Chicago, Detroit, Indiana

Who breaks the tie?

The Central’s status is assured, Cleveland figures to be dominant, fighting to stay atop the Eastern hill. Milwaukee reckons it can beat all the teams Milwaukee is supposed to beat, secure the East’s final guaranteed playoff spot by holding off also-rans. Cleveland is on a mission, every sports league boasts one of these each season. Down the slide a bit, Doc Rivers’ dramatics dim when his club performs diligently.

The time zones? Nobody will ever know. Chicago is definitely in Central and Milwaukee is on top of Chicago, right, so Milwaukee’s in Central Time.

I feel like Detroit should be in Central Time but if Detroit is in Central Time, Cleveland should be too, and that makes no sense. Plus, didn’t Indiana vote against accepting any time zone but Indiana’s own in an isolationist statement during the months leading up to America’s entry into the Great War?

Nobody knows what time zone Indiana is in. And to confuse matters, Indiana is one of the few of these United States where the time zone line divides a random portion of the map (random, riiiight), instead of using state lines to conform a zone’s boundaries.

Typifying this confusion is the NBA team representing Indiana, the Pacers, a 10-15 group alongside the 10-15 Detroit Pistons, and 10-15 Chicago Bulls. Three Central squads taking up Eastern spots No. 9, No. 10, and No. 11.

Problem is, the Play-In only goes to 10.

CHICAGO

The Bulls are horribly flawed and no danger to any real Eastern Conference playoff squad, but the Bulls entertain. I can’t get to the carrot, yet, but it looks delicious.