March 31 East playoff picture as Sixers prepare to face Raptors at home
The Philadelphia 76ers will continue with this final stretch of the 2022-23 season as they play host to the Toronto Raptors on Friday night. The Sixers have won two of their first three matchups with the Raptors and they will be looking to win the season series with their division rivals from Canada.
Until the conclusion of the regular season on April 9, we are going to update the Eastern Conference standings and where the Sixers are at on a daily basis while taking a look at who they could face in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Thursday's prominent games (March 30)
There were only two NBA games on the docket on Thursday and the only one that mattered anything to the Sixers was the matchup between the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks. The Cs went into Fiserv Forum and shellacked the Bucks 140-99 as Boston is now just two games back of the Bucks for the No. 1 seed with both teams having five games left.
The Celtics’ win now has the Sixers sitting 2.5 games back of Boston for the No. 2 seed and 4.5 games back of the Bucks for the No. 1 seed.
Possible playoff opponents were idle
Due to the lack of games on Thursday, there wasn’t any movement when it comes to the Nos. 6 through 10 seeds. The Brooklyn Nets still sit at No. 6 and would be the Round 1 opponent for the Sixers if the season ended right now. Although, the Miami Heat, Atlanta Hawks, and Raptors are all within striking distance of that coveted No. 6 seed to avoid the play-in tournament.
Friday's most prominent games (March 31)
The Celtics play again on Friday as they play host to the Utah Jazz while the Sixers take on the Raptors. With Philadelphia just 2.5 games back of the Cs for the No. 2 seed, they may get closer in the standings. The Sixers host Boston on April 4.
The Nets play host to the Hawks in an important matchup for both teams. Atlanta is three games back of Brooklyn for the No. 6 seed so this is important for both teams. The Nets are 2.5 games back of the New York Knicks for the No. 5 seed. The Knicks are a possible Round 1 opponent if they slide down in the wake of the Julius Randle injury.
The 10-seeded Chicago Bulls take on the Charlotte Hornets and they’re a potential playoff opponent if the Sixers do finish as the No. 2 seed and the Bulls were to come out of the play-in.
Important games
Bulls at Hornets (7 p.m. EDT)
Celtics vs. Jazz (7:30 p.m. EDT)
Hawks at Nets (7:30 p.m. EDT)
Knicks at Cavaliers (7:30 p.m. EDT)
March 31 East playoff standings
X-Milwaukee Bucks 55-22 -GB
X-Boston Celtics 53-24 2.5 GB
X-Philadelphia 50-26 4.5 GB
X-Cleveland Cavaliers 48-29 7 GB
New York Knicks 44-33 11 GB
Brooklyn Nets 41-35 13.5 GB
Miami Heat 40-37 15 GB
Atlanta Hawks 38-38 16.5 GB
Toronto Raptors 38-38 16.5 GB
Chicago Bulls 36-40 18.5 GB
X- denotes clinched playoff berth
