What Team Is Still In The NBA Playoffs?

The NBA playoffs are in full swing and there are only a few teams left fighting for the championship title. So, what team is still in the NBA playoffs?

Eastern Conference

The Eastern Conference is wide open this year, with any of the four remaining teams having a chance to make the NBA Finals. The Milwaukee Bucks are the favorites, but the Toronto Raptors, Philadelphia 76ers, and Boston Celtics are all capable of making a run. Let’s take a look at each team’s chances.

Milwaukee Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league’s Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and plays at the Fiserv Forum. Former U.S. Senator Herb Kohl was the long-time owner of the team, but on April 16, 2014, a group led by billionaire hedge fund managers Wesley Edens and Marc Lasry purchased a majority interest in the team from Kohl, a sale that was approved by the NBA Board of Governors on May 16. The new owners appointed Pete D’Alessandro as general manager in May 2014.

Milwaukee has won one league title (1971), two conference titles (1971 and 1974), and 13 division titles (1971–74, 1976–80, 1981–86, 1987–92, 1993–96, 2001). They have featured such notable players as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Sidney Moncrief, Oscar Robertson, Bob Lanier, Glenn Robinson, Ray Allen, Sam Cassell, Junior Bridgeman, Michael Redd, Desmond Mason Terry Cummings, Vin Baker; Steve Novak; Andrew Bogut; Giannis Antetokounmpo; Brandon Jennings; and Khris Middleton.

Toronto Raptors

The Toronto Raptors are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario. The Raptors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member club of the league’s Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. They play their home games at the Scotiabank Arena, which they share with the Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). The team was established in 1995 as part of the NBA’s expansion into Canada, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies. Since their debut, the Raptors have been consistently ranked as one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference, winning six Division titles and two Conference championships.

Philadelphia 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers (often referred to as the Sixers) are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league’s Eastern Conference Atlantic Division and play at Wells Fargo Center. Founded in 1946 and originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA, and one of only eight (out of 23) to survive the league’s first decade.

Boston Celtics

As of May 23, 2020, the Boston Celtics are still in the NBA Playoffs. The Celtics are currently in the Eastern Conference Finals and are set to play the Miami Heat.

Western Conference

The Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets are both still in the running for the NBA title this year. These two teams have been dominant all season long and it is no surprise that they are still in the playoffs. The Warriors are the defending champions and they will be looking to repeat this year. The Rockets have made it to the playoffs for the first time in a while and they will be looking to make a deep run.

Golden State Warriors

The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league’s Western Conference Pacific Division. Founded in 1946 in Philadelphia, the Warriors relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1962 and took the city’s name, before changing its geographic moniker to Golden State in 1971. They play their home games at the Chase Center.

Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets are a professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league’s Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its home games at the Toyota Center, located in downtown Houston. The Rockets have won two NBA championships and four Western Conference titles. The team was established as the San Diego Rockets, an expansion team originally based in San Diego, in 1967. In 1971, the Rockets moved to Houston.

