The Miami Heat are paces away from clinching the Eastern Conference. They have already begun preparing for the playoffs.
Players like Kyle Lowry have been ramping up their effort to reach playoff mode. They are eager to make their success in the regular season translate into the playoffs.
The Brooklyn Nets were having a good season as well before Kevin Durant suffered an injury. The Nets struggled during this period and lost 11 straight at one point during that stretch.
They have dealt with Kyrie Irving being in and out of the lineup.
They have also dealt with a midseason trade that shipped away James Harden. Now, they are sitting in eighth place in the East and will officially have a spot in the play-in tournament.
It was recently reported that the newly acquired Nets star, Ben Simmons, will miss the remainder of the regular season and the play-in tournament. Simmons has not played at all this season, but his absence means that Brooklyn will be competing in the play-in tournament without their best defender.