The NBA playoff picture will come into clearer view each day between now and the end of the regular season on April 12. In the meantime, we will provide detailed daily updates on the landscape, including magic numbers, remaining schedules and the stakes for every day’s slate of games. For those teams not in the postseason hunt, we also break down the “race” for pole position in the upcoming NBA Draft lottery.
Jump to: Eastern Conference • Western Conference
No single first-round playoff series is set on the NBA’s final regular-season weekend. But with every team in action on Friday, more postseason scenarios are being settled.
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In the East, where the Detroit Pistons have already locked up the No. 1 seed, the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks secured the Nos. 2 and 3 seeds, respectively, with wins over the New Orleans Pelicans and Toronto Raptors. The Cleveland Cavaliers are now locked into the No. 4 seed, too, confirming all home-court advantages.
The Atlanta Hawks secured a playoff berth with a win over the Cavs on Friday, with the Toronto Raptors clinging to the sixth and final guaranteed playoff berth. The Raptors will try to hold off the Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday.
In the East’s play-in tournament field, the Charlotte Hornets and Miami Heat are locked into the 9 vs. 10 game, but home court will be determined on Sunday.
Out West, the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs have secured the Nos. 1 and 2 seeds, respectively. The Minnesota Timberwolves are the No. 6 seed. One win separates the Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets in third, fourth and fifth, respectively. There are no other guaranteed playoff spots to be had.
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Their order could be determined on Friday. Denver can clinch the No. 3 seed with a win and losses by the Lakers and Rockets. The Lakers can capture home-court advantage with a win and a Houston loss, which would also lock the Rockets into the No. 5 seed. So, Thunder-Nuggets, Timberwolves-Rockets and Suns-Lakers all have considerable implications on Friday, even if OKC and Minnesota are already locked.
There may be no bigger game on the slate, though, than the one between the LA Clippers and Portland Trail Blazers. Should the Clippers win, they will secure the No. 8 seed and two chances in the play-in tournament to secure a guaranteed playoff berth. Should the Blazers win, they would instead hold a tiebreaker over the Clippers entering their final games of the regular season on Sunday. Let the contests begin.
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) 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) 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 are bound for the next three seeds and home-court advantage in the opening round.
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Who, exactly, those four teams will play in the opening round is still up for grabs. The Atlanta Hawks, Toronto Raptors, Philadelphia 76ers, Charlotte Hornets, Orlando Magic and Miami Heat are all jockeying for position heading into the final day of the season.
Playoff-bound, seeding locked
Record: 59-22 | Net rating: 8.2 (3rd)
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Clinched No. 1 seed and Central Division title
What’s at stake: First-round matchup against No. 8 seed
Record: 55-26 | Net rating: 8.1 (4th)
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Clinched No. 2 seed and Atlantic Division title
What’s at stake: First-round matchup against No. 7 seed
Record: 53-28 | Net rating: 6.5 (5th)
What’s at stake: First-round matchup against No. 6 seed
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Record: 51-30 | Net rating: 4.4 (9th)
What’s at stake: First-round matchup against No. 5 seed
Playoff-bound, seeding to be determined
Record: 46-35 | Net rating: 2.3 (12th)
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Holds tiebreakers over Magic; loses head-to-head tiebreakers to Raptors
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Magic number for No. 5 seed: 1
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Highest possible finish: No. 5 seed
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Lowest possible finish: No. 6 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 5 or 6 seed.
Battling for guaranteed playoff spot
Record: 45-36 | Net rating: 2.7 (11th)
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Holds head-to-head tiebreaker over Hawks and Magic; loses head-to-head tiebreaker with 76ers
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Magic number for No. 6 seed: 1
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Highest possible finish: No. 5 seed
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Lowest possible finish: No. 8 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 5 or 6 seed and a guaranteed playoff berth.
Record: 45-36 | Net rating: 0.0 (17th)
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Loses head-to-head tiebreaker with Hawks, Raptors and 76ers
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Magic number for No. 7 seed: 2
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Highest possible finish: No. 6 seed
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Lowest possible finish: No. 9 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 6 seed and a guaranteed playoff berth.
Record: 44-37 | Net rating: -0.5 (19th)
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Holds head-to-head tiebreaker over Raptors, Hornets and Magic
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Magic number for No. 7 seed: Does not control own destiny
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Highest possible finish: No. 6 seed
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Lowest possible finish: No. 8 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 6 seed and a guaranteed playoff berth.
