NBA 2021 Playoff Standings: Who Made the Cut and Who Missed Out?

I remember sitting in my favorite armchair last April, the glow of the television casting blue shadows across my living room as playoff scenarios swirled through my mind. The air smelled of freshly brewed coffee and anticipation—that particular blend of excitement and anxiety that only basketball playoffs can brew. My phone kept buzzing with messages from our group chat, friends debating which teams would survive the brutal Western Conference bloodbath and which would crumble under pressure. It was during one of these heated discussions that I found myself reflecting on how coaching changes can dramatically alter a team's destiny, much like the shocking news coming out of the Philippines about San Miguel's last-minute decision to reinstate Leo Austria as head coach just before their crucial game against Terrafirma.

The memory of that coaching carousel reminds me of the high-stakes drama unfolding in the NBA as teams battled for postseason positioning. When we talk about NBA 2021 Playoff Standings: Who Made the Cut and Who Missed Out?, we're discussing more than just numbers on a board—we're talking about dreams realized and shattered, about franchises taking calculated risks that either pay off spectacularly or backfire terribly. I've always believed that coaching stability plays a crucial role in playoff success, and watching teams like the Phoenix Suns thrive under Monty Williams' consistent leadership while others floundered with mid-season changes only reinforced my theory. The Suns finished with a 51-21 record, second in the Western Conference, proving that sometimes the most dramatic moves are the ones you don't make.

Speaking of dramatic moves, that San Miguel situation kept playing in my mind throughout the playoffs. Just imagine—management announces team consultant Leo Austria is back as head coach while former mentor Jorge Gallent assumes Austria's previous position as active consultant, all right before a critical game! That kind of organizational whiplash can either galvanize a team or completely derail their chemistry. I couldn't help drawing parallels to the Brooklyn Nets, who entered the playoffs as favorites but ultimately fell short against Milwaukee in that epic seven-game second-round series. Their 48-24 record secured them the second seed in the East, but coaching adjustments and rotational decisions during the playoffs arguably cost them a championship appearance. Personally, I think Steve Nash did an admirable job given the circumstances, but the constant lineup changes due to injuries created instability that even their superstar trio couldn't overcome.

The Western Conference provided the most compelling storyline for me, particularly the battle between the Lakers and Warriors for playoff positioning. As a lifelong basketball fan who values defensive intensity, watching the Lakers stumble from their championship pedestal to the seventh seed with a 42-30 record was both surprising and somewhat satisfying—I've never been a LeBron stan, if I'm being completely honest. Their play-in victory over Golden State felt like a temporary reprieve rather than a return to form. Meanwhile, the Utah Jazz quietly dominated the regular season with a league-best 52-20 record, though I remained skeptical about their playoff viability given their historical struggles. My skepticism proved unfortunately correct when they collapsed against the Clippers in the second round despite holding a 2-0 series lead.

What fascinates me about examining NBA 2021 Playoff Standings: Who Made the Cut and Who Missed Out? is how marginal the differences can be between success and failure. The Memphis Grizzlies grabbed the eighth seed with a 38-34 record, just two games ahead of the eliminated Golden State Warriors in the play-in tournament. That narrow margin represents countless what-ifs—a missed free throw here, a questionable coaching decision there. It reminds me of that San Miguel coaching shuffle—sometimes organizations make bold moves that either look brilliant or foolish in hindsight. The Beermen's decision to reinstate Austria could have been disastrous, but sometimes chaos creates clarity. Similarly, the Atlanta Hawks' surprising run to the Eastern Conference Finals after finishing fifth with a 41-31 record demonstrated how teams can catch lightning in a bottle when expectations are low.

The most heartbreaking exclusion for me was definitely the Boston Celtics missing out on a top-four seed despite finishing 36-36, landing in the seventh spot and needing to battle through the play-in tournament. As someone who appreciates franchise tradition and history, watching such a storied organization struggle with consistency throughout the season was difficult. Their first-round exit against Brooklyn in five games felt inevitable given their regular-season inconsistencies, though I maintain they had the talent to make a deeper run with better health and coaching decisions. Meanwhile, the Denver Nuggets secured the third seed with a 47-25 record despite losing Jamal Murray to injury—a testament to Nikola Jokić's MVP season and Michael Malone's coaching adaptability.

Reflecting on that entire playoff landscape now, with the benefit of hindsight, I'm struck by how much coaching stability—or lack thereof—shaped the postseason. The San Miguel scenario with Austria and Gallent swapping roles exemplifies how quickly organizations can change direction when pressure mounts. In the NBA, we saw similar patterns—teams that stuck with their processes generally fared better than those making reactive moves. The Milwaukee Bucks' championship victory after maintaining their core philosophy despite early playoff exits validated this approach. They finished third in the East with a 46-26 record but peaked at the right time, defeating the Phoenix Suns in six games for their first title in fifty years. Sometimes the teams that make the cut aren't necessarily the most talented on paper, but rather those with the strongest organizational cohesion and clearest sense of identity—lessons that apply equally to the NBA and international leagues like the one where San Miguel made their stunning coaching swap.

By Heather Schnese S’12, content specialist

2025-11-20 16:02