The regular season is winding down, and the playoff picture is beginning to shape up. Only Blue and Black have clinched spots in the playoffs.

Black has broken its tie with Blue and is sitting in first. Blue is then in second, Red third, and there’s a two-way tie for the fourth and final playoff spot between White and Yellow. With Tuesday’s games postponed, it creates an even messier playoff picture. Here’s a look in at every team to see how we got here.

Black: My week one favorites are playing some tough basketball. They continue to dominate the boards, which is key for any IBL game. However their weakness seems to be scoring.

Tommy Carmichael is an offensive threat, but it’s hit or miss with the rest of the guys. I think that’s why they made the deal for sharp shooter Matt Kaye. It will be interesting to see if he can provide the much needed offense Black lacks.

Remaining game: vs. Yellow

Blue: They may be the hottest team in IBL. After dropping their first two games, Blue has reeled off six straight wins. Blue has the most former basketball players on their team, and their play shows it. The question is: will this style of play continue to work? Unlike most teams, Blue has a very balanced offensive attack, making it hard to lock down just one player.

Remaining game: vs. Red

Red: A lot of people are surprised to see Red in third, however a quick look at their roster gives you a clue. Joey Felipe is a scorer, Cal Williams is a well rounded player, and Walter Rockwell is a presence in the paint.

Red has done just enough to win their games. I see them making the playoffs, but I’m not sure they have enough to win it all. Their loss to Grey is troublesome. They haven’t clinched a spot yet, so their game against Blue is a must win.

Remaining game: vs. Blue

Yellow: When Yellow shows up they are one of the top teams in IBL, but they don’t always show up. Yellow has been up and down this season, but I think they’re clicking at the right time.

Despite their loss to White, I would not want to face Yellow in the playoffs, and I don’t think I’m the only one. This sounds obvious but their success hinges on their team showing up. Their last game against Black is a must win if they want their season to continue.

Remaining Game: vs. Black

White: Their win on Thursday vs. Yellow was huge. Now White is sitting in fourth tied with Yellow. I’m not sure how the tiebreaker works, but I am sure they don’t want to find out, making their game against Orange a must win. White has a solid sore consisting of big man Nate Fujita, utility man Drew Levey, and sharp shooter Jeremy Brofsky.

Remaining game: vs. Orange

Orange: Last Thurday’s loss to Black eliminated Orange from the playoffs. Now like the rest of the bottom dwellers, they can play spoiler. And with their final game against White, they have a great opportunity to do so. Orange is a scrappy, pesky team but like Black they have offensive struggles. They could give White fits with their defense, but I don’t think they have enough for the upset.

Remaining game: vs. White

Gray: They arguably have the best player in IBL on their team, and that is Joe Cooper. Cooper has lead his team in points every game this season. But some questionable draft choices made by Cooper have hurt him. Gray will not make the playoffs. Their last game againstGreen will determine the last place team. I’m sure neither

Remaining game: vs. Green

Green: They showed us how good they are by knocking off Red on Thursday. They can’t make the playoffs, but played the role of spoilers well. As I said in my first post, IBL is rebounding. Green struggles to rebound and finds itself in last. On top of that, there have been a few close games that could have gone either way. Their trade for Matt Devlin may be the missing link Green needed, but it’s too little too late.

Remaining game: vs. Grey

With Tuesdays games cancelled, there is some confusion over what to do. Yellow and White are battling it out for the final playoff spot. They split when they played each other, so there could be a tie for the final playoff spot. I’m not sure what the next tie breaker is after head-to-head. Something has to be done to break this tie. Who will capture the final spot?

Standings:

1. Black 6-2

2. Blue 6-2

3. Red 5-3

4. Yellow 4-4

4. White 4-4

6. Orange 3-5

7. Green 2-6

8. Grey 2-6

Leading Scorers:

1.Nitin Rajinikanth (Yellow) 37 points

2. Joe Cooper (Grey) 30 points

3. Joey Felipe (Red) 28 points

4. Walter Rockwell (Red) 25 points

5. Tommy Carmichael (Black) 24 points