Which play-in teams have the best shot at competing in the playoffs? Here is a ranking of the squads participating in the 2022 NBA Play-in Tournament.
The Nets had the top overall spot in the East during the early months of the season, but an 11-game losing streak from late January to mid-February derailed their momentum. Kevin Durant at the time was sidelined with a knee sprain while James Harden and Kyrie Irving were both in and out of the lineup. Suffice to say Brooklyn should not be here, but the unfortunate reality says otherwise.
With Ice Trae leading the way, the Hawks have a similar group from last year that could make another deep run possible. Lou Williams’ streaky shooting could help win a playoff game. Bogdan Bogdanovic and Kevin Huerter are two ball-handling wings who can make it rain from deep. Delon Wright, De’Andre Hunter and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot are resilient two-way wings who can turn it up on defense.
If they’re able to get a glimpse of postseason life similar to the Memphis Grizzlies last year, maybe that will help Charlotte in the long run.The Clippers would not be in this position had Kawhi Leonard and Paul George been healthy for a good chunk of this season, and that’s not counting the injuries to players like Norman Powell. Despite all that, the Clippers weathered the storm to put themselves in a position to compete at this stage of the season.