ORLANDO (Florida) • There were six teams in contention last week for the eighth and final play-off spot in the Western Conference.
That number was whittled down to four on Sunday after the New Orleans Pelicans and Sacramento Kings were eliminated.
The tussle among the Memphis Grizzlies, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns for the last remaining post-season berth in the National Basketball Association (NBA) remains convoluted, with only two regular-season games remaining.
Even LeBron James, whose Los Angeles Lakers team will play the eighth seed, has given up following the twists and turns. He said: "I'm not paying attention to what's going on with the eighth seed right now, because there's too much that can happen with play-in games to decide that. It's too far away."
What is guaranteed is there will be a best-of-two series, with the eighth seed needing to win one game to advance to the play-offs after the Grizzlies lost to Toronto Raptors 108-99 at Disney World on Sunday, giving the league champions second seeding in the East. The eighth-and ninth-placed teams must play each other in a play-in game on Saturday because the advantage is less than four games.
If the eighth seed win the first match-up, they will automatically go into the play-offs. However, if the ninth seed win, then a second game will be arranged the following week, whereby they will have to triumph again to make it to the play-offs.
The Spurs, who are one game behind the eighth-placed Grizzlies, are hoping to figure in that conversation. Not since the 1996-97 season have San Antonio not headed to the post-season.
They also have a proud history to maintain - qualifying every full season under Gregg Popovich since - and their 22 consecutive play-off appearances is a joint-NBA record.
The long-serving coach feels that it would be a bonus, given that his roster is stacked with inexperienced players, with the exception of four-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan.
Fellow All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge underwent shoulder surgery during the league's four-month Covid-19 enforced break, ending his season prematurely.
Speaking after his team, who were paced by a 27-point display by DeRozan, sent the Pelicans packing from the "bubble" with a 122-113 win, Popovich said: "It'd be huge.
"If we're able to be in that ninth spot, that's quite a victory and it says a lot about how this young group has come together with three of the starters out.
"I'm already thrilled with how they played, and it'd be really fantastic if we could get that."
Unlike five-time champions San Antonio, the Grizzlies do not have the same stellar post-season record with zero titles.
For Memphis, it is simply about reaching the play-offs for the first time since 2017 and although they remain favourites to be part of that play-in game - they need one win out of their two remaining games - guard Ja Morant is concerned.
On their awful run in the "bubble" - they have lost five of their six games since the restart on July 30 - the Rookie of the Year contender told ESPN: "Our focus now is learning from our mistakes... and try to fix them when we go out and play Boston (Celtics today)."
REUTERS
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