The second half of the NBA schedule will be hectic, all the way to the end. The league on Wednesday released the list of games that will be played between March 10 and May 16, with Memphis and San Antonio — two of the teams that dealt with long unplanned shutdowns because of coronavirus-related issues — set to play 40 times apiece, tied for the most in the league during the 68-day sprint.

You probably know that the Portland Trail Blazers took a huge step toward a possible playoff spot by jumping into the No. 8 seed as of Wednesday morning after another unreal Damian Lillard performance.

Nba Teams Still Fighting For Playoff Spot

1. Cox/Pool Photo/AP Images Six NBA teams are fighting for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference: the Grizzlies, Trail Blazers, Spurs, Pelicans, Suns, and Kings. The Suns, Blazers.
2. Five teams are competing for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference — the Memphis Grizzlies, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs, and New Orleans Pelicans.
3. And the scenarios for who could end up fighting for the final playoff spot in the conference are bonkers heading into play on Thursday. And the Bucks are the NBA’s best team.

But the race toward the West’s play-in games is hardly over. And the scenarios for who could end up fighting for the final playoff spot in the conference are bonkers heading into play on Thursday.

It couldn’t have turned out better for the NBA. The Blazers have been must-watch, the Grizzlies — who previously held the No. 8 seed — are still in it, the Spurs have figured out how to win without LaMarcus Aldridge and the Suns still haven’t lost a game at Disney World.

Let’s break down the remaining contenders, who are all within a half-game of the No. 8 spot.

Portland Trail Blazers

(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

REMAINING GAMES: vs. Nets

Wow. The Blazers are not only in the driver’s seat at No. 8 — which is huge, because all the eighth seed has to do in the play-in is win one out of two games and they move on — but they play a Nets team that, while they’ve been impressive in the bubble without much of their usual lineup, is still a pretty good matchup to have when you’re playing like the Blazers are.

Basically, if they win, they’re in at No. 8 and await the game(s) against the No. 9 seed.

If they lose and the Grizzlies, Spurs and Suns lose, they’re still in at 8. They would drop to ninth if two of the teams on this list lose.

Memphis Grizzlies

(Photo by Ashley Landis-Pool/Getty Images)

REMAINING GAMES: vs. Bucks

Normally, you’d say “Welp.” The Grizzlies have only won once in Disney World, and the Bucks are the NBA’s best team. But maybe Milwaukee — locked in at No. 1 in the East — sits The Greek Freak and others.

That said, they need a win and a Blazers loss to vault back into eighth. They can clinch No. 9 by winning or if both the Suns and Spurs lose.

UPDATE: Giannis Antetokounmpo is out for this game no matter what.

Phoenix Suns

Kevin C. Cox/Pool Photo via USA TODAY Sports

REMAINING GAMES: vs. Mavericks

The hottest team in the bubble has arguably the toughest matchup with the way Luka Doncic has been playing. But Phoenix did beat the Mavs on Aug. 2.

They need to win this one and both the Grizzlies and Blazers need to lose to get the eighth seed. They reach the play-in if they win and either the Grizzlies or Blazers lose.

San Antonio Spurs

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

REMAINING GAMES: vs. Jazz

The Suns have been stealing all the bubble headlines, but how about what Gregg Popovich has done without Aldridge? He stuck Lonnie Walker IV into the lineup and created a small-ball group with Jakob Poeltl in the middle. It’s worked!

They beat the Jazz already earlier in the month, so it could happen again. But they need help to get into No. 8: a win plus every other team on this list needs to lose. They grab No. 9 with a victory and two of the other teams here need to lose.

You probably know that the Portland Trail Blazers took a huge step toward a possible playoff spot by jumping into the No. 8 seed as of Wednesday morning after another unreal Damian Lillard performance.

But the race toward the West’s play-in games is hardly over. And the scenarios for who could end up fighting for the final playoff spot in the conference are bonkers heading into play on Thursday.

It couldn’t have turned out better for the NBA. The Blazers have been must-watch, the Grizzlies — who previously held the No. 8 seed — are still in it, the Spurs have figured out how to win without LaMarcus Aldridge and the Suns still haven’t lost a game at Disney World.

Let’s break down the remaining contenders, who are all within a half-game of the No. 8 spot.

Portland Trail Blazers

(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

REMAINING GAMES: vs. Nets

Wow. The Blazers are not only in the driver’s seat at No. 8 — which is huge, because all the eighth seed has to do in the play-in is win one out of two games and they move on — but they play a Nets team that, while they’ve been impressive in the bubble without much of their usual lineup, is still a pretty good matchup to have when you’re playing like the Blazers are.

Basically, if they win, they’re in at No. 8 and await the game(s) against the No. 9 seed.

If they lose and the Grizzlies, Spurs and Suns lose, they’re still in at 8. They would drop to ninth if two of the teams on this list lose.

Memphis Grizzlies

(Photo by Ashley Landis-Pool/Getty Images)

REMAINING GAMES: vs. Bucks

What Teams Are Fighting For A Playoff Spot

Normally, you’d say “Welp.” The Grizzlies have only won once in Disney World, and the Bucks are the NBA’s best team. But maybe Milwaukee — locked in at No. 1 in the East — sits The Greek Freak and others.

That said, they need a win and a Blazers loss to vault back into eighth. They can clinch No. 9 by winning or if both the Suns and Spurs lose.

UPDATE: Giannis Antetokounmpo is out for this game no matter what.

Phoenix Suns

Kevin C. Cox/Pool Photo via USA TODAY Sports

Nba Teams Fighting For Playoff Spot Next

REMAINING GAMES: vs. Mavericks

The hottest team in the bubble has arguably the toughest matchup with the way Luka Doncic has been playing. But Phoenix did beat the Mavs on Aug. 2.

They need to win this one and both the Grizzlies and Blazers need to lose to get the eighth seed. They reach the play-in if they win and either the Grizzlies or Blazers lose.

Nba Teams Fighting For Playoff Spotted

San Antonio Spurs

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

REMAINING GAMES: vs. Jazz

Nba Teams Fighting For Playoff Spot 2019

The Suns have been stealing all the bubble headlines, but how about what Gregg Popovich has done without Aldridge? He stuck Lonnie Walker IV into the lineup and created a small-ball group with Jakob Poeltl in the middle. It’s worked!

They beat the Jazz already earlier in the month, so it could happen again. But they need help to get into No. 8: a win plus every other team on this list needs to lose. They grab No. 9 with a victory and two of the other teams here need to lose.