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Who can catch Indiana for the East's No. 8 playoff spot? And will they? Or will someone fall and allow Indiana to
move ahead of them?
A look, briefly, at some of the teams hovering around the bottom of the top eight in the East.
Indiana Pacers
Current East standing: 8th.
Record: 36-36.
Remaining games: 10.
Remaining opponents' winning percentage*: .459.
Record vs. remaining opponents: 7-11.
|
Home games
|
Opponent
|
Record
|
Vs. Opp.
|
|
Road games
|
Opponent
|
Record
|
Vs. Opp.
|
|
April 2
|
Boston
|
42-32
|
0-2
|
|
April 4
|
Atlanta
|
29-44
|
3-0
|
|
April 5
|
Phoenix
|
34-39
|
0-1
|
|
April 7
|
Toronto
|
35-38
|
0-2
|
|
April 8
|
Cleveland
|
25-48
|
1-1
|
|
April 14
|
Washington
|
34-39
|
1-1
|
|
April 10
|
Toronto
|
35-38
|
0-2
|
|
April 16
|
Cleveland
|
25-48
|
1-1
|
|
April 12
|
Milwaukee
|
38-34
|
0-3
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
April 17
|
Philadelphia
|
38-35
|
2-1
|
|
|
|
|
|
Toronto Raptors
Current East standing: 9th.
Record: 35-38.
Remaining games: 9.
Remaining opponents' winning percentage*: .439.
Record vs. remaining opponents: 11-8.
|
Home games
|
Opponent
|
Record
|
Vs. Opp.
|
|
Road games
|
Opponent
|
Record
|
Vs. Opp.
|
|
April 3
|
Chicago
|
17-56
|
2-0
|
|
April 5
|
Chicago
|
17-56
|
2-0
|
|
April 7
|
Indiana
|
36-36
|
2-0
|
|
April 10
|
Indiana
|
36-36
|
2-0
|
|
April 9
|
Charlotte
|
38-34
|
1-2
|
|
April 16
|
Milwaukee
|
38-34
|
0-3
|
|
April 12
|
Atlanta
|
29-44
|
3-0
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
April 14
|
New Jersey
|
47-27
|
1-2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
April 17
|
Cleveland
|
25-48
|
2-1
|
|
|
|
|
|
Skinny: How can a team lose 17 of 18 after the All-Star break, lose its best
player to injury, and still be in contention? Welcome to the wacky East. The
Raptors, winners of five straight without Vince Carter, are only two losses
behind Indiana and still have two games left with Indiana.
Washington Wizards
Current East standing: 10th.
Record: 34-39.
Remaining games: 9.
Remaining opponents' winning percentage*: .510.
Record vs. remaining opponents: 9-10.
|
Home games
|
Opponent
|
Record
|
Vs. Opp.
|
|
Road games
|
Opponent
|
Record
|
Vs. Opp.
|
|
April 2
|
LA Lakers
|
52-21
|
0-1
|
|
April 3
|
Milwaukee
|
38-34
|
1-2
|
|
April 6
|
Memphis
|
19-53
|
1-0
|
|
April 5
|
Charlotte
|
38-34
|
1-2
|
|
April 10
|
Philadelphia
|
38-35
|
2-1
|
|
April 9
|
New Jersey
|
47-27
|
1-2
|
|
April 14
|
Indiana
|
36-36
|
1-1
|
|
April 12
|
Philadelphia
|
38-35
|
2-1
|
|
April 16
|
New York
|
27-45
|
2-1
|
|
|
|
|
|
Skinny: They are three behind Indy and, well, it was fun while it lasted.
Still, as long as MJ plays, they won't concede until all the polls are closed
and every hanging chad has been counted. A long shot.
Philadelphia 76ers
Current East standing: 7th.
Record: 38-35.
Remaining games: 9.
Remaining opponents' winning percentage*: .482.
Record vs. remaining opponents: 7-9.
|
Home games
|
Opponent
|
Record
|
Vs. Opp.
|
|
Road games
|
Opponent
|
Record
|
Vs. Opp.
|
|
April 3
|
Phoenix
|
34-39
|
1-0
|
|
April 9
|
Milwaukee
|
38-34
|
1-1
|
|
April 5
|
Detroit
|
44-29
|
1-1
|
|
April 10
|
Washington
|
34-39
|
1-2
|
|
April 7
|
Milwaukee
|
38-34
|
1-1
|
|
April 14
|
Orlando
|
40-33
|
0-3
|
|
April 12
|
Washington
|
34-39
|
1-2
|
|
April 17
|
Indiana
|
36-36
|
1-2
|
|
April 15
|
Chicago
|
17-56
|
2-0
|
|
|
|
|
|
Skinny: They are struggling without Allen Iverson -- duh! -- and, really,
have been up and down all year. We all figured they'd get it together at some
point, but injuries have made that impossible. They're 1½ games ahead of
Indiana. Still, no one wants to see them in the playoffs.
Milwaukee Bucks
Current East standing: 6th.
Record: 38-34.
Remaining games: 10.
Remaining opponents' winning percentage*: .480.
Record vs. remaining opponents: 17-9.
|
Home games
|
Opponent
|
Record
|
Vs. Opp.
|
|
Road games
|
Opponent
|
Record
|
Vs. Opp.
|
|
April 3
|
Washington
|
34-39
|
2-1
|
|
April 2
|
Atlanta
|
29-44
|
3-0
|
|
April 9
|
Philadelphia
|
38-35
|
1-1
|
|
April 5
|
Miami
|
32-40
|
1-2
|
|
April 14
|
Charlotte
|
38-34
|
1-2
|
|
April 7
|
Philadelphia
|
38-35
|
1-1
|
|
April 16
|
Toronto
|
35-38
|
3-0
|
|
April 10
|
Cleveland
|
25-48
|
1-2
|
|
|
|
|
|
April 12
|
Indiana
|
36-36
|
3-0
|
|
|
|
|
|
April 17
|
Detroit
|
44-29
|
2-1
|
Skinny: What an embarrassing effort on national television Sunday against
the Celtics. The Bucks, too, are getting hit by injuries at the wrong time.
But there's something deeper here. These guys were Dallas East last year and
came within a game of the NBA Finals. Now, it almost seems as if the players
are getting tired of George Karl. They're only two games ahead of Indiana and
falling fast (losers of 7 of their last 10.) Oh, and is it time to admit that
the Anthony Mason experiment has not worked as Karl hoped?
* -- Multiple games against the same team used in calculating percentage.
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