January Takeaway – The top 2 seeds in each conference are vital
The top seeds always matter, but this year there is an extra incentive.
Both leagues conveniently have clear lines of demarcation after you get past No. 6 in the standings. If you play one of those top 6 teams in the first round, good luck. On the other hand, if you play a 7 or 8 seed that first round is a whole lot easier.
I can already hear Thunder fans screaming about how they are currently only one game back from the 6th seed. And while the Thunder have been a nice story, they probably aren’t beating any of the top 6 teams out for that spot and there isn’t a single team that would rather see the Rockets/Mavericks over the Thunder in round 1.
I think this race is especially intriguing in the Eastern Conference now that the Bucks have essentially locked themselves into the top spot. That leaves seven teams who are all currently separated by 3.5 games competing for the second seed and what would essentially be a bye in the first round. Again, no disrespect (a little disrespect) to the Magic and Nets, but those top 6 teams are just significantly better than them in a 7-game series.
We’re just barely over the halfway mark of the season so it’s still a little early to get too worked up about seeding. But the top 6 teams in each conference are well aware of the drop-off and you better believe they are going to lock in for the last 30ish games once we get back from the All-Star break. It should be fun.