While many sports fan will be watch The Masters leaderboard on Sunday, the Eastern Conference standings might be just as compelling. With the 76ers win over the Pacers on Saturday, here’s how the top-4 currently seed:
- Miami Heat (53-28)
- Milwaukee Bucks (51-30)
- Boston Celtics (50-31)
- Philadelphia 76ers (50-31)
The Heat have clinched home court advantage throughout the Eastern Conference Playoffs, but there’s a ton of wiggle room between 2 through 4.
The Bucks tip off tomorrow at 3:30 pm in Cleveland with the Celtics taking on the Grizzlies in Memphis and the 76ers hosting the Pistons at 7 pm. Unless Bucks-Cavaliers goes into some crazy quadruple overtime situation in the final day of the regular season, that result should be determined before the Celtics’ and 76ers’ games.
If Milwaukee wins, the motivation for Boston is simple: beat the Grizzlies and secure the #3 seed and a first round series with the Chicago Bulls. Where it gets tricky is if the Bucks lose. The Celtics would still have a shot at the second seed in the East and a rematch against the Brooklyn Nets with a win in Memphis. Lose and Philadelphia could grab #3 if they beat Detroit, dropping Boston to a 4/5 matchup with the Toronto Raptors.