The Rockets won only 15 games in their debut season as a franchise in 1967. They suffered a franchise-worst 67-loss season in 1968. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, they were known for playing tough defense under head coach Tom Nissalke and star center Moses Malone, led by players such as Elvin Hayes, Robert Reid, Rudy Tomjanovich and Calvin Murphy. Nissalke led the Rockets to their first winning record during the 1970–71 season; they finished with a 41–41 win–loss mark. His successor Bill Fitch oversaw an even more remarkable turnaround, taking them from 15 wins in 1971–72 to 34 wins—more than doubling their win total—in 1974–75 and ultimately leading them to their first playoff appearance that same year; on the back of rookie center Ralph Sampson’s All-Star play and contributions from Malone—who became only the second player ever to average 20 points and 20 rebounds per game over an entire season—the Rockets finished second overall behind only eventual NBA champion Golden State Warriors with a 47–35 win–loss record that campaign en route to clinching their maiden playoff berth; they would then go on to lose 3 games to 2 against eventual Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics after leading 2 games to 0 in the Conference Finals but lost all three crucial games on the road at Boston Garden by a narrow margin including game 5 where they blew fourth quarter leads of 13 points twice before losing 106–105 despite Sampson’s 35 points effort which saw them squandering a 3-1 series lead as well becoming only one of three teams ever to lose a best-of-seven NBA playoff series after leading it 3-1 (the other two teams being 1950s Rochester Royals who famously blew a 3-0 lead against eventual champion Minneapolis Lakers who featured George Mikan en route to losing 4 games to 3 followed by LeBron James’s Cleveland Cavaliers who infamously blew not one but two 3-1 leads against Golden State Warriors en route to losing 4 games to 3 both times). The following season was even more successful for Fitch and his charges: behind Malone’s second straight 20/20 campaign en route him winning his lone MVP trophy along with 1984 Rookie of the Year Sampson’s continued strong play which saw him make his second straight All Star appearance as well as being selected for All-NBA First Team honors that year while setting multiple franchise records including those for most points (2133), rebounds (1087) and blocks (262) in a single season which still stand today despite numerous attempts by past and present stars such as Hakeem Olajuwon (who himself went on set numerous other franchise records during his Hall of Fame career with Houston between 1984 and 2001 including those for most minutes played (3410), field goals made (877), free throws made (1136) attempts (1377), offensive rebounds (496) defensive rebounds (756) total rebounds(1252), assists(557), blocked shots(422), steals(367)and turnovers(440))and Yao Ming (who set various other franchise records including those for most points scored in a game with 56 which he did twice during his eight seasons with Houston between 2002 until his untimely retirement due injuries prior 2010–11 campaign)to break them; alongside Clyde Drexler—whom they acquired midway through that season from Portland Trail Blazers along with Tracy Murray in exchange for Rodney McCray and five future draft picks—the Rockets would go on compile a 52–30 win/loss record which was good enough for third overall behind only defending champion Los Angeles Lakers led by Showtime era stars Magic Johnson & Kareem Abdul Jabbar who posted identical 62 win seasons that year en route clinching top seeding for playoffs followed by Paul Westhead coached Denver Nuggets featuring Alex English who went on clinch second seeding with identical 52 wins meanwhile finishing ahead of defending Eastern Conference champions Boston Celtics led by future Hall of Famers Larry Bird & Kevin McHale who recorded 50 wins that campaign; Fitch would be named Coach of The Year that season becoming first & remains only man ever receive honor while coaching Houston while Malone also became first Rocket ever receive Most Valuable Player award too en route leading league averaging 24.5 ppg thus becoming third player achieve feat playing less 40 mpg joining Oscar Robertson & Wilt Chamberlain; however much like previous year’s playoffs Run TMC era Warriors this time round it was championship chasing Showtime era Lakers whom they faced 1st round playoffs despite having homecourt advantage advantage unlike previous year where they had finish third regular season; just like previous year’s postseasons Malone again excelled putting up 27 ppg 9 rpg 2 spg 1 bpg statline throughout 6 game series but much Drexler could not prevent his new teammates succumbing valiant effort losing 4 games 2 ultimately squandering another chance meeting defending Eastern Conference champions Boston Celtics led Robert Parish & Kevin McHale rivalry round: both Bird & McHale put up stellar effort Bird averaging 26 ppg 11 rpg 8 apg 2 spg 1 bpg statline while McHale putting up 23 ppg 8 rpg statline but it was Parish stellar play which largely decided outcome series particularly game 5 OT thriller where Parish came clutch putting up mind blowing 32 pbg 19 rbg 6 apg statline ultimately helping lift Celts over line 129 126 victory result sending them conference finals where ultimately met Showtime era Lakers whom went onto defeat 4 games 2 en route clinching back back titles.

Portland Trail Blazers

As of May 12th, the Portland Trail Blazers are still in the running for the Western Conference title in the NBA playoffs. They are currently in fourth place, with a record of 49-33.

Denver Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. The Nuggets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league’s Western Conference Northwest Division. The team was founded as the Denver Larks in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association (ABA), but changed its name to Rockets before the first season. It changed its name again to the Nuggets in 1974. After the name change, the Nuggets played for the final ABA Championship title in 1976, losing to the New York Nets.

The NBA absorbed four ABA teams during 1976, including the Nuggets, who then became part of the NBA’s Midwest Division. The team averaged a league-best 34 wins per game during their first NBA season, and 47 wins per game during their second season, which is an NBA record for wins in aseason by an expansion team. They qualified for the playoffs seven more times in their next nine seasons, but never advanced beyond second round of playoffs. In 1990–91, they became competitive almost overnight by signing Eastern Conference All-Star Calvin Natt away from Indiana.