Despite being on-pace to finish with a superior record compared to last season, the Philadelphia 76ers find themselves only in the 5th seed of the Eastern Conference. The 76ers are a dangerous team capable of potentially reaching the NBA Finals if they can perfect their chemistry. Length can play a huge factor come playoff time, and Philadelphia has it in spades. That being said, without a surefire clutch-time scorer like they had last year with Jimmy Butler, this team may struggle to win close games in the postseason.
If these rankings are any indication, the Clippers are a doomed team. Being in the 30th spot this week is not the end of the world, though. Paul George still has a ways to go before he's completely back to his usual self, and it's reasonable to assume he can be near his MVP-level play from last season as long as he can remain healthy. Kawhi Leonard is probably the most lethal playoff performer in the league, and his workload hasn't been excessive this year. There may not be a team in the league that can match the Clippers' combination of star power and depth.
Teams that have been first: Sacramento Kings (1x), Houston Rockets (2x), Memphis Grizzlies (1x), Boston Celtics (1x), Oklahoma City Thunder (1x), Philadelphia 76ers (1x)
Teams that have been last: Memphis Grizzlies (2x), Golden State Warriors (1x), Minnesota Timberwolves (2x), Sacramento Kings (1x), Los Angeles Clippers (1x)
1. Philadelphia 76ers +8
(25-14)
2. Miami Heat +23
(27-10)
3. Oklahoma City Thunder -2
(22-16)
4. Milwaukee Bucks
(33-6)
5. Utah Jazz +6
(25-12)
6. Los Angeles Lakers +2
(30-7)
7. Orlando Magic -2
(18-20)
8. New Orleans Pelicans -2
(13-25)
9. Houston Rockets -6
(25-12)
10. San Antonio Spurs +3
(16-20)
11. Washington Wizards +18
(12-25)
12. Denver Nuggets +12
(26-11)
13. Boston Celtics -3
(25-11)
14. Memphis Grizzlies +4
(16-22)
15. Indiana Pacers -8
(23-15)
16. Dallas Mavericks -4
(23-14)
17. Minnesota Timberwolves +2
(15-22)
18. Sacramento Kings +12
(15-23)
19. Cleveland Cavaliers -17
(11-27)
20. Detroit Pistons +1
(14-25)
21. Golden State Warriors -4
(9-30)
22. Chicago Bulls
(13-25)
23. Phoenix Suns +4
(14-23)
24. Toronto Raptors -9
(25-13)
25. Portland Trail Blazers +3
(16-23)
26. Brooklyn Nets
(16-20)
27. New York Knicks -4
(10-28)
28. Charlotte Hornets -8
(15-25)
29. Atlanta Hawks -13
(8-30)
30. Los Angeles Clippers -16
(26-12)
Guys, I am devastated. I let you all down last year. It was right under my nose that UConn would win the championship, but I missed it due to poor data collection. I began last year's prediction by saying a team with eight losses would win March Madness, and in listing all the teams that qualified, I somehow missed...
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