NBA Playoff Picture: First-round bracket set
By Josh Hill
The NBA Playoff Picture is now officially set, and the first round bracket features plenty of action that will keep us all thoroughly entertained.
It has been an exciting season so far in the NBA but this is the time of year when things get real and the games start to matter like they never have before. The best 16 teams in the league are still standing s the postseason is slated to being and the final tickets were punched on Wednesday night.
The Golden State Warriors and Atlanta Hawks had firm control over the No. 1 seeds in their respective conferences but there was movement elsewhere on both sides of the bracket.
Over in the Eastern Conference, the Indiana Pacers needed a win to clinch the No. 8 seed and set a date with the Atlanta hawks.
The New Orleans Pelicans managed to stun the world and not only make the playoffs but do so by beating the defending champions in the San Antonio Spurs. That might be the highlight of the Pelicans trip to the postseason, as they face the Golden State Warriors — basketball’s best three-point shooting team.
Here’s a look at the NBA Playoff Picture and the final bracket heading into the postseason.
Click to Enlarge
In addition to the movement at the bottom of the brackets, teams like the Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Clippers and Toronto Raptors moved around in the seedings and have secured their first-round spots.
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The Bulls won on Wednesday night to move ahead of the Raptors for the No. 3 seed in the East, while the Grizzlies
The NBA playoff picture is now set, and while the last 82 games have been thrilling, the next set of games look to be the most important games the remaining teams have played all season long.
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