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Phoenix Suns, Portland Trailblazers, Brooklyn Nets have clinched playoff berths

By Arnie Leshin 
The Phoenix Suns didn’t figure, neither did the Portland Trailblazer, neither did the Brooklyn Nets.
But there they, three bottom level National Basketball Association teams still hanging around to challenger the upper half in the restarted league playoffs played at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Disney World in Orlando, Fla.
The Nets. well they no doubt were looking ahead to next season when they will have Kevin Durant and Issac Irving back off the injury list to blend in with the talent the club has already assembled. But with the ever-improving 7-foot Jarrett Allen in his third year after declaring for the college draft following his freshman season at Texas, plus versatile 6-6 small forward Caris LeVert and steady 6-6 shooting guard Joe Harris, they are 4-2 in these playoffs.
They’ve defeated the Milwaukee Bucks, the team with the best NBA record coming in, they’ve defeated the contending Los Angeles Clippers, they’ve already taken seventh place over the Orlando Magic and the Washington Wizards, and Tuesday they line up against the Magic again.
Portland’s everyday news has been brutal, with the protesting, rioting, looting now in its fourth months, it’s Trailblazers have mounted a charge with the return of high-scoring guard Damian Lillard, point guard C.J. McCullough, and the pick-up of veteran foward Carmelo Anthony late last season. In a last-quarter surge against the Clippers, he added a pair of foul shots to go with 51 points and the rousing victory. Anthony scored 24 that included five 3s.
Next stop for the Blazers is Tuesday versus the Dallas Mavericks.
Through the years, Phoenix has had good players, good coaches, but has never won an NBA championship. Now, all of a sudden, it has bounced into these playoffs with three straight wins, and plays the Oklahoma City Thunder this afternoon in its quest to maintain this surprise. The Suns have been sparked by shooting guard Devon Brooker, point guard Ricky Rubio, and strong forward Mikal Bridges.
Along with these three, a dozen other teams have already clinched playoff berths, but there is still much to be decided down the stretch, with games today, tomorrow and Wednesday, and games on Thursday that have yet to be announced.
The seedings are far from finalized and the final postseason spot in the Western Conference could come down to a play-in tournament. It certainly appears to be an exciting sprint to the finish line.
Other Monday games have Dallas against the Utah Jazz, the defending champion Toronto Raptors versus the Bucks, the Indiana Pacers facing the Miami Heat, and the Denver Nuggets meeting the Los Angeles Lakers, the team with the second-best overall mark.
Tuesday, the Houston Rockets-San Antonio Spurs follows the Nets-Magic, then comes the Suns against the Sixers, the Boston Celtics versus the Memphis Grizzles, Portland taking on the Mavs, the New Orleans Pelicans facing the Sacramento Kings, and the Bucks meeting the Wizards.
On Wednesday, it’s the Pacers against the Rockets, the Raptors versus Philly, Miami going against OKC, and the Clippers facing Denver.

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