The Saitama Broncos picked up a pair of important victories last weekend, overwhelming the Toyama Grouses in the process. Those wins were by a combined 50 points.
Now they face a stiffer challenge: the Sendai 89ers (26-20), who have won eight of their past 10 games and have secured at least the No. 3 seed in the playoffs in the Eastern Conference. The pivotal series will also take place at Tokorozawa Municipal Gymnasium, where the Broncos fell behind 15-2 on Sunday against the Grouses before playing with the kind of intensity and productivity that they needed to secure the victory.
The Broncos (19-27) probably need to win four of their final six regular-season games and hope the Niigata Albirex BB (22-24), the East's fourth and final playoff seed, lose at least four of their games in that span.