The NBA playoff picture will come into clearer view each day between now and the end of the regular season on April 13. In the meantime, we will provide detailed daily updates on the landscape, including magic numbers, remaining schedules, relevant tiebreakers and the stakes for every day’s slate of games.
Click here for the Eastern Conference.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Playoff-bound, seeding locked
1. Oklahoma City Thunder
Record: 64-14 | Net rating: 12.3 (1st)
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• Clinched No. 1 seed
What’s at stake: First-round series vs. No. 8 seed (LAL, DEN, LAC, GSW, MIN, MEM, SAC, DAL or PHX)
Playoff-bound, seeding to be determined
2. Houston Rockets
Record: 52-27 | Net rating: 5.6 (4th)
• Clinched playoff berth
• Magic number for No. 2 seed: 1
• Remaining schedule: @LAC, @LAL, DEN
• Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed
• Lowest possible finish: No. 3 seed
What’s at stake: First-round series vs. No. 6 or 7 seed (LAL, DEN, LAC, GSW, MIN or MEM)
Battling for guaranteed playoff spot
3. Los Angeles Lakers
Record: 48-30 | Net rating: 1.3 (14th)
• Magic number for top-six seed: 1
• Remaining schedule: @OKC, @DAL, HOU, @POR
• Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed
• Lowest possible finish: No. 8 seed
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What’s at stake: Home-court advantage in first round
4. Denver Nuggets
Record: 47-32 | Net rating: 3.6 (9th)
• Magic number for top-six seed: 3
• Remaining schedule: @SAC, MEM, @HOU
• Highest possible finish: No. 3 seed
• Lowest possible finish: No. 8 seed
What’s at stake: Home-court advantage in first round
5. Los Angeles Clippers
Record: 46-32 | Net rating: 4.8 (5th)
• Magic number for top-six seed: 4
• Remaining schedule: SAS, HOU, @SAC, @GSW
• Highest possible finish: No. 3 seed
• Lowest possible finish: No. 8 seed
What’s at stake: Home-court advantage in first round
6. Golden State Warriors
Record: 46-32 | Net rating: 2.8 (10th)
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• Magic number for top-six seed: 4
• Remaining schedule: @PHX, SAS, @POR, LAC
• Highest possible finish: No. 3 seed
• Lowest possible finish: No. 8 seed
What’s at stake: Home-court advantage in first round
7. Minnesota Timberwolves
Record: 46-32 | Net rating: 4.6 (6th)
• Magic number for top-six seed: 4
• Remaining schedule: @MIL, @MEM, BKN, UTA
• Highest possible finish: No. 3 seed
• Lowest possible finish: No. 8 seed
What’s at stake: Home-court advantage in first round
8. Memphis Grizzlies
Record: 46-32 | Net rating: 4.5 (7th)
• Magic number for top-six seed: 4
• Remaining schedule: @CHA, MIN, @DEN, DAL
• Highest possible finish: No. 3 seed
• Lowest possible finish: No. 8 seed
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What’s at stake: Home-court advantage in first round
Play-in hopefuls
9. Sacramento Kings
Record: 39-40 | Net rating: 0.6 (15th)
• Magic number for No. 9 seed: 2
• Remaining schedule: DEN, LAC, PHX
• Highest possible finish: No. 9 seed
• Lowest possible finish: Out of play-in tournament
What’s at stake: Home-court advantage in 9/10 play-in game vs. DAL or PHX
10. Dallas Mavericks
Record: 38-41 | Net rating: -1.0 (18th)
• Magic number for top-10 seed: 2
• Remaining schedule: LAL, TOR, @MEM
• Highest possible finish: No. 9 seed
• Lowest possible finish: Out of play-in tournament
What’s at stake: Home-court advantage in 9/10 play-in game vs. SAC or PHX
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11. Phoenix Suns
Record: 35-43 | Net rating: -2.6 (21st)
• Magic number for top-10 seed: Do not control own destiny
• Remaining schedule: GSW, OKC, SAS, @SAC
• Highest possible finish: No. 9 seed
• Lowest possible finish: Out of play-in tournament
What’s at stake: Home-court advantage in 9/10 play-in game vs. SAC or DAL
Tuesday’s games of consequence (all times Eastern)
• Grizzlies at Hornets (7 p.m.)
• Lakers at Thunder (8 p.m.)
LAL can clinch a guaranteed playoff berth with a win
HOU can clinch the No. 2 seed with a LAL loss
• Timberwolves at Bucks (8 p.m.)
• Warriors at Suns (10 p.m., TNT)
PHX will be eliminated from contention for the No. 9 seed with a loss
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• Spurs at Clippers (10:30 p.m.)
