The NBA playoffs are getting closer and the standings in the eastern and western conference are taking shape and down below is a link to the full standings with division leaders, clinched spots, records and postseason seeds and this comes after the Chicago Bulls, Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors have clinched playoff appearances.
The Eastern conference has the Atlanta Hawks in first place over the Cleveland Cavaliers and they likely will lock in that top spot, as they have an eight game lead over the Cavs. The Cavaliers have been very strong in the second half of the season and they lead the Raptors in the number two spot. The Bulls have more wins than Toronto, but the Cavs lead the division and Toronto is tops in the Atlantic, giving them the number three seed right now.
The Washington Wizards are in fifth in the standings and they are six games ahead of the Bucks. The finals two spots have the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics, but the Brooklyn Nets and Indiana Pacers are in contention for it with the Hornets. The teams are separated by just a game and half at the bottom and that could make for a tight race down the stretch with those teams.
The western conference has higher quality teams this year, but the playoff race is just as dramatic at the bottom. The Warriors are firmly in place at the top of the west with a seven game lead over the Grizzlies and now both of those teams have clinched. The west is very competitive and they are the only two teams to have clinched so far, with Houston and Portland at third and fourth in the standings.
The Clippers are in fifth place right now and they are right there with the Blazers and the San Antonio Spurs. The Dallas mavericks are holding down the seventh seed and all of those teams are mostly secure in the playoffs. The Oklahoma City Thunder has two games on the Suns and they are also leading the Pelicans for the final spot in the west. The team is doing it without Kevin Durant and that has made it even more impressive that they are currently in the postseason.
The division races are mostly set this season, with the Raptors in firm control of the Atlantic and the Hawks already locking up the southeast. The Cavaliers have a three game lead over the Bulls in the central and while that remains close, losing Derrick Rose likely will keep the Bulls in second. Portland leads the Northwest by five games over OKC, while the Warriors are leading the Pacific by 11 games and likely will win that division. The Southwest is the closest division and it has the Grizzlies leading the Rockets by 2.5 games and the Spurs by five games.
