The consolation prize is dangling with the enticement of a toxic carrot for one team in the Eastern Conference to back into the eighth playoff spot. And the good news is most of the inter-conference play is over, which means they'll essentially be slugging it out between themselves for the distinction of being put to bed by the powerful Celtics.

That doesn't mean there isn't the obvious benefit of experience and extra money for teams that haven't been there forever like the currently No. 8 Atlanta Hawks. Their last postseason was nine years ago, so both general manager Billy Knight and coach Mike Woodson have been regarded as on the verge of being unemployed because of that familiar underachievement song.

Or consider the long-shot Charlotte Bobcats, suddenly five games behind the Hawks with 15 to play. . They were in the mix to crash the party for the first time in the five-year history of the franchise until the past week under rookie coach Sam Vincent; a four-game tailspin has essentially taken them out of the picture.

And in between we're left with the New Jersey Nets, Chicago Bulls and Indiana Pacers - all of whom have suffered horribly disappointing seasons. Playing for the final spot as opposed to home court brings to mind whether their preference is to make the playoffs or slip into the draft lottery with the infinitesimal odds of moving into the top four in the NBA Draft.

In the case of the Hawks, it's a moot point because their pick goes to the Phoenix Suns as part of the payback from the controversial Joe Johnson sign-and-trade acquisition in the summer of 2005 that created a split in the ownership group that continues even today. With a half-game lead over the Nets, they desperately need to get into the playoffs - particularly after swinging the trade for Mike Bibby last month that presumably ended the perpetual need for a point guard.

Despite their recent three-game winning streak that pushed them ahead of the Nets, they Hawks have won only four of their last 10 games - so vulnerability lingers. But on the bright side, eight of their final 15 games are at home, with only three of those games against teams playing better than .500 ball. In many ways, this is the perfect opportunity for Johnson, who has averaged 27.8 points and 7.1 assists over the past nine games, to prove he's more than just a token All-Star and the guy who can carry them to a new height.

It's a different deal for the Nets. They've been in the playoffs the past six years and into the second round the last two. President Rod Thorn is rebuilding them on the fly - unloading discontented Jason Kidd and adding youth around veterans Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson - the most prominent being Kidd's replacement Devin Harris.

The Nets seemingly have the edge - certainly in experience and generally speaking in talent. However, nine of their final 16 games are on the road, with six of those games against winning teams. And we'll learn a lot quickly, with New Jersey playing at Chicago tonight before the Hawks come to Meadowlands in a big one tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the Bulls and Pacers have been dancing around each other most of the season as they generally do, only this season while languishing. The Bulls are still trying to see if their new pieces fit. Ten of their final 16 games are at home, including the next four against the Nets, Spurs, Pacers and Hawks. Perhaps more importantly, they'll find out how well Larry Hughes and Drew Gooden add to the cause less than a month after their big three-way trade with Cleveland and Seattle.

And lastly we have the broken-down Pacers, lost in the abyss since their brawl with Pistons fans 4