NBA playoff race? There is no real NBA playoff race

So much for a nerve-wracking, down-to-the-wire race for the final West playoff spots. The three teams chasing the No. 8 seed — the Kings, Lakers, and Timberwolves — have lost a combined eight straight games. The No. 9 Kings are now three games out, with the No. 10 Lakers 4.5 games out, and the No. 11 Timberwolves 5.5 games out.

538 has the Kings at 9 percent to make the playoffs, the Lakers at 8 percent, and the Wolves at 2 percent. All of the teams involved have had some brutal losses lately, from Sacramento’s heartbreaking fall to the Clippers for the fourth time this season to the Lakers’ inexplicable loss to the freaking Suns. This isn’t a playoff race so much as it is a festival of disappointment.

Meanwhile, the Kings would be tied for the No. 6 seed in the East and the Lakers would be the No. 8 seed. It’s not a great sales point when Sacramento is .500 and the Lakers are three games under, but it does need to be noted. If the NBA seeded the teams with the top 16 records regardless of conference, as of right now the Kings would be in as the No. 14 or 15 seed while the Lakers would be just outside (but in striking distance).

That reality dampens the argument that the Lakers’ failure to make the playoffs is an indictment of an imbalanced league where an East team five games under .500 is currently that conference’s No. 8 seed. It’d be a more potent point if the Lakers didn’t look like absolute trash most nights.

But, hey, if you want a good playoff race, only a half-game separates the three teams fighting for the No. 8 seed in the East. Sure, those teams are 30-35, 29-34, and 28-34, but we can’t be too picky. It’s the East, after all.

Blazers 118, Hornets 108
Rockets 115, Celtics 104
Hawks 123, Bulls 118
Knicks 107, Clippers 128
Magic 93, Cavaliers 107
Raptors 107, Pistons 112 (OT)
Timberwolves 121, Wizards 135
Grizzlies 95, Thunder 99

All times Eastern. Games are on League Pass unless otherwise noted.

Mavericks at Nets, 7:30, NBA TV
Hawks at Heat, 7:30
Nuggets at Spurs, 8:30
Bucks at Suns, 9
Pelicans at Jazz, 9
Knicks at Kings, 10
Clippers at Lakers, 10:30, NBA TV

Paul Flannery’s Sunday Shootaround includes a conversation with Damian Lillard on fatherhood, perspective, and the Blazers’ chase for the top.

The Hawks are too good to tank next year. Here are three moves to fast track their rebuild.

Speaking of the Hawks, this is an absurd way for Trae Young to pick up a second technical and get ejected from a game. Part of the problem is the use of double technicals to assess penalties when the refs lose control of a moment. The other problem is differing standards for taunting. A staredown going into a stoppage after a made shot is really not taunting.

A couple nights before Young got dismissed early for being great, the Hawks and Bulls had an unreal quadruple overtime tank-off.

Marc Stein wonders how LeBron will react to missing the playoffs, which seems increasingly likely.

Fubu back.

The Magic are ready to end their playoff drought.

My heavens, James Harden is already the all-time leader in unassisted threes made and currently makes well more than twice as many per game as any other player.

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Michael McCann on what the end of the NBA age minimum would mean for everyone.

And finally: Donovan Mitchell, good dude, gave a sneaker to a 102-year-old Jazz fan.

Be excellent to each other.