Poll: Will East’s Current Top Eight Teams Make Playoffs?

Entering the 2019/20 NBA season, oddsmakers considered the Bucks, Sixers, Celtics, Raptors, Pacers, Heat, Nets, and Magic to be the top eight teams in the Eastern Conference, in that order. Approximately 25 games into the season, it looks like they were almost exactly right — the East’s early playoff standings are nearly identical to that preseason projection, with Miami jumping up to No. 2.

Milwaukee, Miami, Boston, Toronto, and Indiana have all looked even better than we expected so far. Philadelphia has had a couple bumps along the way, but has stabilized as of late and appears to be a legit contender. It looks like a safe bet that those six teams will end up in the postseason.

Brooklyn’s spot in the top eight of the East isn’t quite so secure, but the club has had an impressive run with Kyrie Irving and Caris LeVert on the shelf over the last month. The Nets’ 13-11 record gives them a comfortable hold on the No. 7 seed for the time being, with more reinforcements eventually on the way.

That leaves the 11-13 Magic as the only top-eight team with a tenuous hold on a playoff spot for the time being. However, Orlando has underperformed through the first quarter of the season and should be getting All-Star center Nikola Vucevic back in its lineup soon. The Magic look better positioned to claim that No. 8 spot than challengers like the Hornets (11-16), Pistons (10-15), and Bulls (9-17).

Still, with more than 50 games still to play, there’s more than enough time for one of those seemingly lottery-bound clubs to make a run and shake things up at the bottom of the Eastern playoff race. The Pistons may be the best candidate, but even current bottom-feeders like the Wizards (7-16) and Hawks (6-19) aren’t totally out of it yet — they could gain ground quickly if they’re able to string together some wins.

What do you think? Are you just about ready to pencil in the current top eight teams in the East as the eventual playoff teams? Or do you think one of the clubs currently in the lottery can make a run in the second half? If so, which of those clubs do you like?

Vote in our poll, then jump into the comment section below to share your thoughts!

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