Play-in bound, seeding to be determined
Record: 43-38 | Net rating: 5.1 (7th)
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Locked into play-in tournament
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Loses head-to-head tiebreaker to 76ers and Heat
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Magic number for No. 9 seed: 1
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Highest possible finish: No. 9 seed
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Lowest possible finish: No. 10 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 9 seed and home-court advantage in the 9-10 game.
Record: 42-39 | Net rating: 1.6 (13th)
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Locked into play-in tournament
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Holds head-to-head tiebreaker over Hornets
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Magic number for No. 9 seed: Does not control own destiny
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Highest possible finish: No. 9 seed
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Lowest possible finish: No. 10 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 9 seed and home-court advantage in the 9-10 game.
Friday’s games of consequence
WESTERN CONFERENCE RACE
Out West, the Oklahoma City Thunder have secured the league’s No. 1 overall seed while the San Antonio Spurs are locked into the West’s No. 2 seed.
The Los Angeles Lakers have slipped behind the Denver Nuggets for the West’s No. 3 seed.
The Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors are locked into the West’s play-in tournament with the Suns guaranteed the No. 7 seed and the Warriors No. 10.
Playoff-bound, seeding locked
Record: 64-17 | Net rating: 11.6 (1st)
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Clinched No. 1 overall seed, Northwest Division title and home-court advantage throughout playoffs
What’s at stake: Will face No. 8 seed (Suns, Clippers, Trail Blazers or Warriors) after play-in tournament.
Record: 62-19 | Net rating: 8.4 (2nd)
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Clinched No. 2 seed and Southwest Division title
What’s at stake: Will face No. 7 seed (Suns, Clippers or Trail Blazers) after play-in tournament.
Record: 48-33 | Net rating: 3.1 (10th)
What’s at stake: Will face No. 3 seed (Nuggets, Lakers or Rockets) in first round of playoffs.
Playoff-bound, seeding to be determined
Record: 53-28 | Net rating: 4.8 (8th)
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Clinched playoff berth; clinches No. 3 seed with win over Thunder and Lakers and Rockets losses
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Holds head-to-head tiebreaker over Rockets; loses head-to-head tiebreaker with Lakers
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Magic number for No. 3 seed: 2
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Magic number for No. 4 seed: 1
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Highest possible finish: No. 3 seed
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Lowest possible finish: No. 4 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 3 seed and first-round matchup against the Timberwolves.
Record: 51-29 | Net rating: 1.2 (16th)
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Clinched playoff berth and Pacific Division title; clinches home-court advantage with win over Suns and Rockets loss to Timberwolves
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Holds tiebreaker over Nuggets and Rockets
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Magic number for No. 4 seed: 2
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Remaining schedule: PHX, UTA
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Highest possible finish: No. 3 seed
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Lowest possible finish: No. 5 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 3 seed and first-round matchup against the Timberwolves.
Record: 51-30 | Net rating: 5.0 (7th)
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Clinched playoff berth; locked into No. 5 seed with loss to Timberwolves and Lakers win over Suns
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Loses tiebreaker to Nuggets and Rockets
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Magic number for No. 3 seed: Does not control own destiny.
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Magic number for No. 4 seed: Does not control own destiny.
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Highest possible finish: No. 4 seed
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Lowest possible finish: No. 5 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 4 seed and home-court advantage in the first round.
Play-in bound, seeding locked
Record: 44-36 | Net rating: 1.5 (14th)
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Remaining schedule: @LAL, @OKC
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Highest possible finish: No. 7 seed
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Lowest possible finish: No. 8 seed
What’s at stake: Will face No. 8 seed (Clippers or Blazers) in first game of play-in tournament at 10 p.m. ET, Tuesday, April 14.
Record: 37-44 | Net rating: -0.3 (19th)
What’s at stake: Will face No. 9 seed (Clippers or Blazers) in second game of play-in tournament at 10 p.m. ET, Wednesday, April 15.
Play-in bound, seeding to be determined
Record: 41-40 | Net rating: -0.6 (20th)
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Holds head-to-head tiebreaker over Clippers
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Magic number for No. 8 seed: 1
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Highest possible finish: No. 8 seed
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Lowest possible finish: No. 9 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 8 seed and two chances to secure a playoff berth.
Record: 41-40 | Net rating: 1.5 (15th)
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Loses head-to-head tiebreaker with Trail Blazers
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Magic number for No. 8 seed: Does not control own destiny
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Highest possible finish: No. 8 seed
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Lowest possible finish: No. 9 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 8 seed and two chances to secure a playoff berth.