The NBA playoff image will come into clearer view every day between now and the tip of the common season on Sunday. Within the meantime, we’ll present detailed every day updates on the panorama, together with magic numbers, remaining schedules, related 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
Report: 65-14 | Internet ranking: 12.4 (1st)
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• Clinched No. 1 seed
What’s at stake: First-round collection vs. No. 8 seed (LAL, DEN, LAC, GSW, MIN, MEM, SAC, DAL or PHX)
2. Houston Rockets
Report: 52-27 | Internet ranking: 5.6 (4th)
• Clinched No. 2 seed
What’s at stake: First-round collection vs. No. 7 seed (LAL, DEN, LAC, GSW, MIN or MEM)
Battling for assured playoff spot
3. Los Angeles Lakers
Report: 48-31 | Internet ranking: 1.1 (14th)
• Magic quantity for top-six seed: 1
• Remaining schedule: @DAL, HOU, @POR
• Highest potential end: No. 3 seed
• Lowest potential end: No. 8 seed
• Tiebreakers gained: LAC (3-1), GSW (3-1), MEM (3-1)
What’s at stake: House-court benefit in first spherical
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4. Los Angeles Clippers
Report: 47-32 | Internet ranking: 4.8 (fifth)
• Magic quantity for top-six seed: 3
• Remaining schedule: HOU, @SAC, @GSW
• Highest potential end: No. 3 seed
• Lowest potential end: No. 8 seed
• Tiebreakers gained: GSW (3-0), MEM (3-0)
What’s at stake: House-court benefit in first spherical
5. Denver Nuggets
Report: 47-32 | Internet ranking: 3.6 (ninth)
• Magic quantity for top-six seed: 3
• Remaining schedule: @SAC, MEM, @HOU
• Highest potential end: No. 3 seed
• Lowest potential end: No. 8 seed
• Tiebreakers gained: GSW (2-1)
What’s at stake: House-court benefit in first spherical
6. Golden State Warriors
Report: 47-32 | Internet ranking: 3.3 (tenth)
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• Magic quantity for top-six seed: 3
• Remaining schedule: SAS, @POR, LAC
• Highest potential end: No. 3 seed
• Lowest potential end: No. 8 seed
• Tiebreakers gained: MEM (3-1)
What’s at stake: House-court benefit in first spherical
7. Memphis Grizzlies
Report: 47-32 | Internet ranking: 4.7 (sixth)
• Magic quantity for top-six seed: 3
• Remaining schedule: MIN, @DEN, DAL
• Highest potential end: No. 3 seed
• Lowest potential end: No. 8 seed
What’s at stake: House-court benefit in first spherical
8. Minnesota Timberwolves
Report: 46-33 | Internet ranking: 4.4 (seventh)
• Magic quantity for top-six seed: Don’t management personal future
• Remaining schedule: @MEM, BKN, UTA
• Highest potential end: No. 3 seed
• Lowest potential end: No. 8 seed
• Tiebreakers gained: LAC (3-0), DEN (4-0), GSW (3-1), MEM (2-0)
Commercial
What’s at stake: House-court benefit in first spherical
Play-in sure
9. Sacramento Kings
Report: 39-40 | Internet ranking: 0.6 (fifteenth)
• Magic quantity for No. 9 seed: 2
• Remaining schedule: DEN, LAC, PHX
• Highest potential end: No. 9 seed
• Lowest potential end: No. 10 seed
• Tiebreakers gained: DAL (3-0)
What’s at stake: House-court benefit in 9/10 play-in sport vs. DAL or PHX
Play-in hopefuls
10. Dallas Mavericks
Report: 38-41 | Internet ranking: -1.0 (18th)
• Magic quantity for top-10 seed: 1
• Remaining schedule: LAL, TOR, @MEM
• Highest potential end: No. 9 seed
• Lowest potential end: Out of play-in event
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What’s at stake: House-court benefit in 9/10 play-in sport vs. SAC
11. Phoenix Suns
Report: 35-44 | Internet ranking: -3.0 (twenty third)
• Magic quantity for top-10 seed: Don’t management personal future
• Remaining schedule: OKC, SAS, @SAC
• Highest potential end: No. 10 seed
• Lowest potential end: Out of play-in event
• Related tiebreakers: DAL (3-1)
What’s at stake: Play-in event berth
Wednesday’s video games of consequence (all occasions Japanese)
• Lakers at Mavericks (7:30 p.m., ESPN)
DAL can clinch a play-in event berth with a win or a PHX loss
DAL will likely be locked into the No. 10 seed with a loss, a SAC win and a PHX loss
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• Nuggets at Kings (10 p.m., ESPN)
SAC can clinch the No. 9 seed with a win and a DAL loss
• Thunder at Suns (10 p.m.)
