The NBA playoff picture will come into clearer view each day between now and the end of the regular season on Sunday. 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: 66-14 | Net rating: 12.4 (1st)
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• Clinched No. 1 seed
What’s at stake: First-round series vs. No. 8 seed (DEN, LAC, GSW, MIN, MEM, SAC or DAL)
2. Houston Rockets
Record: 52-28 | Net rating: 5.6 (4th)
• Clinched No. 2 seed
What’s at stake: First-round series vs. No. 7 seed (DEN, LAC, GSW, MIN or MEM)
Playoff-bound, seeding to be determined
3. Los Angeles Lakers
Record: 49-31 | Net rating: 1.2 (14th)
• Clinched playoff berth
• Magic number for No. 3 seed: 1
• Remaining schedule: HOU, @POR
• Highest possible finish: No. 3 seed
• Lowest possible finish: No. 5 seed
• Tiebreakers won: LAC (3-1), GSW (3-1), MEM (3-1)
What’s at stake: Home-court advantage in first round
Battling for guaranteed playoff spot
4. Denver Nuggets
Record: 48-32 | Net rating: 3.6 (9th)
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• Magic number for top-six seed: 2
• Remaining schedule: MEM, @HOU
• Highest possible finish: No. 3 seed
• Lowest possible finish: No. 8 seed
• Tiebreakers won: GSW (2-1)
What’s at stake: Home-court advantage in first round; avoiding play-in tournament
5. Los Angeles Clippers
Record: 48-32 | Net rating: 4.9 (5th)
• Magic number for top-six seed: 2
• Remaining schedule: @SAC, @GSW
• Highest possible finish: No. 3 seed
• Lowest possible finish: No. 8 seed
• Tiebreakers won: GSW (3-0), MEM (3-0)
What’s at stake: Home-court advantage in first round; avoiding play-in tournament
6. Memphis Grizzlies
Record: 47-32 | Net rating: 4.7 (6th)
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• Magic number for top-six seed: 3
• Remaining schedule: MIN, @DEN, DAL
• Highest possible finish: No. 3 seed
• Lowest possible finish: No. 8 seed
What’s at stake: Home-court advantage in first round; avoiding play-in tournament
7. Golden State Warriors
Record: 47-33 | Net rating: 3.2 (10th)
• Magic number for top-six seed: Do not control own destiny
• Remaining schedule: @POR, LAC
• Highest possible finish: No. 4 seed
• Lowest possible finish: No. 8 seed
• Tiebreakers won: MEM (3-1)
What’s at stake: Home-court advantage in first round; avoiding play-in tournament
8. Minnesota Timberwolves
Record: 46-33 | Net rating: 4.4 (7th)
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• Magic number for top-six seed: 3
• Remaining schedule: @MEM, BKN, UTA
• Highest possible finish: No. 4 seed
• Lowest possible finish: No. 8 seed
• Tiebreakers won: LAC (3-0), DEN (4-0), GSW (3-1), MEM (2-0)
What’s at stake: Home-court advantage in first round; avoiding play-in tournament
Play-in bound, seeding to be determined
9. Sacramento Kings
Record: 39-41 | Net rating: 0.5 (15th)
• Magic number for No. 9 seed: 1
• Remaining schedule: LAC, PHX
• Highest possible finish: No. 9 seed
• Lowest possible finish: No. 10 seed
• Tiebreakers won: DAL (3-0)
What’s at stake: Home-court advantage in 9/10 play-in game vs. DAL
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10. Dallas Mavericks
Record: 38-42 | Net rating: -1.2 (18th)
• Magic number for No. 9 seed: Do not control own destiny
• Remaining schedule: TOR, @MEM
• Highest possible finish: No. 9 seed
• Lowest possible finish: No. 10 seed
What’s at stake: Home-court advantage in 9/10 play-in game vs. SAC
Thursday’s games of consequence (all times Eastern)
• Timberwolves at Grizzlies (9:30 p.m., TNT)
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Playoff-bound, seeding locked
1. Cleveland Cavaliers
Record: 63-16 | Net rating: 9.6 (2nd)
• Clinched No. 1 seed
What’s at stake: First-round series vs. No. 8 seed (ORL, ATL, CHI or MIA)
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2. Boston Celtics
Record: 59-21 | Net rating: 9.1 (3rd)
• Clinched No. 2 seed
What’s at stake: First-round series vs. No. 7 seed (ORL, ATL, CHI or MIA)
Playoff-bound, seeding to be determined
3. New York Knicks
Record: 50-29 | Net rating: 4.3 (8th)
• Clinched playoff berth
• Magic number for No. 3 seed: 1
• Remaining schedule: @DET, CLE, @BKN
• Highest possible finish: No. 3 seed
• Lowest possible finish: No. 4 seed
• Tiebreakers won: IND (2-1)
What’s at stake: First-round series vs. MIL or DET
4. Indiana Pacers
Record: 48-31 | Net rating: 2.2 (11th)
• Clinched playoff berth
• Magic number for No. 4 seed: 1
• Remaining schedule: 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. MIL or DET
5. Milwaukee Bucks
Record: 45-34 | Net rating: 2.0 (13th)
• Clinched playoff berth
• Magic number for No. 5 seed: 2
• Remaining schedule: NOP, @DET, DET
• Highest possible finish: No. 4 seed
• Lowest possible finish: No. 6 seed
• Tiebreakers won: IND (3-1), DET (3-1)
What’s at stake: First-round series vs. NYK or IND
6. Detroit Pistons
Record: 43-36 | Net rating: 2.2 (12th)
• 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
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What’s at stake: First-round series vs. NYK or IND
Play-in bound, seeding locked
7. Orlando Magic
Record: 40-40 | Net rating: -0.2 (17th)
• Clinched No. 7 seed
What’s at stake: 7/8 play-in game vs. ATL, CHI or MIA
Play-in bound, seeding to be determined
8. Atlanta Hawks
Record: 37-42 | Net rating: -1.7 (19th)
• Magic number for top-eight seed: 3
• Remaining schedule: @BKN, @PHI, ORL
• Highest possible finish: No. 8 seed
• Lowest possible finish: No. 10 seed
What’s at stake: Avoid 9/10 play-in elimination game
9. Chicago Bulls
Record: 37-43 | Net rating: -2.3 (20th)
• Magic number for No. 9 seed: 3
• Remaining schedule: WAS, @PHI
• Highest possible finish: No. 8 seed
• Lowest possible finish: No. 10 seed
• Tiebreakers won: MIA (3-0)
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What’s at stake: Avoid 9/10 play-in elimination game
10. Miami Heat
Record: 36-44 | Net rating: -0.1 (16th)
• Magic number for No. 9 seed: 3
• Remaining schedule: @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
Thursday’s games of consequence (all times Eastern)
• Cavaliers at Pacers (7 p.m., TNT)
IND can clinch a home playoff seed with a win
IND will be locked into the No. 4 seed with a win and a NYK win
• Knicks at Pistons (7 p.m.)
NYK can clinch the No. 3 seed with a win or an IND loss
• Hawks at Nets (7:30 p.m.)
• Pelicans at Bucks (8 p.m.)
MIL can clinch a top-five seed with a win and a DET loss
MIL will be locked into the No. 5 seed with a win, a DET loss and an IND win
