Tight Playoff Race Cases Fright Among NBA Fans

With the NBA regular season coming to an end, the playoff race is becoming more intense with multiple teams fighting for spots in the playoffs. This season’s playoff picture looks a little different than in past years, to say the least. Some teams that were picked to be in the lower half of the win collum this season have fought hard to not only win more games than expected but also have the chance to create their destiny for the rest of the season in hopes of a championship.

The Western Conference has been very tight all season long and with the fourth-place team only having a measly five more wins than the twelfth-place team games will be played with more intensity and passion. This will lead to one of the best regular season finishes in recent memory and the possibility for underdogs to prove they are worthy. Drew Klemesrud “As a fan of basketball, I’m content with the way the season has gone up to this point. I like seeing new teams compete because it creates new hype for them and it’s refreshing to see new teams and players.”

Teams that have already clinched spots in the playoffs consist of the Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets, and Memphis Grizzlies. These teams were all picked to finish near the top of their conferences and divisions, and they did. Marc Benz predicts the Bucks or Celtics being at the top in the playoffs “I think the Celtics or Bucks have the best shot to make a deep playoff push this season because both of those teams have superstar players.” Other favorites to win playoff games this season according to ESPN analytics include the Phonix Suns and 

Along with the early-season favorites, some surprising teams have exited expectations, such as the Sacramento Kings, who are currently in the third spot in the western conference, and the New York Knicks in the fifth spot in all of the eastern conference. The Kings have yet to make the playoffs since the 2006 season. On the other hand, the Knicks made the playoffs during the 2021 season but were eliminated during the first round. Before this, the Knicks had yet to make the playoffs since the 2014 season. 

Brevin Quass expects the Kings to go far and the Knicks to go home early. “I expect the Kings to make a deep playoff run because of the speed that they play with and the potential they have when they play at their highest level. For the Knicks, though I expect a first or second-round exit due to their inconsistent play.” This could very well be true because, during the regular season, there have been stretches where the Knicks have misplayed their potential.

 Shocking improvements made by teams who were thought to have almost no chance of winning games this season have proven that they can compete with the top dogs. With all the talent that has been shown by every team that has a chance to make the playoffs or has already clinched spots, it is anyone’s year to win. All in all, this season’s playoff picture has been closer than almost every other season in recent memory, and be ready to be entertained.