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NBA play-in: 3 ways the tournament could lead to total chaos

By Duncan Smith

Feb 22, 2021; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) moves the ball against Washington Wizards forward Rui Hachimura (8) during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 22, 2021; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) moves the ball against Washington Wizards forward Rui Hachimura (8) during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
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NBA Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports /

NBA play-in scenario No. 2: Either the Boston Celtics or Miami Heat miss the playoffs entirely

In last season’s NBA playoffs, the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat met in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Heat were a team that couldn’t be denied their goal of making the Finals, and ultimately they dispatched the Celtics en route to losing to the Lakers.

Now, the Heat and Celtics both find themselves at risk of ending up in the NBA play-in as the regular season nears its conclusion. The Heat are 35-30 and sit in a fifth-place tie with the Atlanta Hawks, 1.0 games up on the seventh-seeded Celtics, who are 34-31.

Obviously, both teams could get out of the play-in tier altogether and not even have to worry about things, and they’re far enough ahead of the eighth-seeded Charlotte Hornets (2.5 games behind the Celtis) that they probably can’t both end up in the play-in.

Still, for peak chaos, we can eagerly just chop one of last season’s Eastern Conference Finalists right out of the picture thanks to the NBA play-in. It’s unlikely, but the possibility exists, and just in case we’ll track the chance it might happen until the time it’s no longer possible.