It would be almost impossible to argue that any of these teams not be included in the NBA’s return to play. Each and every one of these squads qualified to have one of the top 16 records in the league, regardless of conference.
On the Bubble
The unfortunate result of starting an NBA Playoff with the top 16 teams, is the fact that there was still the mathematical opportunity for a number of teams to qualify for the post-season. Only one team, the Golden State Warriors, were mathematically eliminated from the NBA Playoffs when the season was suspended.
That single-team elimination considered, only a handful of teams were realistically in the race for their conferences eighth seed.
The Washington Wizards could be considered the sole Eastern Conference team that was truly in the running for the NBA Playoffs. They were 4.5 games back from the eighth seeded Orlando Magic, with more than enough games to make up the difference.
More importantly for the NBA, on the marketing and broadcasting side of things, perennial All-Star and the NBA’s second leading scorer, Bradley Beal, plies his trade in the capital state. The opportunity to have Beal performing during the NBA’s return, during a time when the NBA wants to capitalize on viewership, is a tough oppotunity to give up based on seeding alone. Beal was averaging a league-best 36.5 points per game in ten games before the NBA’s suspension.
- Western Conference
- (9) Portland Trail Blazers, (10) New Orleans Pelicans, (11) Sacramento Kings, (12) San Antonio Spurs
The Western Conference is where the tough questions begin. Three teams are currently within 3.5 games of the eighth position while one team, the San Antonio Spurs, are within four games.
The Portland Trail Blazers and San Antonio Spurs are Western Conference Playoff mainstays, with incredibly marketable stars in Damian Lillard (Portland) and Demar Derozan (San Antonio) leading their ranks.
The Sacramento Kings haven’t been to the NBA Playoffs since 2006. But with steady growth and an emerging batch of young stars – De’Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield, and Marvin Bagley – the opportunity to showcase team growth and rising talent is something the league shouldn’t easily keep exempt.
Seemingly top priority, as reported by ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, is for the NBA to include the New Orleans Pelicans in their return, in hopes of showcasing top rookie talent Zion Williamson. Williamson has missed much of the 2019-2020 campaign due to an early-season injury. But it’s obvious the league wants to promote a player who could one day become the face of the NBA.
Falling Short
The top sixteen NBA teams have a combination of excellent play and marketability. The teams on the fringe of the playoff race have showcased some of those qualities, but not on a consistent enough basis. The following teams, just don’t come off as impactful enough.
- Eastern Conference
- (10) Charlotte Hornets, (11) Chicago Bulls, (12) New York Knicks, (13) Detroit Pistons, (14) Atlanta Hawks, (15) Cleveland Cavaliers
- Western Conference
- (13) Phoenix Suns, (14) Minnesota Timberwolves, (15) Golden State Warriors (eliminated from playoff contention)
Sure there are some promising futures, former All-Stars, and even players with league-wide and historical renown. But these nine teams have shown very little to suggest they would realistically be in the playoff hunt. With respect to the current season, we couldn’t see more than one of these teams joining in a season with limited team participation.
The jury is out on what the leagues return to play will look like, but the date set by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is giving fans, players, and sports bettors something to look forward to.
You can still place bets on a number of NBA teams, you just need to pick the right sportsbook for you!
If you’re not sure which sportsbook has the best bonuses, you can check that here:
NBA FAQs
How many teams compete in the NBA Playoffs?
The NBA Playoffs consists of 16 participating teams. Eight from the Eastern Conference bracket, and eight from the Western Conference bracket. The winner of each bracket faces off in the NBA Finals.
Which NBA team has been to the most consecutive NBA Playoffs?
The San Antonio Spurs have, by far, the longest active NBA Playoff appearance streak. At 22 consecutive seasons, the Spurs have been playoff contenders since 1998.
When was the San Antonio Spurs’ most recent NBA Championship?
The San Antonio Spurs last won the NBA Championship during the 2013-2014 NBA season. Spurs small forward Kawhi Leonard was the 2014 NBA Finals MVP.
/filters:no_upscale()/fit-in/1200x585/1665755186/nba-july-31-return.jpg.jpeg "nba-july-31-return")
/fit-in/300x300/888-sport-2.png)
/fit-in/300x300/betmgm-at-2x-1.png)
/fit-in/300x300/draftkings-logo-2.png){kind=logo}
/fit-in/300x300/1717158110/betrivers-sportsbook-logo.jpg){kind=logo}
![How to Pick an NBA Upset [Guide]](https://assets-srv.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/1665737407/how-pick-nba-upset.jpg.jpeg)
/1666344578/christian-jope.png "Christian jope")
/dmca.png "Dmca"){kind=small}
/1670944202/21.png "21"){kind=small}
/1670944628/2022-igb-best-casino-affiliate-gig-media-e1651053747946.png "2022 igb best casino affiliate gig media e1651053747946"){kind=small}
/1670944701/gig-media-power-affiliates-rank-123x40-1.png "Gig media power affiliates rank 123x40 1"){kind=icon}
/1670944773/800-gambler-black-144x40.jpg "800 gambler black 144x40"){kind=small}
/1718715753/gpwa.webp "Gpwa"){kind=small}
