Playoff watch: East takes shape as Bucks head west
The Milwaukee Bucks are looking to make the postseason in back-to-back years for the first time in 14 years. The Bucks are currently in extremely good position to make the postseason. While nothing's written in stone just yet, it's close to being carved in.
With the season ending in a few weeks (April 11), here's the latest look at Milwaukee's playoff chances and the week ahead.
IF THE SEASON ENDED TODAY
Milwaukee would be in the playoffs as the No. 7 seed playing Boston, which would have home-court advantage. The Celtics are pretty banged-up: Kyrie Irving could miss more than a month after having minor knee surgery. Marcus Smart out for perhaps the playoffs after having thumb surgery. Key backup Daniel Thies and free-agent signee Gordon Hayward, who was hurt in the season opener, are out for the year. Jaylen Brown returned to the lineup Sunday after suffering a concussion.
STANDINGS
Toronto, Boston, Cleveland, Philadelphia and Indiana have all clinched playoff spots, while everyone below Charlotte at No. 10 (New York, Chicago, Brooklyn, Orlando, Atlanta) is out. The only real intrigue left for Bucks fans is between No. 6 and No. 8 with Milwaukee just a game behind Washington and half a game ahead of Miami but four games clear of ninth-place Detroit.
Here's the how the playoff race currently shapes up including game remaining (GR) for each team:
| TEAM | W | L | PCT | GR |
| Toronto | 54 | 20 | .730 | 8 |
| Boston | 50 | 23 | .685 | 9 |
| Cleveland | 44 | 29 | .603 | 9 |
| Philadelphia | 42 | 30 | .583 | 10 |
| Indiana | 43 | 31 | .581 | 8 |
| Washington | 40 | 33 | .548 | 9 |
| Milwaukee | 39 | 34 | .534 | 9 |
| Miami | 39 | 35 | .527 | 8 |
| Detroit | 33 | 40 | .452 | 9 |
| Charlotte | 33 | 41 | .446 | 8 |
THIS WEEK
The Bucks kick off a tough west coast road swing with a Clippers team that beat them 127-120 a few days ago. Edging San Antonio at home takes some of the pressure off here, but four straight out west, three of them against playoff contenders and one against the Lakers, isn't a particularly fun stretch of games.
If the Bucks falter Miami should be right there if they can take care of business against the Bulls and Nets, while Washington's schedule doesn't give Milwaukee much of an opportunity to gain ground.
Washington: Tuesday -- vs. San Antonio; Thursday -- at Detroit; Saturday -- vs. Charlotte; Sunday -- at Chicago
Milwaukee: Tuesday -- at LA Clippers; Thursday -- at Golden State; Friday -- at LA Lakers; Sunday -- at Denver
Miami: Tuesday -- vs. Cleveland; Thursday -- vs. Chicago; Saturday -- vs. Brooklyn
Detroit: Monday -- vs. LA Lakers; Thursday -- vs. Washington; Saturday -- at Knicks; Sunday -- at Nets
THE BUCKS PERSPECTIVE
Again, that Clippers game looms large heading into a tough road trip. If Milwaukee can figure out how to hold DeAndre Jordan in check -- he went off for 25 points and 22 rebounds in their last meeting -- a 3-1 road trip seems within reach with the Lakers coming off a four-game losing streak and Denver back home after a long road trip. With Miami still just half a game back, it would certainly be helpful.
PLAYOFF ODDS
The website playoffstatus.com currently calculates Milwaukee's playoff chances for each seed as the following:
3 - less than 1 percent (last week: less than 1 percent)
4 - less than 1 percent (last week: 2 percent)
5 - 2 percent (last week: 4 percent)
6 - 9 percent (last week: 9 percent)
7 - 24 percent (last week: 25 percent)
8 - 64 percent (last week: 60 percent)
Out - less than 1 percent (last week: less than 1 percent)
