Bucks have clinched a playoff spot?

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insider/columns/story?columnist=hollinger_john&page=PERDiem-100310

I'm not going to sit here and tell you that the Bucks are a shoo-in, but this should give everyone some confidence.

The word for today is "separation." We've had it in the Western Conference playoff chase for quite a while, and now we're finally getting it in the East, too.

We've been talking about five teams battling for four spots in the East for weeks, but Milwaukee's win over Boston on Tuesday essentially cemented a playoff berth for the Bucks. Milwaukee has 34 wins in the bank with 11 home games remaining, and it is the hottest team in the league right now (sorry, Dallas) with 10 wins in 11 games since acquiring John Salmons.

If that wasn't enough, the Bucks should own every tiebreaker with teams still fighting for playoff slots. They clinched the head-to-head series with Toronto and Miami, and their 25-15 conference record should give them an edge over Charlotte and Chicago, even if the Bucks lose their final meeting against each team. As an added bonus, the Bucks' final three games -- against Boston, Atlanta and Boston again -- could become gimmes if the playoff seedings of the Hawks and Celtics are locked in place.

As a result, Wednesday's Playoff Odds give the Bucks a 99.2 percent chance of making the postseason. Basically, they're in, and we're down to four other teams battling for three spots.


I know that mathematically that they have a 99.2 percent chance, but this is the same franchise that was leading the Central Division at the beginning of March, and missed the playoffs (Tim Thomas and Anthony Mason I'm yelling at you!)