PHX will likely be eradicated from postseason rivalry with a loss or a DAL win
• Spurs at Warriors (10 p.m.)
• Rockets at Clippers (10:30 p.m.)
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Playoff-bound, seeding locked
1. Cleveland Cavaliers
Report: 63-16 | Internet ranking: 9.6 (2nd)
• Clinched No. 1 seed
What’s at stake: First-round collection vs. No. 8 seed (ORL, ATL, CHI or MIA)
2. Boston Celtics
Report: 59-20 | Internet ranking: 9.4 (third)
• Clinched No. 2 seed
What’s at stake: First-round collection vs. No. 7 seed (ORL, ATL, CHI or MIA)
Playoff-bound, seeding to be decided
3. New York Knicks
Report: 50-29 | Internet ranking: 4.3 (eighth)
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• Clinched playoff berth
• Magic quantity for No. 3 seed: 1
• Remaining schedule: @DET, CLE, @BKN
• Highest potential end: No. 3 seed
• Lowest potential end: No. 4 seed
• Tiebreakers gained: IND (2-1)
What’s at stake: First-round collection vs. MIL or DET
4. Indiana Pacers
Report: 48-31 | Internet ranking: 2.2 (eleventh)
• Clinched playoff berth
• Magic quantity for No. 4 seed: 1
• Remaining schedule: CLE, ORL, @CLE
• Highest potential end: No. 3 seed
• Lowest potential end: No. 5 seed
What’s at stake: First-round collection vs. MIL or DET
5. Milwaukee Bucks
Report: 45-34 | Internet ranking: 2.0 (thirteenth)
• Clinched playoff berth
• Magic quantity for No. 5 seed: 2
• Remaining schedule: NOP, @DET, DET
• Highest potential end: No. 4 seed
• Lowest potential end: No. 6 seed
• Tiebreakers gained: IND (3-1), DET (3-1)
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What’s at stake: First-round collection vs. NYK or IND
6. Detroit Pistons
Report: 43-36 | Internet ranking: 2.2 (twelfth)
• Clinched playoff berth
• Magic quantity for No. 5 seed: 3
• Remaining schedule: NYK, MIL, @MIL
• Highest potential end: No. 5 seed
• Lowest potential end: No. 6 seed
What’s at stake: First-round collection vs. NYK or IND
Play-in sure
7. Orlando Magic
Report: 39-40 | Internet ranking: -0.4 (seventeenth)
• Magic quantity for top-eight seed: 1
• Remaining schedule: BOS, @IND, @ATL
• Highest potential end: No. 7 seed
• Lowest potential end: No. 10 seed
What’s at stake: House-court benefit in 7/8 play-in sport
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8. Atlanta Hawks
Report: 37-42 | Internet ranking: -1.7 (nineteenth)
• Magic quantity for top-eight seed: 3
• Remaining schedule: @BKN, @PHI, ORL
• Highest potential end: No. 7 seed
• Lowest potential end: No. 10 seed
What’s at stake: House-court benefit in 7/8 play-in sport
9. Chicago Bulls
Report: 36-43 | Internet ranking: -2.4 (twentieth)
• Magic quantity for No. 9 seed: 3
• Remaining schedule: MIA, WAS, @PHI
• Highest potential end: No. 7 seed
• Lowest potential end: No. 10 seed
• Tiebreakers gained: ORL (2-1), MIA (2-0)
What’s at stake: House-court benefit in 7/8 play-in sport
10. Miami Heat
Report: 36-43 | Internet ranking: 0.0 (sixteenth)
Commercial
• Magic quantity for No. 9 seed: 3
• Remaining schedule: @CHI, @NOP, WAS
• Highest potential end: No. 8 seed
• Lowest potential end: No. 10 seed
What’s at stake: Keep away from 9/10 play-in elimination sport
Wednesday’s video games of consequence (all occasions Japanese)
• Celtics at Magic (7 p.m.)
ORL can clinch a top-eight seed with a win
• Warmth at Bulls (8 p.m.)
