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There are roughly a dozen games left for the NBA teams before the regular season is over. It is definitely enough time for teams to improve their seeding, and it is enough time for teams to fall out of the playoff picture.
While many expected the 2017-18 NBA season to be dominated by the two teams who have been in the finals the past three years, Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors, there have been new teams to emerge as the elite of the NBA in the Toronto Raptors and Houston Rockets.
This article takes a look at the Eastern Conference where I will predict where the top eight teams in the conference will end up after all 82 games have been played. Continue on to see who I believe the 8-seed will be.
#8 - Milwaukee Bucks (currently 36-32, 7th)
The Milwaukee Bucks are struggling down the stretch with a 3-7 record over their last 10 games. It could be due in part to their lack of depth at the point guard position with Malcolm Brogdon and Matthew Dellavedova out due to injury (both are expected to be back by the end of the month).
The good news for the Bucks is there are only 3.5 games separating 8th place from 3rd place in the Eastern Conference, and they are currently a full 6 games ahead of the 9th place Detroit Pistons. Barring a complete meltdown by any of the top eight teams in the conference, those eight teams are not going to change.
#7 - Washington Wizards (currently 39-30, 5th)
John Wall has been out with an injury since January 25th, and somehow the Wizards have still managed to hold onto 4th place in the Eastern Conference. He's expected back on March 21st, but it is unknown how long it will take for him to get up to full speed.
Considering how tight the race is from 3rd to 8th in the Eastern Conference and, the fact that the Wizards are 3-5 in their last 8 games. It is not a stretch to see them fall from 5th to 7th place after it is all said and done with nearly half their games left on the road, including trips to Houston and Cleveland in back-to-back games.
#6 - Miami Heat (currently 37-33, 8th)
After barely losing out on a playoff spot last season due to a tiebreaker loss to the Chicago Bulls, the Miami Heat shouldn't have any problems making the playoffs this season barring a terrible collapse.
They currently sit in 8th place in the Eastern Conference, but 8 of their last 12 games are at home; where they have a 20-13 record. It isn't much of a stretch to think they'll jump ahead of Washington and Milwaukee to finish in 6th place.
#5 - Indiana Pacers (currently 40-29, 3rd)
The Indiana Pacers have been playing great basketball, winning six out of their last eight games. Those winning ways have vaulted the Pacers ahead of the Cleveland Cavaliers for 3rd place in the Eastern Conference.
The strong play of Victor Oladipo has propelled Indiana as he is average over 6 points per game more than his career average. With 8 of their last 13 games on the road including trips to Golden State and Toronto, it's safe to say that they will fall back down in the standings once the season is finished.
#4 - Philadelphia 76ers (currently 38-30, 6th)
After finishing 14th in the Eastern Conference last season, the Philadelphia 76ers are on the verge of a tremendous comeback. It just isn't last year that Philly has been bad, they have finished in the bottom two of the East each of the last four years.
The play of their young stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons have Philly in 6th place in the Eastern Conference, but their young legs should help them down the stretch. It will also help that 9 of their last 14 games will be at home where they are 21-11 on the season.
#3 - Cleveland Cavaliers (currently 39-29, 4th)
It's amazing with as much scrutiny that the Cleveland Cavaliers have had thrown their way this season that they're still in 4th place in the Eastern Conference. They are only a half-game behind Indiana for 3rd as the Pacers passed them recently after their great play.
It is safe to assume that LeBron James will rally the team to finish strong and get back to the 3rd position in the East they have held onto for most of the season. The combination of having a majority of their games left at home, as well as the majority of their games against poor teams, it's safe to say Cleveland will finish in 3rd, but they're too far behind Boston to catch them.
#2 - Boston Celtics (currently 47-22, 2nd)
Many wrote off the Boston Celtics in the first game of the season when their big free agent signing, Gordon Hayward, was lost for the year just six minutes into the season. The play of Kyrie Irving, Jaylen Brown, and the rest of the Celtics had them leading the Eastern Conference for a long stretch this season.
It is good that Boston has such a large cushion over 3rd place Indiana (7 games), because they are really banged up right now. Kyrie Irving, Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown are all on the injury report. They won't catch the Toronto Raptors, but they shouldn't fall out of second place either.
#1 - Toronto Raptors (currently 52-17, 1st)
The Toronto Raptors overtook the Boston Celtics for 1st place in the Eastern Conference on February 9th and they haven't looked back ever since. After finishing 3rd in the East last season (tied with Cleveland and 2 games behind Boston), they are poised to take over the top spot in the East at season's end.
Toronto has extended their lead on Boston to 5 games thanks to an 11-game winning streak that the Raptors are currently on. With an injury-riddled Boston being the only team to catch them, it's a pretty safe bet that the Raptors will win the East.
Guess the Lakers players!
