Why the Eastern Conference playoffs matter (even if the Heat and Pacers kill everyone)

With the season-ending injury to Derrick Rose and the absolutely atrocious basketball currently being played in New York City, it seems a foregone conclusion that the Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat are on a collision course for a Eastern Conference Finals rematch. The following circumstances are the only things that could prevent this highly anticipated series, arranged in descending order of likelihood.

1. A major injury happens to one or more player on the Pacers or Heat.

2. A major trade happens with one of the Eastern Conference teams acquiring a superstar

3. Derrick Rose, after a visit to Germany, returns with some child's knees as replacements

4. Bradley Beal is actually as good as I picture him in my dreams/on our podcast

5. Michael Jordan convinces the league to allow him out of retirement, and, after a visit to Germany, he drops 35 PPG and leads the Bobcats to the Finals.

6. The Apocalypse happens, thus preventing the Eastern Conference Finals from happening

7.The Nets or Knicks rebound and are actually good

All sarcasm aside, it seems as if the collective mentality about the playoffs in the Leastern Conference is that they should be ignored until the conference finals. This makes sense, as much of the basketball will not be playoff-quality, and the Pacers and Heat are the two best teams in the conference by far. At the very least, the national audience will probably ignore most series that do not feature one of these two teams.

However, even if the Pacers and Heat dominate the conference as much as is anticipated, it would be foolish to ignore the benefits other teams can gain from playoff victories long term.

It may seem like a narrative spun by journalists that teams gain valuable experience by postseason runs that end short of a title, but it is true. Of the last 10 NBA champions, only 2 did not advance to the conference semifinals the year before. One of these teams was the 2010-11 Dallas Mavericks, whose core group had been through several playoff runs, but were upset as the 1 seed the year before Dirk Nowitzki led them to the title. The other team was the 2007-08 Boston Celtics, who were a team led by three veterans, two of whom were acquired just before the season and had playoff experience of their own. In short, teams that win championships have core players that have been through the process before.

There are a few explanations for this, but most boil down to the fact that the playoffs are very different than the regular season. Playing a team in seven straight games leads to adjustments on a level not seen in the regular season. Teams know each others tendencies like never before. Rotations are handled differently. There are no back-to-backs, and every game will be against a competent team.

Also, no matter how conditioned players are, a championship run requires more mental and physical durability than any regular season. Players on a championship team play between 16 and 28 extra games, and the intensity of these games is unmatched during the regular season. The best way to prepare for the rigors of a postseason is to have been through it before.

With this in mind, there are a few teams that would really benefit from making the playoffs and winning a series.

Cleveland Cavaliers The Cavaliers are currently 6 games under .500, and look like a wreck on both sides of the ball. But if the Cavs can rebound and make good on Dan Gilbert's guarantee of making the playoffs, the team would undoubtedly gain valuable experience. Cleveland is a young team, and most of its key players haven't experienced any postseason success. And another trip to the lottery would mark a third straight year that Kyrie Irving didn't make the playoffs to start his career. Eventually, a superstar has to at least carry his team to the top half of the league, and this year would be a good time for Irving to do it in the lowly Eastern Conference.

Detroit Pistons The Pistons are another team that hasn't seen the playoffs in a while. It has been four years since the Pistons have played a postseason game and this new-look team could use a playoff series to determine if it can win as currently constructed. Teams will have time to adjust to the Pistons ultra-big lineup in the playoffs, and it remains to be seen if that offense can be successful. A trip to the playoffs can go a long way in showing which direction this team needs to go in to improve.

Charlotte Bobcats Don't look now, but the Bobcats are currently in 8^th place in the standings. Although it is unlikely that the team retains its spot, the Bobcats could start to change its reputation as the league's laughingstock by making the playoffs and competing hard in them. If the team did the unthinkable and somehow won a playoff series or even just went to six or seven games in the first round, the team would surely buy in even more to Steve Clifford's defensive approach, and it might attract some fans. It's unlikely it'll ever be a free agent hotspot, but maybe players would stop avoiding Charlotte like its the plague.

Brooklyn Nets If the Nets make the playoffs, Mikhail Prokhorov may decide to not execute Jason Kidd. Kidd would probably still be exiled to Siberia, but it's still a step up from the alternative.

Washington Wizards The Wizards are a young and upcoming team, and, after a rough start, have surged up to 5^th place in the conference. John Wall and Bradley Beal would benefit from having defenses key on them for a series, and Washington wouldn't lose face after a win-now move sending their protected first-rounder to Phoenix. The worst thing that could happen to the Wizards is to just miss the playoffs, and owe its pick to Phoenix with nothing to show for their season. If Washington can continue its hot play (the team has won 7 of 10), it could be in for a valuable playoff run.