The NBA realm has entered a bit of madness of its own as it barrels toward the end of the season.Some of the usual suspects already have playoff berths. The Cleveland Cavaliers sit atop the Eastern Conference as expected, with the San Antonio Spurs once again putting some serious pressure on the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference. The James Harden-led Houston Rockets are the only other team with a secure bid.Along the march to the postseason, teams will jockey for critical playoff position, hopefully giving fans can't-miss matchups. Others will simply fight for a berth, which could allow certain superstars (think Damian Lillard, Hassan Whiteside) to sneak into the playoffs.Below, let's take a look at league standings and outline a few key details to watch down the stretch.2017 NBA Playoff StandingsTeam Nobody Wants to See: Miami HeatIt sounds almost odd to throw credit at the Miami Heat after the departure of Dwyane Wade and the team hardly hanging on to relevancy in the weak Eastern Conference for most of the year.But don't look nowthe Heat have won seven of their last 10 games and have only lost 12 dating back to January 1.Miami provides a few problems for everyone. Whiteside still averages a double-double at 16.7 points and 14.2 boards, not to mention the 2.11 blocks. Goran Dragic (team-leading 20.3 points per game) doesn't necessarily strike fear into opponents, but he's dangerous when those around him such as the upstart Dion Waiters (15.8) get going.In fact, while Miami doesn't blow anyone away by averaging 102.9 points per game, the team ranks in the top 12 from deep (36.5 percent) and has seven players averaging double digits.The month of March has been especially impressive for the Heat thus far, with the team chalking up two wins over the Cavaliers and one over the Toronto Raptors. Those opponents weren't always at full strength, but standing tall regardless makes for an interesting projection over a full series.Head coach Erik Spoelstra told USA Today's Jeff Zillgitt this positive stretch has been about figuring out what the team is."The biggest thing was trying to figure out who your team was and is," Spoelstra said. "We were trying to figure out how this team can play at its best. What are the team's strengths' How can we get to that' What makes the most sense for this team'"It seems the Heat have figured out it, much to the chagrin of the conference.Matchup Everyone Should Want: Houston vs. Oklahoma CityWho doesn't want to see Harden square off with Russell Westbrook for a full series'Westbrook has put the team on his back in the wake of Kevin Durant's departure, averaging a triple-double with 31.4 points, 10.5 rebounds and 10.3 assists per game. His next closest form of help is Victor Oladipo at 16.4 points per game.But it's a similar story for Harden in Houston, with something of a position change lifting him to MVP-contending status. He's not at a triple-double, but it's hard to argue with 29.4 points, 11.2 assists and 8.1 rebounds on a career-high player efficiency rating of 27.90, according to ESPN.com. His partner in crime is Eric Gordon, also at 16.4 points per game.ESPN Stats & Info recently provided context to both MVP candidates' seasons:As far as head-to-head matchups go this year, Houston owns a 2-1 advantage. Like any other game for the Thunder, Westbrook had to put the team on his back regardless of result, going off for 30, 49 and 27 points. Harden, given the better supporting cast, never had to score more than 26 in those encounters.Still, things change in the playoffs, and a showdown between would-be MVPs is something special. Whether either side can seriously contend is hard to say, but this encounter would likely produce the best series of the postseason.Storyline to Watch: Boston Meeting the OccasionCan the Boston Celtics finally get back to meeting historic expectations'On its face, one could think the Celtics already have by sitting second in the Eastern Conference, shoving aside the Raptors and even the upstart Washington Wizardsat least for now.The Celtics even have a legitimate MVP contender with Isaiah Thomas, who averages 29.1 points per game on a career-high PER of 26.77, per ESPN.com. As Shane Young of FanRag Sports broke down, suffocating defense has the Celtics surging late in the season:But is it enough come playoff time' Boston has gone 1-2 against the Cavaliers, 1-3 against the Raptors, 2-2 against the Wizards and even 1-1 against the Atlanta Hawks.Thomas has been the only member of the Celtics able to stay on the court reliably, with Al Horford only appearing in 57 games and Avery Bradley, the team's second-leading scorer (16.9), dressing for 47.Boston undoubtedly has enough talent to run with the best teams in the conference when fully healthy, but a full playoff series provides a new challenge. Thomas has a chance to ascend to league-best status while propping up a storied franchise, a storyline always worth plugging underneath a microscope.All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
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