Those anticipating a basketball letdown following NCAA’s March Madness can look to the professionals for relief.
The NBA regular season wraps up April 15, but numerous teams are looking ahead to the playoffs.
Florida fans may also have a vested interest with as many as 11 former Gators hoping to hoist the Larry O’Brien championship trophy in June.
In the Eastern Conference, the Atlanta Hawks have secured the No. 1 seed in the conference and will have home court advantage until at least the NBA Finals, barring elimination.
Al Horford won’t know whom he’ll be trying to keep out of the paint just yet with as many as six teams potentially landing in the No. 8 spot to face the Hawks in the first round.
Mike Miller has been a minimal contributor at best this season with the East’s No. 2 seed, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and his role may only decrease in the playoffs.
Joakim Noah looks to be fresh for the playoffs, as the Chicago Bulls’ management has placed a 32-minute restriction on him for the entirety of the regular season.
The Bulls, currently the No. 3 seed in the East, should have guard Derrick Rose back for the first round, making them a dangerous matchup for whichever team solidifies the No. 6 seed in the next two weeks.
Bradley Beal must hope Washington lands the No. 4 seed, yet the Wizards sit three games behind Toronto for securing home court advantage in the first round.
Udonis Haslem will make another trip to the playoffs with the Miami Heat, currently the No. 7 seed.
If seeding holds, Haslem and the Heat would face former teammate LeBron James and the Cavaliers in what would arguably be the most intriguing matchup of the first round.
In the Western Conference, David Lee and Marreese Speights have provided necessary depth that has the Golden State Warriors firmly entrenched as the No. 1 seed.
They’ll likely play the depleted Oklahoma City Thunder, who are without star forward Kevin Durant for the remainder of the season.
Nick Calathes should provide backcourt support for the Memphis Grizzlies, the No. 2 seed in the West.
Calathes is averaging 4.2 points per game in 51 games this year, slightly lower than his career scoring average.
The Grizzlies would face the No. 7 Dallas Mavericks, who signed Chandler Parsons in the offseason, if the season ended today.
Corey Brewer, who was traded to the Houston Rockets midway through the season, is likely rooting for a seeding shakeup as the No. 3 seed Rockets would face the San Antonio Spurs and two-time NBA Champion Matt Bonner in the first round.
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Atlanta Hawks' Al Horford (15) pulls down a rebound over Milwaukee Bucks' Ersan Ilyasova (7) and Michael Carter-Williams (5) in the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, March 30, 2015, in Atlanta.
