The latest Toronto Raptors playoff push is starting to gain steam, as the club appears to be firmly fixed into the play-in race. With some luck and clutch playoff performances, the Raptors could set the NBA Playoffs bracket on fire by pulling off some crazy upsets.
Toronto is currently 37-38, making them the dictionary definition of mediocrity this season. However, with the overall play taking a slight bump in the right direction following the addition of Jakob Poeltl, the starting lineup might be hitting its stride at the right time.
The Raptors are currently the No. 9 seed in the East, but that could change in an instant if they get hot or a team above them falters. The picture laid out ahead of them is looking somewhat rosy.
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Toronto Raptors: NBA Playoff Picture if 2023 season ended today
Western Conference
- No. 1 Denver Nuggets vs. Lowest remaining play-in seed
- No. 2 Memphis Grizzlies vs. Highest remaining play-in seed
- No. 3 Sacramento Kings vs. No. 6 Golden State Warriors
- No. 4 Phoenix Suns vs No. 5 Los Angeles Clippers
- No. 7 Minnesota Timberwolves vs No. 8 New Orleans Pelicans
- No. 9 Los Angeles Lakers vs. No. 10 Oklahoma City Thunder
The West is the picture of chaos, as teams can go from completely out of the play-in to a top-six seed in just a few games. Denver and Memphis have withstood some slumps and ended up at the top of the conference, while Sacramento and Phoenix are in line to host a home series.
The play-in race is constantly shifting upon itself like a scene out of Doctor Strange, but the Blazers and Jazz appear to be falling out of the race at the tail end of the season. A late push by the Thunder and Lakers could lead to the two facing off against one another.
Eastern Conference
- No. 1 Milwaukee Bucks vs. Lowest remaining play-in seed
- No. 2 Boston Celtics vs. Highest remaining play-in seed
- No. 3 Philadelphia 76ers vs. No. 6 Brooklyn Nets
- No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs No. 5 New York Knicks
- No. 7 Miami Heat vs No. 8 Atlanta Hawks
- No. 9 Toronto Raptors vs. No. 10 Chicago Bulls
The East, on the other hand, remains relatively unchanged. The Wizards falling out of the play-in picture and the Bulls jumping up changes things for the Raptors specifically, but it won’t be too revolutionary for the rest of the group as a whole. The only drama might come at the top of the play-in tournament.
The Brooklyn Nets and Miami Heat are currently tied, though Brooklyn has the tiebreaker and an easier schedule coming up. The Raptors struggled against Brooklyn in the regular season, but they haven’t faced their new-look, non-Kevin Durant lineup.