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. And for those teams not in the postseason hunt, we also breakdown the “race” for the pole position in the upcoming NBA Draft lottery.
Jump to: Eastern Conference • Western Conference
CURRENT PLAY-IN BRACKET
Eastern Conference
(7) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (8) Miami Heat
(9) Charlotte Hornets vs. (10) Orlando Magic
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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) 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) Houston Rockets
(4) Denver Nuggets vs. (5) Minnesota Timberwolves
EASTERN CONFERENCE RACE
In the Eastern Conference, the Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers, in some order, appear bound for the top four playoff seeds and home-court advantage in the opening round. The Pistons, who hold a four-game lead on the Celtics, are almost certain to capture the East’s No. 1 seed, barring a complete meltdown in the absence of injured Cade Cunningham (collapsed lung).
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Who, exactly, those four teams will play in the opening round is entirely up for grabs, as just two wins separate the fifth seed from the 10th seed. The Toronto Raptors, Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, Orlando Magic, Charlotte Hornets and Miami Heat are all jockeying for position down the stretch of a season that has surpassed 70 games.
Technically, the Milwaukee Bucks and Chicago Bulls are still alive for postseason contention, though they are locked in a different kind of race — one for lottery odds.
Playoff-bound, seeding to be determined
Record: 53-20 | Net rating: 7.9 (3rd)
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Remaining schedule: @MIN, @OKC, TOR, MIN, @PHI, @ORL, MIL, @CHA, @IND
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Highest possible finish: No. 1 seed
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Lowest possible finish: No. 4 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 1 seed and home-court advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Battling for guaranteed playoff spot
Record: (48-24) | Net rating: 7.8 (4th)
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Magic number for No. 2 seed: 10
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Remaining schedule: ATL, @CHA, @ATL, @MIA, @MIL, TOR, CHA, @NYK, NOP, ORL
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Highest possible finish: No. 1 seed
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Lowest possible finish: No. 9 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 2 seed and home-court advantage in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Record: 48-26 | Net rating: 6.8 (5th)
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Magic number for No. 3 seed: 7
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Remaining schedule: @OKC, @HOU, @MEM, CHI, @ATL, BOS, TOR, CHA
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Highest possible finish: No. 1 seed
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Lowest possible finish: No. 7 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 2 seed and home-court advantage in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Record: 45-28 | Net rating: 4.0 (8th)
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Magic number for No. 4 seed: 6
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Remaining schedule: MIA, @UTA, @LAL, @GSW, IND, @MEM, ATL, @ATL, WAS
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Highest possible finish: No. 1 seed
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Lowest possible finish: No. 10 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 4 seed and home-court advantage in the first round.
Record: 41-32 | Net rating: 1.7 (12th)
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Magic number for No. 6 seed: 8
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Remaining schedule: @BOS, SAC, BOS, @ORL, @BKN, NYK, @CLE, CLE, @MIA
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Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed
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Lowest possible finish: No. 10 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 5 or 6 seed and a guaranteed playoff berth.
Record: 40-32 | Net rating: 1.6 (13th)
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Magic number for No. 6 seed: 10
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Remaining schedule: NOP, ORL, @DET, SAC, @MEM, @BOS, MIA, MIA, @NYK, BKN
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Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed
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Lowest possible finish: No. 10 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 5 or 6 seed and a guaranteed playoff berth.
Record: 40-33 | Net rating: -0.3 (19th)
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Magic number for No. 7 seed: 9
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Remaining schedule: @CHA, @MIA, @WAS, MIN, DET, @SAS, @HOU, @IND, MIL
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Highest possible finish: No. 3 seed
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Lowest possible finish: No. 10 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 5 or 6 seed and a guaranteed playoff berth.
Record: 39-34 | Net rating: 2.6 (11th)
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Magic number for No. 8 seed: 9
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Remaining schedule: @CLE, @IND, PHI, BOS, WAS, @TOR, @TOR, @WAS, ATL
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Highest possible finish: No. 3 seed
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Lowest possible finish: Out of the postseason
What’s at stake: The No. 5 or 6 seed and a guaranteed playoff berth.
Record: 39-34 | Net rating: 4.7 (6th)
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Magic number for No. 9 seed: 8
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Remaining schedule: NYK, PHI, BOS, @BKN, PHX, IND, @MIN, @BOS, DET, @NYK
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Highest possible finish: No. 3 seed
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Lowest possible finish: Out of the postseason
What’s at stake: The No. 5 or 6 seed and a guaranteed playoff berth.
Record: 39-34 | Net rating: 0.7 (17th)
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Magic number for No. 10 seed: 2
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Remaining schedule: @TOR, PHX, ATL, @DAL, @NOP, DET, MIN, @CHI, @BOS
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Highest possible finish: No. 3 seed
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Lowest possible finish: Out of the postseason
What’s at stake: The No. 5 or 6 seed and a guaranteed playoff berth.