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Playoff-bound, seeding to be determined
1. Cleveland Cavaliers
Record: 62-16 | Net rating: 9.4 (3rd)
• Clinched playoff berth
• Magic number for No. 1 seed: 1
• Remaining schedule: CHI, @IND, @NYK, IND
• Highest possible finish: No. 1 seed
• Lowest possible finish: No. 2 seed
What’s at stake: First-round series vs. No. 7 or 8 seed (ORL, ATL, CHI or MIA)
2. Boston Celtics
Record: 58-20 | Net rating: 9.5 (2nd)
• Clinched playoff berth
• Magic number for No. 1 seed: Do not control own destiny
• Remaining schedule: @NYK, @ORL, CHA, CHA
• Highest possible finish: No. 1 seed
• Lowest possible finish: No. 2 seed
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What’s at stake: First-round series vs. No. 7 or 8 seed (ORL, ATL, CHI or MIA)
3. New York Knicks
Record: 50-28 | Net rating: 4.3 (8th)
• Clinched playoff berth
• Magic number for No. 3 seed: 1
• Remaining schedule: BOS, @DET, CLE, @BKN
• Highest possible finish: No. 3 seed
• Lowest possible finish: No. 4 seed
What’s at stake: First-round series vs. IND, MIL or DET
4. Indiana Pacers
Record: 47-31 | Net rating: 2.2 (12th)
• Clinched playoff berth
• Magic number for No. 4 seed: 2
• Remaining schedule: WAS, CLE, ORL, @CLE
• Highest possible finish: No. 3 seed
• Lowest possible finish: No. 5 seed
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What’s at stake: First-round series vs. NYK, MIL or DET
5. Milwaukee Bucks
Record: 44-34 | Net rating: 1.9 (13th)
• Clinched playoff berth
• Magic number for No. 5 seed: 3
• Remaining schedule: MIN, NOP, @DET, DET
• Highest possible finish: No. 4 seed
• Lowest possible finish: No. 6 seed
What’s at stake: First-round series vs. NYK, IND or DET
6. Detroit Pistons
Record: 43-36 | Net rating: 2.2 (11th)
• Clinched playoff berth
• Magic number for No. 5 seed: 3
• Remaining schedule: NYK, MIL, @MIL
• Highest possible finish: No. 5 seed
• Lowest possible finish: No. 6 seed
What’s at stake: First-round series vs. NYK, IND or MIL
Play-in bound
7. Orlando Magic
Record: 38-40 | Net rating: -0.5 (17th)
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• Magic number for top-eight seed: 3
• Remaining schedule: ATL, BOS, @IND, @ATL
• Highest possible finish: No. 7 seed
• Lowest possible finish: No. 10 seed
What’s at stake: Home-court advantage in 7/8 play-in game
8. Atlanta Hawks
Record: 37-41 | Net rating: -1.7 (19th)
• Magic number for top-eight seed: 3
• Remaining schedule: @ORL, @BKN, @PHI, ORL
• Highest possible finish: No. 7 seed
• Lowest possible finish: No. 10 seed
What’s at stake: Home-court advantage in 7/8 play-in game
9. Chicago Bulls
Record: 36-42 | Net rating: -2.1 (20th)
• Magic number for No. 9 seed: 3
• Remaining schedule: @CLE, MIA, WAS, @PHI
• Highest possible finish: No. 7 seed
• Lowest possible finish: No. 10 seed
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What’s at stake: Home-court advantage in 7/8 play-in game
10. Miami Heat
Record: 36-43 | Net rating: 0.0 (16th)
• Magic number for No. 9 seed: Do not control own destiny
• Remaining schedule: @CHI, @NOP, WAS
• Highest possible finish: No. 8 seed
• Lowest possible finish: No. 10 seed
What’s at stake: Avoid 9/10 play-in elimination game
Tuesday’s games of consequence (all times Eastern)
• Hawks at Magic (7 p.m.)
ORL can clinch no lower than the No. 9 seed with a win
• Wizards at Pacers (7 p.m.)
IND can clinch home-court advantage in the first round with a win and a MIL loss
• Bulls at Cavaliers (7 p.m.)
CLE can clinch the No. 1 seed with a win or a BOS loss
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• Celtics at Knicks (7:30 p.m., TNT)
NYK can clinch the No. 3 seed with a win or an IND loss
BOS will be locked into the No. 2 seed with a loss or a CLE win
• Timberwolves at Bucks (8 p.m.)
MIL will be eliminated from contention for home-court advantage with a loss and an IND win
