The Eastern Conference is more uneven than usual this season, which given its recent history is really saying something. The top three teams -- Boston, Cleveland and Orlando -- are all ten or more games better than the rest of the conference and two teams with losing records could qualify for the postseason.

Entering Wednesday night's action, just 11 games separated the best team (the Lakers) and the eight-best team in the Western Conference (the Mavericks). Meanwhile, a whopping 22 games separated the top-seeded Cavaliers and the Bulls, who have a loose grip the East's eighth seed.

Just five games separated the 76ers (seventh) and Knicks (thirteenth) after Tuesday night's games. If you want to further cloud the picture, you can add the Pistons (sixth) and Raptors (fourteenth) into the mix. Ten games bridge Detroit to Toronto with roughly 18 games left in the regular season.

Washington, a horrible 15-49 due to a handful of injuries, is still mathematically in the playoff picture despite their standing at the bottom of the conference. They aren't to going leap into the postseason race, but five teams (Minnesota, Oklahoma City, Memphis, L.A. Clippers and Sacramento) have been eliminated from the Western picture. For what it's worth, Golden State will soon join them on the mental "golf course."

On a nightly basis the eight through thirteen slots can shuffle in the East, and New Jersey has a chance to leapfrog the idle Bucks for ninth place on Wednesday with a win over the Warriors. That's not all; the Nets could jump all the way up to eighth place if the Bulls falter against the Magic.

These are the kind of scenarios that present themselves on a nightly basis, and will continue to over the final month of the NBA's regular season.

A majority of the attention might be on the three-team race to finish with the East's best record, and acquire home-court advantage throughout the playoffs, but there is more at stake, more to lose, and more shakeup on an hourly basis below the Cavaliers, Celtic and Magic in the standings.

Sneaking into the playoffs as the sixth, seventh or eighth seed won't get you much other than a quick first round exit this season, but hosting at least two playoffs games is a lot better than preparing for the crap shoot that is the NBA Draft Lottery a month before it even takes place.

Using the standings through Wednesday (Mar. 11th), I will go from top and bottom and analyze each team's chances to extend their season by a week or so.

6. Detroit Pistons (32-30)

John Hollinger's Playoff Odds: 91.7%

Record in 2009: 13-19

Schedule ? Home: 9, Road: 11

Games Against Teams 6th-14th: 11

I'd consider the Pistons a lock to finish sixth in the conference, barring a huge collapse. They have shown that they play better without Allen Iverson, and he'll miss at least another week with a sore back. The 76ers have the best chance to catch them, and the two teams will do battle twice within a week's time (@ DET on Mar. 29, @ PHI on Apr. 4).

7. Philadelphia 76ers (30-31), 1 ? back of 6th

John Hollinger's Playoff Odds: 68.8%

Record in 2009: 17-13

Schedule ? Home: 10, Road: 11

Games Against Teams 6th-14th: 10

Like Detroit, Philadelphia has been playing well without a recent big-name acquisition (Elton Brand), but the odds are against them holding onto a playoff spot down the stretch. Next week they'll depart on a five-game West Coast trip that will pit them against the Lakers, Suns, Warriors, Kings and Blazers. Even if they are able to handle that trip, five of their last seven games will be played on the road.

8. Chicago Bulls (29-35), 2 ? back of 7th

John Hollinger's Playoff Odds: 59.2%

Record in 2009: 15-17

Schedule ? Home: 11, Road: 7

Games Against Teams 6th-14th: 11

The Bulls will have to face both the Celtics and Lakers in the season's final month, but as the current eighth seed they can control their own destiny. The trade deadline gambles they made appear to have paid off, and they won't have to go head-to-head with the Bucks, who would love to gain a full game on Chicago in a single night.

9. Milwaukee Bucks (30-37), ? back of 8th

John Hollinger's Playoff Odds: 19.6%

Record in 2009: 15-19

Schedule ? Home: 9, Road: 6

Games Against Teams 6th-14th: 4

The Bucks are at a huge disadvantage because they have the fewest number of games left than any playoff candidate and will play just four games against fellow contenders. Road games against the Nets, 76ers and Pacers should be circled on their calendar. Losing those two out of those three will likely eliminate them from contention. You also have to believe that all their injuries will eventually catch up to them.

