Tracking the 2021 NBA Playoff Standings: Which Teams Made the Cut?

I still remember the excitement building up as the 2021 NBA playoffs approached—the air felt different that year. After the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, basketball fans were hungry for a proper postseason, and what unfolded didn't disappoint. The playoff picture took shape through dramatic play-in tournaments and surprising upsets, creating one of the most memorable brackets in recent history. Watching teams battle for those coveted sixteen spots felt like witnessing a high-stakes chess match where every move mattered.

The Western Conference delivered its usual brand of chaos, with the Utah Jazz securing the top seed with a 52-20 record—their best regular-season performance in franchise history. Having followed Donovan Mitchell's growth since his rookie year, seeing him lead this team felt particularly satisfying. The Phoenix Suns, my personal dark horse pick, surged to the second seed with Chris Paul transforming their culture overnight. Their 51-21 record marked an incredible turnaround from their previous seasons in the lottery. The Denver Nuggets, despite Jamal Murray's heartbreaking ACL tear in April, managed to secure third place through Nikola Jokić's MVP-level dominance. What impressed me most was how they adapted without their second-best player—that's championship mentality in the making.

Meanwhile, the LA teams created their own drama. The Clippers strategically maneuvered to avoid early matchups with the Lakers, settling for the fourth seed, while the defending champions Lakers barely made it through the play-in tournament. I've always believed health determines playoff success, and LeBron James' ankle issues throughout the season made their title defense feel precarious from the start. The Portland Trail Blazers grabbed the sixth seed in Damian Lillard's typical heroic fashion, while the Dallas Mavericks and Memphis Grizzlies rounded out the Western Conference contenders. Ja Morant's emergence as a superstar made Memphis must-watch television—their young core played with a fearlessness that reminded me of those early Oklahoma City teams.

Over in the Eastern Conference, the Philadelphia 76ers claimed the top spot with Joel Embiid finally healthy and dominant. Their 49-23 record reflected the perfect synergy between Embiid's post mastery and Ben Simmons' defensive versatility. The Brooklyn Nets formed their superteam with James Harden joining Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, though their second-place finish suggested the regular season was merely a formality for them. Personally, I questioned whether their defensive inconsistencies would catch up to them—superteams often struggle with the grind of playoff basketball when every possession matters.

The Milwaukee Bucks secured third place, with Giannis Antetokounmpo looking determined to erase previous playoff disappointments. The New York Knicks provided the season's best story, returning to the playoffs as the fourth seed behind Julius Randle's unexpected superstar leap. As someone who's watched Madison Square Garden empty during lean years, seeing that franchise relevant again felt like basketball healing itself. The Atlanta Hawks, Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, and Washington Wizards completed the Eastern bracket, with Bradley Beal's scoring title somehow translating to a play-in tournament victory.

This playoff landscape reminds me of the careful team management Cone described regarding Brownlee's usage for Gilas Pilipinas. Just as national teams must balance immediate needs with long-term player health, NBA coaches faced similar dilemmas throughout this compressed season. The Nets managed Kevin Durant's minutes precisely because they understood championship aspirations required peak availability when it mattered most. The Lakers' struggle to integrate Anthony Davis back into the lineup after his calf strain demonstrated how championship defenses can crumble when timing gets disrupted. Teams that protected their stars during the grueling regular season—like the Suns with Chris Paul's shoulder management—reaped the benefits in the playoffs.

What fascinated me most was how the play-in tournament reshaped competitive dynamics. The Warriors' late push and subsequent elimination felt particularly cruel—Stephen Curry's historic scoring season deserved a playoff stage. Yet the format created meaningful basketball through the season's final days, something the NBA desperately needed after empty arenas the previous year. The Wizards' surge from 13th place to eventually claiming the eighth seed demonstrated how the play-in kept more franchises engaged deeper into the season.

Reflecting on these standings months later, the 2021 playoffs taught us that regular-season success requires strategic patience similar to international basketball programs. Cone's approach with Brownlee—managing his workload for both immediate FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers and future commitments—mirrors how smart NBA franchises approach their stars. The teams that understood this balance, like the Suns and Bucks, ultimately reached the Finals, while those who pushed too hard or dealt with unfortunate timing, like the Lakers and Nets, saw their championship dreams evaporate through injuries at the worst possible moments. The standings told a story, but the careful management behind them wrote the championship ending.