The Portland Trail Blazers are readying themselves for the NBA Playoffs

The race to the NBA playoffs has started. Currently, the Portland Trail Blazers have the 6th position and would avoid the Play-In Tournament.

The Portland Trail Blazers are now readying themselves for the Playoffs

Here’s how things are looking and how they could play out.

Portland has 4 games remaining in the regular season, Houston, Utah, Phoenix, and Denver. The final 3 will be tough, as they have a better record than the Blazers.

The Blazers’ main competition in avoiding the play-in are, Dallas, who are currently in 5th and have Memphis, New Orleans, Toronto, and Minnesota: and the Lakers, who own the 7th position and would be in the Play-In if it were to take place now. They finish the regular season with New York, Houston, Indiana, and New Orleans. Even though Portland has the toughest schedule, they would get fifth if there were a 3-way tie, as the Blazers won the regular-season series against Dallas and Los Angeles this season.

Playoff matchups for the Blazers:

If Portland, Dallas, and Los Angeles were to win the rest of their regular-season games, the Blazers would finish 6th, a half-game behind the Mavericks. If the Clippers and Nuggets were to win their remaining games, which is likely to happen for the Clippers, as their opponents are under .500, the Blazers would open round 1 at Staples Center. The Nuggets last 3 are against teams under .500, with their last being the Blazers, and host Dallas the 5th and Denver being 4th. If Portland were to lose some of their final games and the Lakers passed them in the standings, they would host the 8th position, which would be the Warriors or Grizzlies. If the 7th team were to lose, they’d play the winner of the 9th and 10th for the final playoff spot. The winner of 7th and 8th would advance.

Portland would be better off opening round 1 as the 6th versus the Clippers, as Los Angeles appears to be the easier matchup, instead of 5th and traveling to The Mile High City and taking on potential MVP Nikola Jokic and Denver.

Let’s hope they don’t end up in the Play-In Tournament, and can rest up and prepare for round 1 and maybe beyond.