We probably need to go 3-1 to avoid the play-in

The biggest competition we have for 6 is Toronto and… Miami. They play each other twice to close the season.

Toronto also plays Boston tomorrow (probably a loss), Brooklyn (probably a win) and a NY Knicks team that could be choosing their opponent with a win or loss. If the Knicks beat Toronto, they likely play the Sixers. If they rest their guys and let Toronto win, they’re more likely to play Toronto.

So to avoid all that, you’d think we would want Miami to beat Toronto twice.

But if Miami does that, their other two games are against Washington (probably a win) and Atlanta in the last game of the season. Atlanta will have the 5 seed locked in and likely rest their guys to avoid injury.

So if we go 2-2, and Miami wins out. They win the head to head tiebreaker and three-way tiebreaker.

Time to win out