With each team only having about 21-24 games left on their schedule for the regular season, we are heading towards the stretch run of the 2020-21 NBA season and if we know one thing, it is that there is going to be some great basketball played!
To this point in the season, every team in the league is still hypothetically in the playoff conversation, but realistically, there are still 26 teams that could potentially make the playoffs this season, especially since the NBA has expanded this year’s playoff format, giving the 9-seed and 10-seed in each conference a chance to earn a playoff spot.
This year, the 7-seed and 8-seed will square off in a play-in game against one-another with the winner being crowned the 7-seed in the conference and the loser of this game playing with the winner of the 9-seed versus the 10-seed for the rights to the 8-seed in the conference. I know it is confusing, but trust me, it makes sense when you see it!
With an extra two teams having a chance to make the playoffs this year, these next few weeks of games are going to be extremely important, not just to teams looking to make the playoffs, but to teams trying to end long playoff droughts.
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The Sacramento Kings have not been in the playoffs since 2006, the Suns have not been in the playoffs since 2010 and the Knicks have not been in the playoffs since 2013. All three teams have a chance to end these droughts this year, but they will need to continue to play at a high-level down the stretch of the season.
Plenty of teams have already started putting things together and have begun their climb to potentially lock up their playoff spot and make the playoffs this season. With that said, let’s take a look at four teams who are getting hot at the right time.