10. New Jersey Nets (28-35), ? back of 8th

John Hollinger's Playoff Odds: 18.3%

Record in 2009: 13-18

Schedule ? Home: 8, Road: 11

Games Against Teams 6th-14th: 8

The next few weeks will determine whether or not the Nets have a chance to slip into the postseason. They will begin a five-game road trip on Wednesday night in Golden State that will end next Wednesday in New York. After that, New Jersey will have to withstand three games in five days against the Cavaliers (twice) and Lakers at the end of the month.

11. Charlotte Bobcats (28-36), 1 back of 8th

John Hollinger's Playoff Odds: 30.0%

Record in 2009: 17-15

Schedule ? Home: 8, Road: 10

Games Against Teams 6th-14th: 9

Charlotte is playing great basketball right now, but their inexperience could surface in the coming weeks. Five of their nine games against fellow contenders will be on the road, where they are a dreadful 10-21 this season. With that said, Boris Diaw and Raja Bell have really taken care of this young team.

12. Indiana Pacers (28-38), 2 back of 8th

John Hollinger's Playoff Odds: 18.0%

Record in 2009: 18-17

Schedule ? Home: 10, Road: 6

Games Against Teams 6th-14th: 7

Indiana has the best home-to-road ratio of any team in the running for the conference's last three seeds, but you never know which Pacers' team is going to step out on the floor on any given night. In addition to that, they'll host the Blazers, Mavericks, Spurs and Cavaliers at Conseco Fieldhouse -- an arena that they are losing their financial hold on.

13. New York Knicks (26-37), 2 ? back of 8th

John Hollinger's Playoff Odds: 5.0%

Record in 2009: 14-19

Schedule ? Home: 8, Road: 11

Games Against Teams 6th-14th: 8

The Knicks are tied with the Nets for the most games left, but their slate is downright brutal. They have two road trips of three or more games upcoming, and will face the Cavs, Magic (twice), Jazz and Nuggets away from Madison Square Garden. Other than the Wizards, no team in the East is worse on the read than New York.

14. Toronto Raptors (23-41), 6 back of 8th

John Hollinger's Playoff Odds: 0.4%

Record in 2009: 11-21

Schedule ? Home: 11, Road: 7

Games Against Teams 6th-14th: 12

Toronto has more games against contenders for the final three seeds in the East than any other club, but have six games to make up with just eighteen contests left in their season. A huge comeback is unlikely, but a hot streak down the stretch could make the race even more interesting than it already is.


Qualifying for the sixth, seventh or eighth seeds in the Eastern Conference aren't going to be a fun proposition for very long. The regular season will end on a Wednesday and when matched up against the Cavaliers, Celtics and Magic in a seven-game series, a format that the NBA implemented to favor the better team, none of the nine teams above stand a chance.

Regardless, a playoff appearance would help accelerate the growth of young teams like Chicago, New Jersey, Charlotte and Indiana more so than a draft pick just a few slots higher would via the lottery.

The race to land one of the East's final postseason berths is more a race to help build on the future than anything else.


Games To Watch Down The Stretch:

March 11: Toronto @ Philadelphia, New York @ Detroit

March 13: Chicago @ Philadelphia, Detroit @ Toronto

March 15: Indiana @ Toronto

March 16: Toronto @ Charlotte

March 18: New Jersey @ New York

March 20: Charlotte @ Toronto

March 21: Indiana @ Charlotte

March 24: Detroit @ Chicago

March 25: Milwaukee @ Toronto

March 27: Charlotte @ Philadelphia

March 28: Indiana @ Chicago, New York @ Charlotte

March 29: Chicago @ Toronto, Philadelphia @ Detroit

March 30: Milwaukee @ New Jersey

March 31: Chicago @ Indiana

April 1: Detroit @ New Jersey

April 2: Milwaukee @ Philadelphia

April 4: Toronto @ New York, New Jersey @ Chicago, Detroit @ Philadelphia

April 5: Charlotte @ Detroit, New York @ Toronto

April 7: Philadelphia @ Charlotte, New York @ Chicago

April 8: Toronto @ Indiana, Detroit @ New York

April 9: Philadelphia @ Chicago

April 10: New Jersey @ Detroit

April 11: Detroit @ Indiana, Charlotte @ Chicago

April 12: Philadelphia @ Toronto

April 13: Chicago @ Detroit, Charlotte @ New Jersey

April 15: Toronto @ Chicago, Milwaukee @ Indiana, New Jersey @ New York

Andrew Perna is Deputy Editor of RealGM.com and co-host of RealGM's Radio Show. Please feel free to contact him with comments or questions via e-mail: [email protected]