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 each 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 position in the upcoming NBA Draft lottery.
Jump to: Eastern Conference • Western Conference
CURRENT PLAY-IN BRACKET
Eastern Conference
(7) Orlando Magic vs. (8) Philadelphia 76ers
(9) Charlotte Hornets vs. (10) Miami Heat
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Western Conference
(7) Phoenix Suns vs. (8) LA Clippers
(9) Portland Trail Blazers 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) Atlanta Hawks
(4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) Toronto Raptors
Western Conference
(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (8) play-In winner
(2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (7) play-In winner
(3) Denver Nuggets vs. (6) Minnesota Timberwolves
(4) Los Angeles Lakers 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 sure for the subsequent 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 remains to be up for grabs, as simply two losses separate the fifth seed from the ninth seed. The Atlanta Hawks, Toronto Raptors, Philadelphia 76ers, Charlotte Hornets, Orlando Magic and Miami Heat are all jockeying for place within the closing days of the season.
Playoff-bound, seeding locked
Record: 58-22 | Net score: 8.3 (third)
Clinched No. 1 seed and Central Division title
Remaining schedule: @CHA, @IND
What’s at stake: First-round matchup in opposition to No. 8 seed
Playoff-bound, seeding to be decided
Record: 54-26 | Net score: 8.2 (4th)
Loses head-to-head tiebreaker with Knicks
Magic quantity for No. 2 seed: 1
Remaining schedule: NOP, ORL
Highest potential end: No. 2 seed
Lowest potential end: No. 3 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 2 seed and home-court benefit within the Eastern Conference semifinals.
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Record: 52-28 | Net score: 6.5 (fifth)
Holds head-to-head tiebreakers over Celtics and Cavaliers
Magic quantity for No. 3 seed: 1
Remaining schedule: TOR, CHA
Highest potential end: No. 2 seed
Lowest potential end: No.4 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 2 seed and home-court benefit within the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Record: 51-29 | Net score: 4.1 (ninth)
Loses head-to-head tiebreaker with Knicks
Remaining schedule: @ATL, WAS
Highest potential end: No. 3 seed
Lowest potential end: No. 4 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 3 seed and home-court benefit within the first spherical.
Battling for assured playoff spot
Record: 45-35 | Net score: 2.2 (twelfth)
Holds head-to-head tiebreaker over Hawks, Hornets, Magic and Heat; loses head-to-head tiebreaker with 76ers
Magic quantity for No. 5 seed: 2
Remaining schedule: @NYK, BKN
Highest potential end: No. 5 seed
Lowest potential end: No. 8 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 5 or 6 seed and a assured playoff berth.
Record: 45-35 | Net score: 2.5 (eleventh)
Clinches playoff berth with win over Cavaliers
Holds tiebreakers over 76ers and Magic; loses head-to-head tiebreakers to Raptors and Hornets
Magic quantity for No. 5 seed: Does not management personal future
Remaining schedule: CLE, @MIA
Highest potential end: No. 5 seed
Lowest potential end: No. 9 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 5 or 6 seed and a assured playoff berth.
Record: 44-36 | Net score: 0.0 (seventeenth)
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Holds head-to-head tiebreaker over Heat; loses head-to-head tiebreaker with Hawks, Raptors, 76ers and Hornets
Magic quantity for No. 8 seed: 2
Remaining schedule: @CHI, @BOS
Highest potential end: No. 5 seed
Lowest potential end: No. 9 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 5 or 6 seed and a assured playoff berth.
Record: 43-36 | Net score: -0.2 (18th)
Holds head-to-head tiebreaker over Raptors, Hornets and Magic; loses head-to-head tiebreaker with Hawks and Heat
Magic quantity for No. 7 seed: 3
Remaining schedule: @HOU, @IND, MIL
Highest potential end: No. 5 seed
Lowest potential end: No. 10 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 5 or 6 seed and a assured playoff berth.
Record: 43-37 | Net score: 5.3 (sixth)
Holds head-to-head tiebreaker over Hawks and Magic; loses head-to-head tiebreaker to Raptors, 76ers and Heat
Magic quantity for No. 9 seed: 2
Remaining schedule: DET, @NYK
Highest potential end: No. 5 seed
Lowest potential end: No. 10 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 5 or 6 seed and a assured playoff berth.