Still technically alive
Record: 29-43 | Net rating: -5.5 (25th)
Record: 29-43 | Net rating: -4.3 (23rd)
What’s at stake: Whichever team finishes with a worse record will receive a 20.3% chance at a top-four pick and a 4.5% chance at the No. 1 pick. And whichever team finishes with a better record will get a 13.9% shot at top four and a 3% shot at No. 1.
However, if the Bucks do ultimately land the No. 1 pick in the draft lottery — or any selection higher than the New Orleans Pelicans — it will convey to the Hawks.
Thursday’s games of consequence
WESTERN CONFERENCE RACE
Out West, the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs are bound for the top two seeds, with OKC holding a two-game lead for the league’s No. 1 overall seed.
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The Los Angeles Lakers, with their recent nine-game winning streak, moved in as heavy favorites to capture the conference’s No. 3 seed. Beyond them is anyone’s guess.
The Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves and Houston Rockets, who are all but guaranteed the West’s final three guaranteed playoff spots, with just one loss separating them. Only one of those three teams will earn home-court advantage in the first round.
The four teams for the conference’s play-in tournament field is almost set with the Memphis Grizzlies’ elimination on Wednesday. The Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Clippers, Portland Trail Blazers and Golden State Warriors appear headed for the Nos. 7-10 seeds.
Playoff-bound, seeding to be determined
Record: 57-16 | Net rating: 10.8 (1st)
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Remaining schedule: CHI, NYK, DET, LAL, UTA, @LAL, @LAC, @DEN, PHX
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Highest possible finish: No. 1 seed
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Lowest possible finish: No. 2 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 1 seed and home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.
Record: 55-18 | Net rating: 8.0 (2nd)
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Magic number for No. 2 seed: 1
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Remaining schedule: @MIL, CHI, @GSW, @LAC, @DEN, PHI, POR, DAL, DEN
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Highest possible finish: No. 1 seed
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Lowest possible finish: No. 3 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 2 seed and home-court advantage in the Western Conference semifinals.
Battling for guaranteed playoff spot
Record: 47-26 | Net rating: 1.3 (15th)
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Magic number for No. 3 seed: 7
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Remaining schedule: BKN, WAS, CLE, @OKC, @DAL, OKC, @GSW, PHX, UTA
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Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed
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Lowest possible finish: No. 7 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 3 seed and home-court advantage in the first round.
Record: 46-28 | Net rating: 4.4 (7th)
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Magic number for No. 4 seed: 8
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Remaining schedule: UTA, GSW, @UTA, SAS, POR, MEM, OKC, @SAS
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Highest possible finish: No. 3 seed
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Lowest possible finish: No. 7 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 4 seed and home-court advantage in the first round.
Record: 45-28 | Net rating: 3.6 (10th)
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Magic number for No. 5 seed: 9
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Remaining schedule: DET, @DAL, @DET, @PHI, CHA, @IND, @ORL, @HOU, NOP
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Highest possible finish: No. 3 seed
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Lowest possible finish: No. 8 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 4 seed and home-court advantage in the first round.
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Record: 43-29 | Net rating: 3.9 (9th)
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Magic number for No. 6 seed: 7
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Remaining schedule: @MEM, @NOP, NYK, MIL, UTA, @GSW, @PHX, PHI, MIN, MIN
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Highest possible finish: No. 3 seed
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Lowest possible finish: No. 10 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 4 seed and home-court advantage in the first round.
Record: 40-33 | Net rating: 1.0 (15th)
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Magic number for No. 7 seed: 7
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Remaining schedule: UTA, @MEM, @ORL, @CHA, @CHI, HOU, DAL, @LAL, @OKC
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Highest possible finish: No. 3 seed
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Lowest possible finish: No. 10 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 7 seed and home-court advantage against the No. 8 seed in their opening game of the play-in tournament.
Record: 37-36 | Net rating: 1.3 (14th)
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Magic number for No. 8 seed: 8
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Remaining schedule: @IND, @MIL, POR, SAS, @SAC, DAL, OKC, @POR, GSW
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Highest possible finish: No. 5 seed
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Lowest possible finish: No. 10 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 8 seed and two chances to secure a playoff berth.
Record: 37-37 | Net rating: -1.3 (20th)
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Magic number for No. 9 seed: 8
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Remaining schedule: DAL, WAS, @LAC, NOP, @DEN, @SAS, LAC, SAC
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Highest possible finish: No. 6 seed
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Lowest possible finish: No. 10 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 8 seed and two chances to secure a playoff berth.
Record: 35-38 | Net rating: 0.3 (18th)
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Magic number for No. 10 seed: 3
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Remaining schedule: WAS, @DEN, SAS, CLE, HOU, SAC, LAL, @SAC, @LAC
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Highest possible finish: No. 6 seed
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Lowest possible finish: No. 10 seed
What’s at stake: The No. 8 seed and two chances to secure a playoff berth.