A Look at the NBA Eastern Conference Playoff Picture

The NBA regular season is wrapping up this week. Most teams have already locked up their playoff spot or will look to do so over the next several days. For the Eastern Conference, most teams have locked in their spots already.

The Atlantic Division

The entire Atlantic Division is set to play in the post season this year. The division leading Boston Celtics (55-25)  have clinched the No. 2 seed. The 76ers (52-27) don’t sit far behind with the third seed with the Knicks in fifth and the Nets in sixth. The Raptors are the ninth seed and will play in the play-in tournament.

The Central Division

The Bucks have clinched the No. 1 overall seed (58-22) in the East. The Cavaliers and Bulls will also see post season action with the fourth seed and a play-in tournament berth, respectively.

The Southeast Division

The Southeast division will see the least action this summer with the Heat in the seventh spot and the Hawks in eighth, both with a play-in berth.

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What to Watch For

All season, the Bucks, Celtics and 76ers have proven time and time again that they are forces to be reckoned with. These teams currently hold the top three spots in the league as Philadelphia is tied with the Western Conference leading, Denver Nuggets.

Most recently, the Bucks were able to take down their division rival, the Bulls, to secure their spot at the top without star, Giannis Antetokounmpo. During this game, Kris Middleton exited early with an injury. However, Milwaukee still prevailed.

Earlier this week, the 76ers took down their division rival, the Celtics, for the first time all season in a narrow 103-101 victory. During this game, MVP-candidate Joel Embiid posted his third 50-point game of the season.

After their loss to the Sixers, the Celtics bounced back. Boston defeated the Raptors 97-93 last night despite missing Jayson Tatum, Al Horford and Marcus Smart.