The NBA playoffs are simply across the nook, and groups are making their postseason push. Regardless of that, the league standings are nonetheless carefully packed, notably within the West. Meaning each recreation counts, and issues might go all the way down to the wire.
Actually, we doubtless gained’t know most of the first-round matchups till the final evening of the common season. With that in thoughts, let’s take a look at every staff’s efficiency within the clutch, outlined as being forward or behind by 5 factors within the ultimate 5 minutes of a recreation, this season.
NBA: Jap Convention:
Milwaukee Bucks-25-7Boston Celtics-22-10Brooklyn Nets-21-12Philadelphia 76ers-23-14Miami Warmth-27-22New York Knicks-20-17Indiana Pacers-22-20Cleveland Cavaliers-19-19Toronto Raptors-19-21Atlanta Hawks-17-19Charlotte Hornets-16-21Orlando Magic-15-21Washington Wizards-15-23Chicago Bulls-12-22Detroit Pistons-11-22
Milwaukee and Boston have the 2 finest data within the NBA and are equally nice in crunch time, notably Milwaukee. They’ve gained a formidable 76% of their shut video games, which is even higher than their general report and bodes effectively for his or her title hopes. Miami has achieved higher than anticipated in shut video games, contemplating they’ve additionally performed essentially the most shut video games within the NBA.
Whereas that have might turn out to be useful within the playoffs, enjoying so many shut video games may be a knock on them too since every of the highest eight groups within the NBA has performed at the very least 10 fewer such video games. That proves that they’re a rung or two beneath the league’s finest groups.
Cleveland is fourth within the East however has a mediocre report in shut video games. It’s an fascinating stat, notably because the core of their staff hasn’t been collectively so long as the opposite high East groups. May that spell hassle within the playoffs in opposition to extra skilled groups like Milwaukee? Perhaps.
In the meantime, Chicago and Washington have two of the worst data within the NBA within the clutch however are nonetheless in playoff competition regardless of being the seventh and eleventh groups within the East.
NBA: Western Convention
Denver Nuggets-20-10Sacramento Kings-21-14Minnesota Timberwolves-22-16Los Angeles Clippers-20-17Dallas Mavericks-23-21Memphis Grizzlies-15-14Los Angeles Lakers-19-18Golden State Warriors-16-17New Orleans Pelicans-14-16Phoenix Suns-12-15Utah Jazz-20-25Portland Path Blazers-14-18Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder-13-22San Antonio Spurs-8-15Houston Rockets-10-22
Not like within the Jap Convention, clutch efficiency is way much less predictive within the Western Convention standings. Denver and Sacramento are nonetheless the very best groups utilizing this metric. Nonetheless, the Grizzlies drop to sixth, whereas the present seventh-seeded Timberwolves leap to 3rd primarily based on their clutch play. Curiously sufficient, the Phoenix Suns are presently fourth within the West however are tenth utilizing this metric.
They’ve additionally performed the second least quantity of qualifying video games within the NBA, even much less following the Kevin Durant commerce. In the meantime, the Jazz, Blazers, and Thunder are vying for the tenth seed, however every has a poor report once they play video games which are inside 5 factors within the ultimate 5 minutes. They’ll every must do higher than that to sneak into the playoffs.
All in all, seeing how every staff performs within the clutch gives us with a glimpse of how they could carry out within the playoffs. Primarily based on this, we could possibly be in for an thrilling postseason.
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