Play-in sure, seeding to be decided
Record: 41-39 | Net score: 2.1 (thirteenth)
Locked into play-in event
Holds head-to-head tiebreaker over Hornets and 76ers; loses head-to-head tiebreaker to Magic and Raptors
Magic quantity for No. 9 seed: Does not management personal future
Remaining schedule: @WAS, ATL
Highest potential end: No. 8 seed
Lowest potential end: No. 10 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 8 seed.
Thursday’s video games of consequence
WESTERN CONFERENCE RACE
Out West, the Oklahoma City Thunder have secured the league’s No. 1 general seed whereas the San Antonio Spurs are locked into the West’s No. 2 seed.
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The Los Angeles Lakers have slipped behind the Denver Nuggets for the West’s No. 3 seed and are in peril of falling behind the Houston Rockets to No. 5.
The Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors are locked into the West’s play-in event with the Suns assured the No. 7 seed and the Warriors No. 10.
Playoff-bound, seeding locked
Record: 64-16 | Net score: 11.6 (1st)
Clinched No. 1 general seed, Northwest Division title and home-court benefit all through playoffs
Remaining schedule: @DEN, PHX
What’s at stake: Will face No. 8 seed after play-in event.
Record: 61-19 | Net score: 8.4 (2nd)
Clinched No. 2 seed and Southwest Division title
Remaining schedule: DAL, DEN
What’s at stake: Will face No. 7 seed after play-in event.
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Record: 47-33 | Net score: 3.1 (tenth)
Remaining schedule: @HOU, NOP
What’s at stake: Will face No. 3 seed (Nuggets, Lakers or Rockets) in first spherical of playoffs.
Playoff-bound, seeding to be decided
Record: 52-28 | Net score: 4.8 (eighth)
Holds tiebreaker over Rockets, however not Lakers
Magic quantity for No. 3 seed: 2
Magic quantity for No. 4 seed: 1
Remaining schedule: OKC, @SAS
Highest potential end: No. 3 seed
Lowest potential end: No. 5 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 3 seed and home-court benefit within the first spherical.
Record: 50-29 | Net score: 1.2 (sixteenth)
Clinched playoff berth and Pacific Division title
Holds tiebreaker over Nuggets and Rockets
Magic quantity for No. 4 seed: 3
Remaining schedule: @GSW, PHX, UTA
Highest potential end: No. 3 seed
Lowest potential end: No. 5 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 3 seed and home-court benefit within the first spherical.
Record: 50-29 | Net score: 5.0 (seventh)
Loses tiebreaker to Nuggets and Rockets
Magic quantity for No. 3 seed: Do not management personal future.
Magic quantity for No. 4 seed: Do not management personal future.
Remaining schedule: PHI, MIN, MEM
Highest potential end: No. 3 seed
Lowest potential end: No. 5 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 3 seed and home-court benefit within the first spherical.
Play-in sure, seeding locked
Record: 44-36 | Net score: 1.5 (14th)
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Remaining schedule: @LAL, @OKC
Highest potential end: No. 7 seed
Lowest potential end: No. 8 seed
What’s at stake: Will face No. 8 seed (Clippers or Blazers) in first recreation of play-in event at 10 p.m. ET, Tuesday, April 14.
Record: 37-42 | Net score: -0.3 (nineteenth)
Remaining schedule: LAL, @SAC, @LAC
What’s at stake: Will face No. 9 seed (Clippers or Blazers) in second recreation of play-in event at 10 p.m. ET, Wednesday, April 15.
Play-in sure, seeding to be decided
Record: 41-39 | Net score: 1.5 (fifteenth)
Friday’s recreation in opposition to the Trail Blazers determines head-to-head tiebreaker
Magic quantity for No. 8 seed: 2
Remaining schedule: @POR, GSW
Highest potential end: No. 8 seed
Lowest potential end: No. 9 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 8 seed and two possibilities to safe a playoff berth.
Record: 40-40 | Net score: -0.6 (twentieth)
Friday’s recreation in opposition to the Clippers determines head-to-head tiebreaker
Magic quantity for No. 8 seed: Do not management personal future
Remaining schedule: LAC, SAC
Highest potential end: No. 8 seed
Lowest potential end: No. 9 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 8 seed and two possibilities to safe a playoff berth.
