For the second year in a row, DIMER is pleased to present the comprehensive 2020 Playoff Race Tracker, complete with playoff odds, tiebreakers and up-to-the-minute standings.
Format
The best nine teams in the regular season make the playoffs, as well as the winner of the end-of-season Ticket tournament. The league has yet to announce the playoff series formats, though in 2019, the playoff format was a best-of-three series in the quarterfinals and semifinals and a best-of-five in the Finals.
2019 seeding tiebreakers (unconfirmed for 2020):
- Winning percentage
- Head to head matchup
- Average point differential
- Total points scored
- Coin flip
(Please remember that simulating playoff odds is an inexact science, especially for the NBA 2K League, and should not be taken as the definitive likelihood of a team making the playoffs.)
NOTE: Clinching scenarios are not complete and only represent a portion of the ways a team can qualify. The NBA 2K League has not clarified its full tiebreaker system.
Clinched
Raptors Uprising GC (15-0)
Games remaining: 1 (Cavs Legion GC)
Key wins: Wizards District Gaming, Hornets Venom GT, Kings Guard Gaming
The Raptors became the first team to clinch a playoff berth in 2020 and the fastest team ever to secure a spot. This will be the second playoff appearance for the organization, which qualified as the No. 4 seed in 2018.
Wizards District Gaming (12-2)
Games remaining: 2 (Blazer5 Gaming, 76ers GC)
Key wins: Hornets Venom GT, Mavs Gaming
Wizards DG is back in the playoffs for the first time since 2018, this time with on the back of a franchise-high mark in wins.
Jazz Gaming (11-2)
Games remaining: 3 (Cavs Legion GC, Pistons GT, T-Wolves Gaming)
Key wins: Wizards District Gaming, Warriors Gaming Squad, Hornets Venom GT, Mavs Gaming
The Jazz became the second team to secure a playoff spot, which will mark the first playoff appearance in franchise history.
Warriors Gaming Squad (13-3)
Games remaining: None
Key wins: Kings Guard Gaming, Hornets Venom GT, T-Wolves Gaming
The Warriors became the first 2019 playoff team to clinch a spot in the 2020 edition.
Mavs Gaming (10-5)
Games remaining: 2 (Bucks Gaming)
Key wins: Kings Guard Gaming, Warriors Gaming Squad
The Mavs are the third 2019 playoff team to clinch a berth, and hold a key head-to-head tiebreaker over the Kings.
Kings Guard Gaming (10-5)
Games remaining: 1 (Cavs Legion GC)
Key wins: Jazz Gaming, T-Wolves Gaming
The Kings are back in the playoffs for the second straight season after clinching in the middle of week 11.
The Bubble
Bucks Gaming (8-6)
Games remaining: 2 (Lakers Gaming, Mavs Gaming)
Key wins: Cavs Legion GC, Knicks Gaming, Pacers Gaming, Jazz Gaming
Huge wins over the Kings and Grizz has the Bucks tasting the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, though there are still two key series to be played.
Hornets Venom GT (8-6)
Games remaining: 2 (NetsGC, Heat Check Gaming)
Key wins: Mavs Gaming
The Hornets just got Type back in their lineup, but three straight losses is a tough price to pay with the playoffs seemingly within reach.
T-Wolves Gaming (7-6)
Games remaining: 3 (Magic Gaming, Blazer5 Gaming, Jazz Gaming)
Key wins: Bucks Gaming, Mavs Gaming, Hornets Venom GT
It doesn’t get much bigger than a three-game win over Hornets Venom GT, as the T-Wolves look to spark the same magic that carried them to the 2019 title.
NetsGC (7-7)
Games remaining: 2 (Knicks Gaming, Hornets Venom GT)
Key wins: T-Wolves Gaming, Bucks Gaming, Hawks Talon GC
The Nets have followed their customary mid-season surge with their customary mid-season fall, dropping three straight games and leaving their playoff hopes in question.
Blazer5 Gaming (7-6)
Games remaining: 3 (T-Wolves Gaming, Wizards District Gaming, 76ers GC)
Key wins: Mavs Gaming, Bucks Gaming, Pacers Gaming
It’s strange to see Blazer5 without a solidified berth this late in the season, but with the losing streak snapped and a winnable schedule left to play, Blazer5 is certainly confident in a record third-straight playoff berth.
Outside Looking In
Knicks Gaming (7-8)
Games remaining: 1 (NetsGC)
Key wins: Cavs Legion GC, Gen.G Tigers of Shanghai
It doesn’t look like Knicks Gaming will return to the playoffs in a conventional fashion, but they’ve pulled off Ticket runs before. A chance to play spoiler for NetsGC gives the last game of the regular season some extra meaning.
76ers GC (6-8)
Games remaining: 2 (Blazer5 Gaming, Wizards District Gaming)
Key wins: NetsGC, Knicks Gaming
The 76ers are shockingly all the way down here, and while there’s still a chance, the Ticket Tournament is likely the Sixers’ only option for a third straight playoff berth.
Hawks Talon GC (6-8)
Games remaining: 2 (Celtics Crossover Gaming, Heat Check Gaming)
Key wins: T-Wolves Gaming, Pacers Gaming, Grizz Gaming
The Hawks have been up-and-down all season, but with three games left to play, the quest for the franchise’s first playoff berth is running out.
Ticket Tournament-Bound
Grizz Gaming (7-9)
The Grizz have always been a late-season team, but three straight crushing losses has the Grizz wondering what could have been before the Ticket.
Magic Gaming (5-9)
The Magic are in line to miss the playoffs for the third straight year, needing a Ticket Tournament victory after a very up-and-down season.
Cavs Legion GC (4-9)
The Cavs will finish the season below .500 for the first time in franchise history, and three tough games before the Ticket could make the end of season slump even more profound.
Gen.G Tigers of Shanghai (5-10)
Gen.G’s talent is undeniable, but it just hasn’t worked out this season as the expansion team heads toward the Ticket riding a six-game losing streak.
Heat Check Gaming (4-10)
The Heat are out of the playoffs for the second straight season, barring a miraculous run at the Ticket.
Pacers Gaming (4-11)
The Pacers have had their moments, but lineup uncertainty and a late losing streak have the Pacers out of the playoffs for the second time in franchise history.
Pistons GT (3-10)
The Pistons are slated to finish toward the league’s basement for the second straight year, with a difficult schedule providing good practice in the run-up to the Ticket tournament.
Lakers Gaming (3-12)
The Lakers will head to the Ticket Tournament at the end of the season with long hopes of their first playoff berth.
Celtics Crossover Gaming (2-12)
To everyone’s surprise, the Celtics are winless and off to the Ticket. Historically, this is a good tournament team, but this year has turned the Celtics’ history on its head.