The NBA playoff image will come into clearer view every day between now and the top of the common season on April 12. In the meantime, we’ll present detailed day by day updates on the panorama, together with magic numbers, remaining schedules and the stakes for every day’s slate of games. For these groups not within the postseason hunt, we additionally break down the “race” for pole place within the upcoming NBA Draft lottery.
Jump to: Eastern Conference • Western Conference
CURRENT PLAY-IN BRACKET
Eastern Conference
(7) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (8) Charlotte Hornets
(9) Orlando Magic vs. (10) Miami Heat
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Western Conference
(7) Phoenix Suns vs. (8) Portland Trail Blazers
(9) LA Clippers vs. (10) Golden State Warriors
CURRENT PLAYOFF BRACKET
Eastern Conference
(1) Detroit Pistons vs. (8) play-in winner
(2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) play-In winner
(3) New York Knicks vs. (6) Toronto Raptors
(4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks
Western Conference
(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (8) play-In winner
(2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (7) play-In winner
(3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Minnesota Timberwolves
(4) Denver Nuggets vs. (5) Houston Rockets
EASTERN CONFERENCE RACE
In the Eastern Conference, the Detroit Pistons have locked up the No. 1 seed, and the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers seem certain for the following three seeds, in some order, and home-court benefit within the opening spherical.
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Who, precisely, these 4 groups will play within the opening spherical continues to be up for grabs, as simply two wins separate the sixth seed from the tenth seed. The Atlanta Hawks, Toronto Raptors, Philadelphia 76ers, Charlotte Hornets, Orlando Magic and Miami Heat are all jockeying for place within the closing week of the season.
Playoff-bound, seeding locked
Record: 57-21 | Net ranking: 8.3 (third)
Remaining schedule: @ORL, MIL, @CHA, @IND
What’s at stake: First-round matchup towards No. 8 seed
Playoff-bound, seeding to be decided
Record: 52-25 | Net ranking: 8.1 (4th)
Magic quantity for No. 2 seed: 3
Remaining schedule: TOR, CHA, @NYK, NOP, ORL
Highest attainable end: No. 1 seed
Lowest attainable end: No. 4 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 2 seed and home-court benefit within the Eastern Conference semifinals.
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Record: 50-28 | Net ranking: 6.5 (fifth)
Magic quantity for No. 3 seed: 3
Remaining schedule: @ATL, BOS, TOR, CHA
Highest attainable end: No. 2 seed
Lowest attainable end: No.4 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 2 seed and home-court benefit within the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Record: 48-29 | Net ranking: 4.1 (ninth)
Magic quantity for No. 4 seed: 2
Remaining schedule: IND, @MEM, ATL, @ATL, WAS
Highest attainable end: No. 2 seed
Lowest attainable end: No. 6 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 3 seed and home-court benefit within the first spherical.
Battling for assured playoff spot
Record: 45-33 | Net ranking: 2.5 (eleventh)
Magic quantity for No. 5 seed: 4
Remaining schedule: NYK, @CLE, CLE, @MIA
Highest attainable end: No. 4 seed
Lowest attainable end: No. 10 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 5 or 6 seed and a assured playoff berth.
Record: 43-34 | Net ranking: 2.5 (twelfth)
Magic quantity for No. 6 seed: 5
Remaining schedule: @BOS, MIA, MIA, @NYK, BKN
Highest attainable end: No. 4 seed
Lowest attainable end: No. 10 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 5 or 6 seed and a assured playoff berth.
Record: 43-35 | Net ranking: -0.2 (18th)
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Magic quantity for No. 7 seed: 4
Remaining schedule: @SAS, @HOU, @IND, MIL
Highest attainable end: No. 5 seed
Lowest attainable end: No. 10 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 5 or 6 seed and a assured playoff berth.
Record: 42-36 | Net ranking: 5.2 (sixth)
Magic quantity for No. 8 seed: 4
Remaining schedule: @MIN, @BOS, DET, @NYK
Highest attainable end: No. 5 seed
Lowest attainable end: No. 10 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 5 or 6 seed and a assured playoff berth.
Record: 41-36 | Net ranking: 0.0 (seventeenth)
Magic quantity for No. 9 seed: 4
Remaining schedule: @NOP, DET, MIN, @CHI, @BOS
Highest attainable end: No. 5 seed
Lowest attainable end: No. 10 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 5 or 6 seed and a assured playoff berth.
