The jockeying for playoff position in the NBA remains highly entertaining.

It’s so captivating, it reminds me of conference tournaments in college basketball.

Those games are the best — teams putting everything they have into every game for fear it might be their last. Or worse yet, relegation to the CBI.

Then reality sets in …

Duke 85, Alabama 65.

Auburn 78, Michigan 65.

Florida 87, Maryland 71.

Houston 69, Tennessee 50.

And here I thought those losers were good.

Turns out, those weren’t great basketball showcases leading into the NCAA Tournament. Just competitive.

What’s that have to do with the NBA? Everything, actually.

The Pacers and Rockets are rolling. The Magic and Warriors suddenly look strong. The Knicks, Bucks, Lakers, Nuggets …

Nope. I’m not falling for this again.

The NBA has itself a Duke, an Auburn and a Florida this season. The only thing lacking is a Houston — and that’s OK, because they’re kinda boring.

There’s no way — repeat, NO WAY — the Cavaliers and Celtics don’t meet in the Eastern Conference finals.

The Cavaliers are Auburn. The dominant team in the regular season, yet people never really believed in them. But believe it, people. Auburn made the semifinals. The Cavaliers will, too.

The Celtics are Duke. The team people like to root against because they’re stuffy and easily the most talented. They already have enough banners. And don’t look now, but they should be the overwhelming favorite to hang another.

The Thunder are Florida. The out-of-nowhere team that can’t possibly have enough postseason experience to go all the way. But sometimes, what you don’t know can’t hurt you.

And the rest of the NBA? They’re Mount St. Mary’s. Man, they were fun to watch in the conference tournament. But then the bright lights came on and the makeup melted.

Can one of the other 13 teams that will make the NBA playoffs pull off the colossal upset? It surely won’t happen in the East, where the six other quarterfinalists could merge rosters and still lose 4-2 to the Cavaliers and 4-1 to the Celtics in the Eastern semis.

There’s only one scenario that could derail the Big Three …

If the Thunder are to be denied their spot in the NBA Finals, here’s how it’s going to have to happen:

Round 1: They get bullied.

Thunder boss Sam Presti has brilliantly molded his roster. Adding a bodyguard (Isaiah Hartenstein) for fragile co-star Chet Holmgren was a stroke of genius.

If Holmgren can stay healthy, the Thunder will make the Finals. A first-round matchup against a soft team like the Warriors, Grizzlies or Kings would be ideal.

But a wrestling match with the Timberwolves would be a disaster.

You remember the T’wolves. They slayed the giant — the Nuggets — last season and have the depth of big guys to pound the Thunder up front. That’s bad news for Holmgren, who might survive to see Round 2, but not without a limp and multiple ice bags.

Round 2: They get LeBronned.

The Thunder don’t have a good matchup for Luka Doncic. Over seven games, they’ll try different things, and might stumble into something.

But they could play 70 games and never find someone to deal with LeBron at playoff time.

The Lakers are unlikely to go far in the playoffs because they don’t have a big man. But against the Thunder, that could work in their favor.

Holmgren is going to have to guard somebody, and there’s no way that’s going to be LeBron.

Hartenstein is going to have to guard somebody. Take that back. No way the big oaf sees the light of day in this series.

Softened up by Minnesota’s big men, Holmgren will get pummeled by LeBron. Maybe snapped in two. The Thunder might survive the series, but not unscathed.

Round 3: They draw a joker.

When all the pieces are in place, the Nuggets are a better team than the Thunder.

Nikola Jokic will outperform Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on the big stage.

Jamal Murray is a far better supporting weapon than anything Oklahoma City has.

And the Nuggets have multiple defensive whizzes to throw at SGA.

The Thunder will be exhausted by the time they reach the thin air of Denver for Game 6. The good news: The flight home will have air masks. And with this roster, there’s always next year. Heck, next decade.

How can this happen?

The Timberwolves must fall into the play-ins and finish eighth.

The Lakers must drop to fourth or fifth.

And the Nuggets must finish second or third.

All still possible.

And if the 8-4-3 trifecta hits …

C’mon. Do you really think Florida is going to lose?