Get ready, basketball fans. The 2021 NBA playoffs are almost here.
There’s an added level of intrigue this year as the league implements a new version of the play-in tournament first seen in the “bubble” of Florida amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of the traditional fields with eight teams in each conference, a total of 20 teams will attend the postseason.
MORE: Latest Ranking | Daily NBA schedule
With multiple competitors battling it out for playoff positioning, the final section of the regular season should be entertaining.
Here is a snapshot of the current NBA playoff picture, including the full leaderboard for each conference.
2021 NBA Ranking: Eastern Conference
| Seeds | team | recording | Play back |
| 1. | 76ers * | 43-21 | – – |
| 2. | Networks * | 43-22 | 0.5 |
| 3. | Dollar * | 40-24 | 3 |
| 4th | Curtsey | 36-28 | 7th |
| 5. | Hawks | 35-30 | 8.5 |
| 6th | heat | 35-30 | 8.5 |
| 7th | Celts | 34-31 | 9.5 |
| 8th. | Hornets | 31-33 | 12th |
| 9. | Pacemaker | 30-33 | 12.5 |
| 10. | wizard | 29-35 | 14th |
| – – | Raptors | 27-38 | 16.5 |
| – – | cops | 26-38 | 17th |
| – – | Cavaliers | 21-43 | 22nd |
| – – | magic | 20-44 | 23 |
| – – | piston | 19-45 | 24 |
* Playoff berth won
Excluded from the playoff competition: Magic, Pistons
NBA Ranking 2021: Western Conference
| Seeds | team | recording | Play back |
| 1. | To sunbathe * | 46-18 | – – |
| 2. | Jazz* | 46-18 | – – |
| 3. | Nuggets | 43-21 | 3 |
| 4th | Clippers * | 43-22 | 3.5 |
| 5. | outsider | 36-28 | 10 |
| 6th | Lakers | 36-28 | 10 |
| 7th | Trail blazer | 36-28 | 10 |
| 8th. | Grizzlies | 32-31 | 13.5 |
| 9. | warrior | 32-32 | 14th |
| 10. | Spurs | 31-32 | 14.5 |
| – – | Pelicans | 29-35 | 17th |
| – – | Kings | 27-37 | 19th |
| – – | thunder | 21-44 | 25.5 |
| – – | Timberwolves | 20-45 | 26.5 |
| – – | Missiles | 16-49 | 30.5 |
* Playoff berth won
Excluded from the playoff competition: Rockets, Thunder, Timberwolves
How does the NBA play-in tournament work?
- The play-in tournament will take place after the 2020-21 regular season has ended and before the start of the first round of the 2021 NBA playoffs. Teams numbering 1-6 in the leaderboard for each conference will receive guaranteed playoff spots, and teams number 7-10 will take part in the play-in tournament.
- Team # 7 will meet team # 8, and the winner will be ranked 7th in the playoffs. The loser still has a chance to reach the playoffs.
- Team # 9 meets team # 10, and the winner takes on the loser of game # 7 against # 8. The loser of game no. 9 against no. 10 will be excluded from the playoff competition.
- The loser from game no. 7 against no. 8 and the winner from game no. 9 against no. 10 then play against each other. The winner of that game will be number 8 in the playoffs and the loser will be eliminated from the playoff competition.
NBA Playoff Picture: Seeding Mishaps
(Remaining strength of the schedule over tankathon and playoff probability over FiveThirtyEight)
Eastern Conference
1. 76ers
Remaining games: 8
Remaining strength of the schedule: .380
Playoff probability: In
2. Networks
Remaining games: 7
Remaining strength of the schedule: .499
Playoff probability: In
3. money
Remaining games: 8
Remaining strength of the schedule: .448
Playoff probability: In
4. Knicks
Remaining games: 8
Remaining strength of the schedule: .578
Playoff probability: 93 percent
5. Hawks
Remaining games: 7
Remaining strength of the schedule: .460
Playoff probability: 99 percent
6. Heating
Remaining games: 7
Remaining strength of the schedule: .501
Playoff probability: 97 percent
7. Celtics
Remaining games: 7
Remaining strength of the schedule: .428
Playoff probability: 97 percent
8. Hornets
Remaining games: 8
Remaining strength of the schedule: .478
Playoff probability: 47 percent
9. Pacemaker
Remaining games: 9
Remaining strength of the schedule: .497
Playoff probability: 43 percent
10. Assistants
Remaining games: 8
Remaining strength of the schedule: .485
Playoff probability: 14 percent
Western Conference
1. Suns
Remaining games: 8
Remaining strength of the schedule: .505
Playoff probability: In
2. Jazz
Remaining games: 8
Remaining strength of the schedule: .463
Playoff probability: In
3. Nuggets
Remaining games: 8
Remaining strength of the schedule: .519
Playoff probability: 99 percent
4. Clippers
Remaining games: 7
Remaining strength of the schedule: .429
Playoff probability: In
5. Outsiders
Remaining games: 8
Remaining strength of the schedule: .443
Playoff probability: 97 percent
6. Lakers
Remaining games: 8
Remaining strength of the schedule: .544
Playoff probability: 98 percent
7. Trail blazer
Remaining games: 8
Remaining strength of the schedule: .534
Playoff probability: 97 percent
8. Grizzlies
Remaining games: 9
Remaining strength of the schedule: .438
Playoff probability: 46 percent
9. Warriors
Remaining games: 8
Remaining strength of the schedule: .493
Playoff probability: 46 percent
10. Spurs
Remaining games: 9
Remaining strength of the schedule: .634
Playoff probability: 7 percent
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