In the thick of the battle for a postseason berth, Detroit plays six of its next eight games against teams seeking to increase their own odds by knocking them out of the running.
With the 2015-16 season past the midway mark, the playoff pursuit in the East is shaping up to be a photo finish. Twelve teams have very legitimate aspirations, and even disappointing Milwaukee is still in the running. Cleveland and Toronto, each with 30 or more wins, look to have the top spots in hand. But the competition for the remaining six slots looks wide open.