As much of the NBA playoff seeding remains to be set, we explore every postseason team's dream first-round matchup.
The final week of the NBA's regular season has arrived. Even though there are just a handful of games remaining in the regular season, there is still much to be decided in terms of seeding in both conferences. In the Western Conference, there are six teams fighting for seeds 3-6. Two teams will be left on the outside looking in, having to earn their way into the final 8 via the Play-In Tournament. Similarly, the Eastern Conference is anything but settled, as there could be some shuffling between seeds 4-6.
Nevertheless, the postseason is quickly approaching, with the Play-In Tournament set to begin on April 15 and the NBA Playoffs set to start on April 19. As we inch closer and closer, we explore every team's "dream" first-round playoff matchup.
The Play-In teams
In the Eastern Conference, one order or another, the Play-In Tournament teams are going to be the Orlando Magic, Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls, and Miami Heat. At least for these teams, especially in the East, they should just be happy to get invited to the dance. The argument could be a little different for some of the Western Conference Play-In Tournament teams, who maybe have a bit higher of a ceiling heading into the postseason, but I can't imagine any of these teams are looking forward to a matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers or Boston Celtics.
In the Western Conference, the same could be said for the likes of the Sacramento Kings, Dallas Mavericks, or Phoenix Suns. Whichever two make it into the Play-In Tournament, there's not even a guarantee they will qualify as one of the final eight teams heading into the postseason. They will be happy just to get that far. However, the case could be different for the 7th and 8th seeds, especially considering how congested the standings are heading into the final few days of the regular season.