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Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Each week, we send out questions to the most plugged in Suns fans, and fans across the country. Sign up here to join Reacts.
There has been nothing normal about the 2020 NBA playoff picture. The hottest team in the league didn’t even make the playoffs — yes, I’m talking about YOUR Phoenix Suns — and it would be easy to believe a dark-horse team could make a run to the NBA Finals.
With that in mind, the most recent SB Nation Reacts survey took a different view of this year’s playoff bracket. Fans were asked to seed the playoffs, 1-16, without the restrictions of conferences. The results have seven teams from the east and 9 from the west.
Your Suns were ranked by fans across all SB Nation as the 15th best team in the country, well deserving of a spot in a 16-team playoff. It’s too bad the Suns lost so many close games while they were finding themselves among injuries mid-season. Unfortunately the Suns did NOT make the playoffs this year despite finishing the season on an 8-0 run.
The Milwaukee Bucks earned the top spot in the league, followed by the two Los Angeles teams.
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These seeds would provide an entertaining first round that would feature three east vs. west matchups and a first round series between Damian Lillard and Paul George/Patrick Beverley.
- Milwaukee Bucks vs. 16. Brooklyn Nets
- Los Angeles Lakers vs. 15. Phoenix Suns
- Los Angeles Clippers vs. 14. Portland Trail Blazers
- Toronto Raptors vs. 13. Philadelphia 76ers
- Boston Celtics vs. 12. Utah Jazz
- Houston Rockets vs. 11. Dallas Mavericks
- Denver Nuggets vs. 10. Indiana Pacers
- Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Miami Heat
If ever there were a year to do away with conference alignment, it would be the 2020 bubble.
To vote in the Reacts surveys and have your voice heard each week, sign up here.