A), New York (A), New Jersey (H) ]

Games against teams with winning record: 7 of 14

Home/Away: 7 of 14 at home

Boston Celtics

Record: 49-19

Last 10: 6-4

Games Remaining: 14 [ New York (A), Memphis (H), Charlotte (H), Minnesota (A), Indiana (A), San Antonio (A), Atlanta (A), Detroit (H), Philadelphia (H), Chicago (A), Washington (H), Miami (A), Washington (A), New York (H)]

Games against teams with winning record: 8 of 14

Home/Away: 6 of 14 at home

Miami Heat

Record: 48-22

Last 10: 5-5

Games Remaining: 12 [Detroit (A), Philadelphia (H), Houston (H), Cleveland (A), Washington (A), Minnesota (A), New Jersey (A), Milwaukee (H), Charlotte (H), Boston (H), Atlanta (A), Toronto (A)]

Games against teams with winning record: 4 of 12

Home/Away: 5 of 12 at home

Scoop

Miami is three games behind both Boston and Chicago in the loss column. With only 12-14 games remaining for all teams, it’s a significant hurdle.

Then you consider that both Boston and Chicago hold the tiebreaker over Miami and it makes it all the more difficult. So essentially they’re four back in the conference.

For Miami to jump into the two or even one seed, they would likely have to finish out along the lines of 11-1 or even 12-0 and hope the other teams falter.

There really isn’t that much of a difference between the two and three seed.

Getting the top seed is a huge advantage because that team would likely face Orlando in round two instead of Miami or Chicago. After the top three there is a significant dropoff.

My gut is Miami finishes with the three seed and faces New York in the first round in what should be an entertaining contest.