Kevin C. Cox/Associated Press /Zach Buckley
The Phoenix Suns may never lose again.
OK, we’re (half) joking about that, but the Suns have been as hot as…well, the actual Sun since arriving in Orlando, Florida.
Phoenix pushed the Association’s only unblemished record to 6-0 with Monday’s 27-point drubbing of the Oklahoma City Thunder—a victory that moved the Suns within just one game of the eighth-seeded Memphis Grizzlies.
Can Phoenix finally snap its nearly decade-long playoff drought, or will all these wins be forgotten amid another missed postseason trip? We’ll answer that question and more, as we update the latest standings, predict the final playoff bracket and examine three of the best first-round matchups on our projected schedule.
Latest NBA Standings
Eastern Conference
1. z-Milwaukee Bucks (55-16)
2. y-Toronto Raptors (51-19)
3. x-Boston Celtics (47-23)
4. y-Miami Heat (44-27)
5. x-Indiana Pacers (43-28)
6. x-Philadelphia 76ers (42-28)
7. x-Brooklyn Nets (34-36)
8. x-Orlando Magic (32-29)
9. e-Washington Wizards (24-26)
Western Conference
1. z-Los Angeles Lakers (52-18)
2. x-Los Angeles Clippers (47-23)
3. y-Denver Nuggets (46-25)
4. y-Houston Rockets (44-25)
5. x-Oklahoma City Thunder (43-27)
6. x-Utah Jazz (43-28)
7. x-Dallas Mavericks (43-30)
8. Memphis Grizzlies (33-38)
9. Portland Trail Blazers (33-39)
10. Phoenix Suns (32-39)
11. San Antonio Spurs (31-38)
12. e-New Orleans Pelicans (30-40)
13. e-Sacramento Kings
*z-clinched conference
*y-clinched division
*x-clinched playoff berth
*e-eliminated from playoffs
Predicted Playoff Bracket
Eastern Conference
No. 1 Milwaukee Bucks vs. No. 8 Orlando Magic
No. 2 Toronto Raptors vs. No. 7 Brooklyn Nets
No. 3 Boston Celtics vs. No. 6 Philadelphia 76ers
No. 4 Miami Heat vs. No. 5 Indiana Pacers
Western Conference
No. 1 Los Angeles Lakers vs. No. 8 Portland Trail Blazers
No. 2 Los Angeles Clippers vs. No. 7 Dallas Mavericks
No. 3 Houston Rockets vs. No. 6 Utah Jazz
No. 4 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 5 Oklahoma City Thunder
