Plenty of playoff scenarios in East
MEMPHIS — On March 27, with several teams crammed together near the top of the Eastern Conference playoff bracket and Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and the Nets lurking near the bottom, Celtics coach Ime Udoka was asked whether he thought teams would try to set up preferred matchups.
“I think teams to some extent always try to control something if they can,” he said. “We’re more worried about health and playing the right way. Continue to do what we’re doing and see where the chips fall. But as far back as I’ve gone as a player and coach, teams have always tried to manipulate where they can and figure out what’s in their favor.”
But now, with just one day left in the regular season, the picture remains nearly as cloudy as it was two weeks ago. It has been all but impossible for teams to choose their slot, because there are simply too many moving parts elsewhere.
“We’re all aware of what’s going on,” Celtics guard Derrick White said. “I don’t think anybody can not be aware. But I think everybody’s just so close that you don’t really know … We’ve got a big one here in Memphis. And wherever we’re at, we’re at.”
There is a bit more clarity than there was just a few days ago. The Heat have secured the No. 1 overall seed, the Raptors are locked into the No. 5 slot, and the Bulls will finish sixth. But there is still potential for shifts in the 2-4 spots, as well as play-in tournament seeding involving teams that
finish 7-10.
The Celtics (51-30) enter Sunday’s finale against the Grizzlies tied for third in the Eastern Conference with the 76ers, but Boston holds the tiebreaker, so Philadelphia is essentially fourth. Both teams are one game behind the secondplace Bucks.
The 76ers close the season with a road game against the Pistons, and the Bucks finish up by visiting the Cavaliers. The timing and the stakes present some interesting scenarios.
If the Bucks, Celtics, and 76ers all win or lose, of course, the seeding would remain unchanged and Boston would get the No. 3 spot and a first-round matchup against the Bulls. The same holds true if the Bucks and Celtics win, or if the Bucks win and the Celtics and 76ers lose.
But the Celtics would fall to No. 4 if they lose and the 76ers win, regardless of the result of the Bucks game. Boston could also move up to No. 2 if it wins and Milwaukee loses.