Celts Reign in the NBA East; 3-Way Logjam in the West
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 16 Jan 2024
Heading into the mid season, the Boston Celtics retain pole position in the NBA Eastern Conference while it is a virtual three-team logjam on top in the Western Conference
Counting today's 105-96 victory over the Toronto Raptors, the Celtics hold a record of 31 wins against 9 losses which is 2.5 won games ahead of their closest pursuers, the idle Milwaukee Bucks which tote a 28-12 record. Further back are the Philadelphia 76ers which are 26-13 including their 124-115 win today over the Houston Rockets.
Meanwhile, it is a virtual three team logjam at the top in the West. The Minnesota TimberWolves are holding a 28-11 record which is half a won game over the OKC Thunder which holds a 27-11 record and barely a won game over defending NBA champions, the Denver Nuggets which have a 28-13 record. (NOTE: The Thunder failed to tie up with the T-Wolves losing later this morning to the LA Lakers, 105-112) Both the T-Wolves and the Nuggets have no scheduled games today.
Though winning the Conference title is not a guarantee that the winning team will eventually win the NBA championship, it places that team on distinct advantage in the playoffs and especially the final series where it will enjoy the homecourt advantage whoever they meet.
Should the playoffs start today; the following teams will also be in contention: the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Miami Heat Indiana Pacers, the New York Knicks and the Orlando Magic with the Chicago Bulls and the Atlanta Hawks harboring outside chance in the East.
In the West, also in contention would be the LA Clippers, the Sacramento Kings, the Dallas Mavericks, the New Orleans Pelicans, the Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz and the Lakers with outside chances.
As in previous tournaments, the top six teams in each Conference would automatically qualify in the pre season. The last two teams would play the #9 and #10 finishers holding a win once advantage in best of three with the winner qualifying as the real 7th and 8th seeds.
The pre season would then follow the following format: 1 vs 8, 2 vs 7, 3 vs 6, 4 vs 5 with the higher rated teams holding the homecourt advantage. The winners would meet in the semifinals with the survivors meeting in the finals to determine the Conference champions.
The champions from the East and the West would meet in the best of seven series in 2-2-1-1-1 format with the team with better season record holding the homecourt advantage to crown the NBA champion team.
The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.
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