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Race to the Bottom

While the West has been the focus of the league all year, the East is where the drama lives. The race for the final two spots in the Eastern Conference will go down to the final game, and when the music stops, three of the Brooklyn Nets, Boston Celtics, Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, and Charlotte Hornets are going to be left without a seat.

All five have between 35 and 33 wins, and each has lost between 41 and 43 games. The standings are more crowded than the paint when a Byron Scott team is coaching.

Eastern Conference Standings

Naturally, it will come down to which team plays the best in their final five or six games — and a bit of luck. Trying to gauge who will come out on top is tough.

The remaining schedules can shed some light, but not much.

Each has some games left you expect them to lose.

Brooklyn and Charlotte’s schedules stand out as the hardest, with the Hornets playing four of their final six on the road. The Pacers have two easier games in their next two, but the final three are rough — although Indiana could catch a break if Memphis has nothing to play for and rests players on the final day of the season.

Next: Stealing Plays