Predicting the 6 teams that will fail to qualify for NBA Playoffs 2020
We're just three weeks away from the restart of the 2019-20 NBA season. It's truly great to have basketball back and we have some fantastic matchups coming our way once the seeding games begin on 30th July. But let's be honest about it, just like me, I'm sure you're thinking about the NBA Playoffs already as well.
We already know the 13 teams that will be making it to the postseason for sure. As far as qualifying for the NBA Playoffs is concerned, only the eighth seed in the West and the seventh and eighth seeds in the East are in question.
Road to NBA Playoffs 2020
The situation is simpler in the Eastern Conference with only Washington Wizards standing an outside chance to make it to the NBA Playoffs. In the West though, as many as six teams are in contention.
So out of the 22 teams heading to Orlando, which six teams will fail to reach the postseason? We try to predict the same below, starting from the team most likely to miss out on NBA Playoffs 2020.
#6 Phoenix Suns
The 13th seed in the West, the Phoenix Suns are unlikely to pull off a coup at Disney World. Head coach Monty Williams has done a good job in establishing a disciplined defense, one that allowed the Suns to flirt with the playoff seeds in the early stages of the season. However, Devin Booker and co. could never really muster consistency and struggled to get results regularly.
While Phoenix is not missing any key players, the franchise has the sixth-toughest schedule in the restart. They find themselves six games behind the current eighth seed Memphis and even a play-in scenario looks out of the picture.
The Suns have pulled off a few upsets this season but out of their eight seeding games, the fixture against the Wizards is the only one I see them winning.
#5 Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are the only team outside the top eight in the East with a chance of making it to the NBA Playoffs but they're holding on to that chance by a thread. Their talisman Bradley Beal will be missing the restart with a shoulder injury while sharpshooter Davis Bertans has decided to sit out.
If that was a bummer, up-and-coming talent Thomas Bryant has also tested positive for COVID-19. While things aren't that great elsewhere with Brooklyn Nets missing four regular players due to coronavirus, the Wizards simply don't have anyone to lead the team. They're 5.5 games behind Orlando and even a play-in situation seems out of hand. Expect them to miss the NBA Playoffs.
#4 San Antonio Spurs
Another team with negligible chances of making it to the NBA Playoffs are the San Antonio Spurs. They will be in Orlando without their impact center in LaMarcus Aldridge. Yes, DeMar DeRozan has averaged over 22 points a game and shot above 50% from the field, but he has failed to inspire the Spurs this season.
San Antonio has one of the more manageable schedules but the lack of a true Superstar again makes it tough for me to see them push for the NBA Playoffs. They have been very streaky throughout the 2019-20 season and won only three of their eight games after the All-Star break.
#3 Portland Trail Blazers
If there's one thing that the Portland Trail Blazers have failed to do this season, it's playing consistently after breaks. The Blazers' record from the beginning of the season and after the All-Star break is the same - only four wins from the first 10 games.
Damian Lillard has had an MVP-caliber season but that hasn't prevented Portland from slipping to a 29-37 record. They will also be missing the services of Trevor Ariza in Orlando. The veteran was an important 3-and-D presence for the Blazers ever since he joined the franchise in a trade from the Sacramento Kings.
Terry Stotts' side has the third most difficult schedule in the eight seeding games. This is why I expect at least two teams to be ahead of them in the race for the eighth spot. So even if they are within four games of the final place in the NBA Playoffs from the West, they're likely to miss out on a play-in tournament.
#2 Sacramento Kings
At the time of the All-Star break, the Sacramento Kings had a 21-33 record and they were safely out of question for the NBA Playoffs. But after the restart, they won seven out of 10 and are safely back in question.
The Kings have the fourth easiest schedule in Orlando and that allows them a better chance of making it to the NBA Playoffs than what most people think. That they've bounced back despite having had losing streaks of five, eight, and six games during this season in that order says a lot about the team's grit.
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They have been largely helped by De'Aaron Fox who was averaging over 23 points a game while shooting more than 50% from the field after the All-Star break.
However, their record also suggests that they're rather inconsistent and I still expect at least the New Orleans Pelicans and Memphis Grizzlies to finish over the Kings.
#1 Memphis Grizzlies
Let me point out from the outset that I don't have any doubt in the quality that the Memphis Grizzlies possess. They have beaten each of the seven teams above them in the West at least once this season which shows that they'll hold their own despite the seventh toughest schedule in the seeding games.
The Grizzlies not making the NBA Playoffs has more to do with what one other team, in particular, can achieve.
The New Orleans Pelicans are only 3.5 games behind Memphis and have the easiest remaining schedule. Add to that the fact that they have little to no injury troubles and have the best squad on paper amongst all teams looking for a berth into the NBA Playoffs. This is why they're likely to come closer to Ja Morant and co. by the end of the seeding games and enforce a play-in tournament.
Yes, the Grizzlies would only have to win one game to move to the NBA Playoffs in that scenario. But the Pelicans are the only team in the Western Conference whom they've failed to beat this season. I expect this record to extend with Zion Williamson and co. nudging out the Grizzlies on their way to the NBA Playoffs.
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