Roughly one more week before the end of this express recovery, and if a good part of the spots are starting to find their future owners, this is not the case with places 8 and 9 in the West. Because yes it is the big novelty this season, if you are ninth you can play the Playoffs, well almost. We take stock of the race ? Come on.
So that’s where it is today, after a big week of competition. Six teams pulling each other’s feet, with different dynamics but a single common goal: to be part of the two “finalists” for place 8 and a first round against the Lakers of JR Smith. We remind you of the little asterisk this year, for those who have just woken up from a four-month nap: this season the ninth (if he is stationed four wins or less from the eighth) will have the right to challenge the eighth in a “play-in tournament”. If the eighth team wins the first game it is folded, if it is the ninth team that wins, we will be entitled to a Game 2 that looks like Game 7. In this mad race for the postseason six teams are still competing (see table above), and everyone’s schedules will start to weigh heavily in the balance. Good thing we’re giving you all this just below, don’t say thank you, we’re doing this because we love you.
Ranking on August 8, 9:05 am, between orange juice and gingerbread
Memphis Grizzlies – 33-37
- Dynamics in the bubble: 1 victory and 4 defeats
- Remaining schedule: Raptors, Celtics and Bucks
- Percentage chance of participating in the play-in (calculated using a secret scholarly formula): 60%
- last night’s victory against the Thunder is a huge blessing. Two big positives for the Grizzlies. 1) they have their destiny in their hands and 2) if their program can turn out to be cotton at first glance, their last three games will oppose them to teams already assured of their final spot so possibly in secret mission rest of executives. One more win should be enough, you know what you have to do.
Portland TrailBlazers – 32-38
- Dynamics in the bubble: 3 wins and 1 loss
- Remaining schedule: Clippers, Sixers, Mavericks and Nets
- Percentage chance of participating in the play-in (calculated using a secret scholarly formula): 70%
- the Blazers have moved forward and are starting to scare a lot of people. Clearly the best placed to pick up ninth place, see eighth, a victory in the next two games could put them almost definitely in the shelter before the last two games much more accessible.
San Antonio Spurs – 30-38
- Dynamics in the bubble: 3 wins and 2 losses
- Remaining calendar: Pelicans, Rockets and Jazz
- Percentage chance of participating in the play-in (calculated using a secret scholarly formula): 25%
- we started by saying “why not”, then two defeats reminded us that the Spurs were obviously no longer the scarecrow that we have known. Even in the case of three out of three nothing is certain for Gregg’s men The Mask Popovich, and the guys weren’t necessarily coming to Orlando to do rabbit anyway.
New Orleans Pelicans – 30-39
- Dynamics in the bubble: 2 wins and 3 losses
- Remaining schedule: Spurs, Kings and Magic
- Percentage chance of participating in the play-in (calculated using a secret scholarly formula): 30%
- the calendar is very affordable, and whatever happens it will most likely take a 3/3 to get ninth place, knowing that it might not even be enough. Shouldn’t be in a rush, that’s all.
Phoenix Suns – 30-39
- Dynamics in the bubble: 4 wins and 0 losses
- Remaining schedule: Heat, Thunder, Sixers and Mavericks
- Percentage chance of participating in the play-in (calculated using a secret scholarly formula): 40%
- the best dynamic in the bubble, simply because the Suns are the only undefeated team. Four games remaining to continue the incredible comeback, four games that can be taken if the Monty Williams gang continues to play with seriousness and madness at the same time. On paper it seems complicated so much we start from far, but in the feeling we almost want to say that it would be deserved.
Sacramento Kings – 29-40
- Dynamics in the bubble: 1 victory and 4 defeats
- Remaining schedule: Rockets, Pels, Lakers
- Percentage chance of participating in the play-in (calculated using a secret scholarly formula): 1%
- two games against teams in search of victories and another against the Lakers, two and a half games behind on ninth place and above all, a defense so porous that the guys might not even qualify for the Pro Playoffs B. Sometimes a tweet is better than all the analyzes in the world, so send the mash of seum:
Mathematically, the Kings are not yet eliminated from the race for the Playoffs.
In their minds, they have already been on vacation since March. The force of habit.
— Sacramento Kings France (@SacramentoFR) August 8, 2020
So much for this play-in race, currently carried out by the Grizzlies and Blazers. Be careful all the same to damage and spinning sharks, because behind it grows very hard especially on the Arizona side. A few more days of racing and we can slash the champagne in Orlando, trying not to spin the bottle for health reasons.
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