Record: 41-37 | Net ranking: 2.1 (thirteenth)
Magic quantity for No. 9 seed: Do not management personal future
Remaining schedule: @TOR, @TOR, @WAS, ATL
Highest attainable end: No. 5 seed
Lowest attainable end: No. 10 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 5 or 6 seed and a assured playoff berth.
Sunday’s video games of consequence
Monday’s video games of consequence
WESTERN CONFERENCE RACE
Out West, the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs are certain for the highest two seeds, as OKC holds a 2.5-game lead for the league’s No. 1 general seed.
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The Los Angeles Lakers are attempting to carry off the Denver Nuggets for the West’s No. 3 seed. Only two losses separate the Lakers, Nuggets and Houston Rockets.
The Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors are locked into the West’s play-in event and the Phoenix Suns are near becoming a member of them, probably because the No. 7 seed.
Playoff-bound, seeding to be decided
Record: 61-16 | Net ranking: 11.3 (1st)
Clinched playoff berth and Northwest Division title
Remaining schedule: UTA, @LAL, @LAC, @DEN, PHX
Highest attainable end: No. 1 seed
Lowest attainable end: No. 2 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 1 seed and home-court benefit all through the playoffs.
Record: 59-19 | Net ranking: 8.4 (2nd)
Clinched playoff berth and Southwest Division title
Magic quantity for No. 1 seed: Do not management personal future
Remaining schedule: PHI, POR, DAL, DEN
Highest attainable end: No. 1 seed
Lowest attainable end: No. 2 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 1 seed and home-court benefit all through the playoffs.
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Record: 50-27 | Net ranking: 1.3 (fifteenth)
Clinched playoff berth and Pacific Division title
Magic quantity for No. 3 seed: 4
Remaining schedule: @DAL, OKC, @GSW, PHX, UTA
Highest attainable end: No. 3 seed
Lowest attainable end: No. 6 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 3 seed and home-court benefit within the first spherical.
Record: 50-28 | Net ranking: 4.8 (eighth)
Magic quantity for No. 4 seed: 3
Remaining schedule: POR, MEM, OKC, @SAS
Highest attainable end: No. 3 seed
Lowest attainable end: No. 6 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 3 seed and home-court benefit within the first spherical.
Record: 48-29 | Net ranking: 5.0 (seventh)
Magic quantity for No. 5 seed: 4
Remaining schedule: @GSW, @PHX, PHI, MIN, MIN
Highest attainable end: No. 3 seed
Lowest attainable end: No. 7 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 4 seed and home-court benefit within the first spherical.
Battling for assured playoff spot
Record: 46-31 | Net ranking: 3.3 (tenth)
Clinches playoff berth with win over Hornets and Suns loss to Bulls
Magic quantity for No. 6 seed: 2
Remaining schedule: CHA, @IND, @ORL, @HOU, NOP
Highest attainable end: No. 3 seed
Lowest attainable end: No. 7 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 4 seed and home-court benefit within the first spherical.
Record: 42-35 | Net ranking: 1.3 (14th)
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Locked into play-in event with loss to Bulls and Timberwolves win over Hornets
Magic quantity for No. 7 seed: 3
Remaining schedule: @CHI, HOU, DAL, @LAL, @OKC
Highest attainable end: No. 6 seed
Lowest attainable end: No. 9 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 7 seed and home-court benefit towards the No. 8 seed of their opening recreation of the play-in event.
Play-in certain, seeding to be decided
Record: 40-38 | Net ranking: -0.6 (twentieth)
Magic quantity for No. 8 seed: 4
Remaining schedule: @DEN, @SAS, LAC, SAC
Highest attainable end: No. 7 seed
Lowest attainable end: No. 10 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 8 seed and two probabilities to safe a playoff berth.
Record: 39-38 | Net ranking: 1.1 (sixteenth)
Magic quantity for No. 8 seed: 5
Remaining schedule: @SAC, DAL, OKC, @POR, GSW
Highest attainable end: No. 7 seed
Lowest attainable end: No. 10 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 8 seed and two probabilities to safe a playoff berth.
Record: 36-41 | Net ranking: -0.3 (nineteenth)
Magic quantity for No. 9 seed: Do not management personal future
Remaining schedule: HOU, SAC, LAL, @SAC, @LAC
Highest attainable end: No. 8 seed
Lowest attainable end: No. 10 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 9 seed and home-court benefit towards the No. 10 seed within the play-in event.
