February is when everyone has their eyes on the NCAA tournament bubble to see if their favorite team has a chance at participating in March Madness. This year’s NBA playoff race is shaping up to be a photo finish, with teams we have not seen in the playoffs for a while. For some teams, this is a make-or-break season, where failure to make a deep playoff run could send the team into rebuilding or restructuring mode. In this edition of Brayden’s Breakdown, I’ll do a deep dive into two teams currently in the playoffs and two teams on the outside looking in—and how they can get a spot in March Madness.
In: Detroit Pistons
In the Pistons’ first year under head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, Detroit has gone from owning the longest losing streak in NBA history to holding the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference. Cade Cunningham is finally healthy and playing like he was advertised coming out of Oklahoma State. Cunningham earned his first all-star appearance and currently averages over 25 points per game. Holding a two and a half game lead over the Magic for the sixth seed, the Pistons rode a four-game winning streak into the all-star break. In addition, Detroit has the 18th hardest schedule remaining, according to Tankathon. With two big games against the Thunder and matchups against the Cavaliers and Celtics left on their schedule, it is time for the Pistons to show what they are capable of. If they can go 2-2 against those powerhouse teams and win the games they are supposed to, Bickerstaff could take his team from worst in the East to as high as fourth in the span of one calendar year.
Out: Philadelphia 76ers
Another injury filled year might officially kill the decade-long process. Philadelphia is 14 games under .500, and they currently sit a game and a half back of the Bulls for the final play-in spot in the East. Tyrese Maxey has been the light at the end of the tunnel for Philly ever since Jared McCain’s stellar rookie campaign was cut short by injury. Maxey averages the fourth-most points per game in the entire association and dishes out six assists per game. His counterpart, Joel Embiid, has struggled to stay on the court, only playing in 17 games this season. The big man missed almost all of January, a month when the Sixers went a seven-game losing streak. Their big free agent addition Paul George has seen his numbers dwindle as he reaches age 35. George has missed almost 20 games already this season and is averaging his fewest points per game in over a decade. Luckily for Nick Nurse’s team, the Sixers have the fourth-easiest schedule remaining. If Embiid and Maxey stay healthy and George gets back on track, the play-in is easily in reach, and anything can happen once the postseason begins.
In: Houston Rockets
Ime Udoka’s team has taken a major leap in his second year at the helm of the Rockets. Houston is only seven wins away from matching their win total of 41 from last season. They are currently the fourth seed in the Western Conference, but they lost seven of their last ten games before the all-star break. Led by first time all-star Alperen Sengun, the young Rockets are a top ten defense according to almost every defensive metric. With wings like Amen Thompson and Dillon Brooks, and big men like Steven Adams and Tari Eason, Houston has been a force in the West. The Rockets have a few big games left against the No. 1 seeded Thunder, No. 3 seeded Nuggets, and the team trailing them in fifth place, the Lakers. Houston must put on big-time performances in these games to get prepared for playoff action.
Out: Phoenix Suns
In a stacked Western Conference, someone’s got to miss out on the play-in. After 54 games, it is the Suns that are on the bubble of the West. This era of Suns basketball has not gone according to plan since the acquisition of Kevin Durant at the 2023 trade deadline. Bradley Beal was injured for the majority of last season and has been moved to the bench for the first time in nine years. Phoenix had a rather stagnant deadline, trading Jusuf Nurkic for Nick Richards, Cody Martin and others. They were rumored to be in the Jimmy Butler sweepstakes, but whatever trade package they had did not work. The toughest schedule remaining does not help Phoenix’s chances of a playoff or play-in berth, meaning the next 28 games will determine the future of the Suns.