Friday, March 01, 2024

If personified, the Eastern Conference of the NBA would be a middle-aged man thin on the top, then on the bottom and with a bulging midsection. Entering Thursday night's smorgasbord Miami was fifth in the East. Exiting, the offerings thoroughly rearranged, the "Heat" are eighth, one and one-half game from fourth and home court in the first round of the playoffs. New York is fourth, 12 games behind Boston City; Philadelphia is fifth, 13 games behind; Orlando sixth, two-thousands of a percentage decimal behind Phila; Indiana is seventh, identical to Orlando, separated only by tie-breaker; and then the "Heat".