Portland Trail Blazers: One Day, Four Teams, Dame Time
Carmelo Anthony, Portland Trail Blazers.
Where it stands
A half-game separates all four remaining teams. At tip-off of Thursday’s bubble action, Portland has a half-game lead over the Suns, Spurs, and Grizzlies.
It’s a simple equation for the Portland Trail Blazers. Beat Brooklyn and they finish the regular season in eighth place. If they should lose, they have to hope that two of Memphis, Phoenix, and San Antonio lose as well. In that scenario, Portland finishes ninth and goes to the play-in with a tough mountain to climb.
If Portland loses and only one of three chase team loses, as well, the Blazers season is over. They can watch the play-in series back in Rip City because they will miss it by a half-game. That would sting for quite some time.
Even if the Spurs win, they need both Phoenix and Memphis to lose in order to qualify for the play-in. Due to a difference in games played, San Antonio loses any tiebreaker by .001 percentage points. Should Phoenix and Memphis finish tied, the Grizzlies win a tiebreaker due to a 3-1 head-to-head record.
Hunter or Hunted
Per the bubble rules, if the eighth and ninth place teams are within four games after the seeding round, a two-game play-in would ensue. The only way number nine can advance to the playoffs was by winning both games.
It’s not just a matter of making the play-in series. Finishing eighth is a significant advantage. As a reward for advancing through the play-in series, the winners get a great prize. They face the best in the west Los Angeles Lakers in Round 1 of the playoffs.