NBA Standings: The Bulls Are Coming for The Pacers

The Chicago Bulls are just two and half games behind the Pacers for the tenth seed.

The Indiana Pacers (31-36) are now the tenth seed in the Eastern Conference after falling in overtime 133-132 to the Washington Wizards (32-36) on Saturday evening. The loss does not change much as either way in the ninth or tenth spot, both teams play each other and have to win two games to get out of the play-in tournament. 

No way.

Russell Westbrook with a game-winning, clean swat on a Caris LeVert 3-pointer at the buzzer.

What a way for the night to end.

Wizards win.

— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) May 9, 2021

Caris LeVert comes up CLUTCH to send the game to OT

Beal was in pain and had to sit out the final possession pic.twitter.com/xgM66PYmTE

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 9, 2021

The big thing is now that the Pacers are the last playoff spot, they worry about falling out of the playoffs altogether. In most years, the nine, ten and eleven seeds would be all but dead in the water fighting for just one spot as the eighth seed. However, this season with the play-in tournament, there is so much more at stake, with the eleven seed Chicago Bulls (29-39) still being well in the grasp of the tenth and final playoff spot. 

MOTHER'S DAY WIN. pic.twitter.com/USviq4SaZr

— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) May 10, 2021

If the Pacers lose to the Cavaliers on Monday evening, the Bulls (who have won three games in a row) will move just two games behind the Pacers. There are five games left in the Pacers season and four games left in the Bulls season. 

Nearly every game is a must-win game from now on for the Pacers, but they will have to play tough teams such as the 76ers, Bucks and Lakers before their season ends. The Bulls play the Nets twice, the Bucks and the Raptors to close out their season. 

Related stories on NBA basketball

• BJORKGREN'S SEAT IS HOT: The Indiana Pacers' first-year head coach could be in jeopardy of losing his job, ESPN reports. CLICK HERE
• PLAY-IN TOURNAMENT: The NBA is having a play-in tournament for the first time this year to determine the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds. Here's everything you need to know on how it works. CLICK HERE
• RUSS MAKES NBA HISTORY: The Wizards beat the Pacers on Saturday night and jumped over them in the standings as well. However, the significant accomplishment of the night was not getting the ninth seed, but Russell Westbrook tied Oscar Robertson's all-time triple-double record that stood for over four decades. CLICK HERE.