Bucks, Lakers Grab NBA Conference Championships As Strat-O-Matic Completes Simulation Of Season

NEW YORK - April 15, 2020 - PRLog -- When the NBA suspended play on March 12, about 15-17 games per team short of a full 82-game schedule, fans across North America were deprived of some exciting races for playoff berths and seeding positions. So Strat-O-Matic (www.strat-o-matic.com), the market leader in sports simulations, played out the rest of the regular season, which was scheduled to end today, and based on those results will continue to simulate the postseason, day-by-day, through the Finals in mid-June as scheduled, or until live action on the court resumes.

The Milwaukee Bucks, who stood at 53-12 when play was halted, went 14-3 down the stretch in the simulation to outpace the defending champion Raptors (58-24) by nine games for the best overall NBA record and top Eastern Conference seed. Toronto gained the #2 slot over the Celtics (55-27) and Heat (50-32). Rounding out the eight East playoff squads are #5 Indiana (50-32), #6 Philadelphia (48-34), #7 Orlando (39-43) and #8 Brooklyn (39-43).

The Western Conference shook out with the Los Angeles Lakers earning their first playoff spot since 2012-13, at 63-19, five games ahead of #2 Denver (58-24, including 10 straight wins to close the season), seven better than the third-seeded L.A. Clippers (56-26) and 10 lengths past #4 Houston (53-29). Utah (51-31), Oklahoma City (48-34), Dallas (45-37) and New Orleans (41-41, including a 4-1 finish) took the final four spots, respectively, edging Portland, which won seven straight late-season contests but went 1-3 in its last four to finish 40-42 and miss by a game.

The contest played during the simulation produced some outstanding individual performances as well. The Pelicans' Jrue Holiday exploded for a career-best 59 points, completing a triple-double with 12 rebounds and 15 assists in a March 18 win over San Antonio. League MVP Giannis Antentokounmpo of the Bucks, who for the full season including simulated games averaged 29.3 ppg, 13.5 rpg and 5.4 apg, posted 52 points and 17 rebounds on March 12 against Boston. Houston scoring machine James Harden had consecutive 50 point games (52 on March 23 and 51 on March 25) with another 52 point game April 8 vs San Antonio.

Antetokounmpo was selected league MVP, followed by LeBron James (26.1 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 10.6 apg) and Harden (34.6, 6.7, 7.6).

Full playoff results and game boxscores are available to fans each day beginning at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m PT on April 18th at http://www.strat-o-matic.com/2020-basketball-playoffs/.