NBA playoff picture, standings: Bracket, matchups as Lakers clinch Play-In spot and Warriors miss opportunity
The NBA playoffs are almost here. Less than two weeks remain in the regular season, and the postseason is set to begin April 16 with the Play-In Tournament. The playoffs get started April 20. The playoff picture is coming into focus (13 teams have already clinched postseason spots), but there is still plenty to be decided in the regular season's closing games. Seeding, home-court advantage and the chance to avoid the Play-In Tournament are all on the line between now and April 14.
So what's the latest in the NBA's playoff picture? The Los Angeles Lakers clinched a Play-In Tournament berth with Houston's loss to Miami on Friday. The Warriors missed a chance to clinch their Play-In spot with a loss to Dallas. It was a major missed opportunity for Golden State, which could've pulled within one loss of the No. 8 seed after Sacramento's loss to Boston.
Also on Friday, the Bucks took another disastrous loss, this time to the Raptors, who came in on a 15-game losing streak. Milwaukee now holds just a one-loss lead over No. 3 Cleveland and a two-loss lead over No. 4 Orlando and No. 5 New York with five games to play. Oh, by the way, the Bucks play the Knicks on Sunday and still have two matchups with Orlando remaining.
As a reminder, the NBA's Play-In Tournament will determine the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds in both conferences. Four teams in each conference (the 7-10 seeds) will enter the Play-In Tournament, while the top six seeds will automatically qualify for playoff spots. The seventh- and eighth-placed teams will face each other for the No. 7 seed. The ninth- and 10th-placed teams will face each other in another game, and then the loser of the No. 7/No. 8 game will face the winner of the No. 9/No. 10 game for the No. 8 seed.
For the remainder of the season, this will be your one-stop shop playoff picture. We've got you covered on everything from the current standings to tiebreaker scenarios and magic numbers for both play-in spots and top-six seeds.
Here's where we stand entering play on Saturday, April 6.
Playoff bracket if the season ended today...West
(1) Timberwolves vs. (8) Pelicans/Kings/Lakers/Warriors
(2) Nuggets vs. (7) Pelicans/Kings
(3) Thunder vs. (6) Suns
(4) Clippers vs. (5) Mavericks
East
(1) Celtics vs. (8) Pacers/76ers/Bulls/Hawks
(2) Bucks vs. (7) Pacers/76ers
(3) Cavaliers vs. (6) Heat
(4) Magic vs. (5) Knicks
Clinched: Play-In spotMagic Number: Playoff spot (3)Tiebreaker vs. Pelicans: Pelicans clinchedTiebreaker vs. Suns: Clippers lead 2-0 with two to play5. Dallas Mavericks (47-30)Clinched: Play-In spotMagic Number: Playoff spot (5)Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Dallas currently owns via division win percentageTiebreaker vs. Kings: Mavs lead via conference recordTiebreaker vs. Suns: Mavs clinchedTiebreaker vs. Warriors: Mavs lead 2-0 with two to playTiebreaker vs. Lakers: Mavs clinched6. Phoenix Suns (46-31)
Clinched: Play-In spotMagic Number: Playoff spot (6)Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Suns have clinchedTiebreaker vs. Kings: Tied 2-2 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Dallas: Mavs clinchedTiebreaker vs. Warriors: Suns clinchedTiebreaker vs. Lakers: Lakers clinchedPLAY-IN TOURNAMENT7. New Orleans Pelicans (45-32)Clinched: Play-In spotTiebreaker vs. Clippers: Pelicans have clinchedTiebreaker vs. Kings: Pelicans have clinchedTiebreaker vs. Suns: Suns have clinchedTiebreaker vs. Dallas: Dallas currently owns via division win percentage8. Sacramento Kings (44-33)
Clinched: Play-In spotTiebreaker vs. Mavericks: Mavs lead via conference recordTiebreaker vs. Suns: Tied 2-2 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Warriors: Kings lead via division recordTiebreaker vs. Lakers: Kings have clinched9. Los Angeles Lakers (44-33)Clinched: Play-In spotTiebreaker vs. Warriors: Warriors lead 2-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Suns: Lakers clinchedTiebreaker vs. Mavs: Mavs clinchedTiebreaker vs. Kings: Kings clinched10. Golden State Warriors (42-35)Magic Number: Play-In spot (1)Tiebreaker vs. Kings: Kings lead via division recordTiebreaker vs. Mavs: Mavs lead 2-0 with two to playTiebreaker vs. Suns: Suns clinchedTiebreaker vs. Lakers: Warriors lead 2-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Rockets: Warriors clinchedMATHEMATICALLY ALIVE11. Houston Rockets (38-39)Tiebreaker vs. Warriors: Warriors clinchedEASTERN CONFERENCE STANDINGS1. Boston Celtics (61-16)Clinched: NBA's best record2. Milwaukee Bucks (47-30)Clinched: Play-In spotMagic Number: Playoff spot (1)Tiebreaker vs. Knicks: Bucks clinchedTiebreaker vs. Cavs: Bucks lead via division leaderTiebreaker vs. Magic: Tied 1-1 with two to play3. Cleveland Cavaliers (46-31)Clinched: Play-In spotMagic Number: Playoff spot (2)Tiebreaker vs. Bucks: Bucks lead via division leaderTiebreaker vs. Knicks: Knicks clinchedTiebreaker vs. Magic: Magic currently own via division leader4. Orlando Magic (45-32)
Clinched: Play-In spotMagic Number: Playoff spot (3)Tiebreaker vs. Cavs: Magic currently own via division leaderTiebreaker vs. Knicks: Magic clinchedTiebreaker vs. Pacers: Magic clinchedTiebreaker vs. Milwaukee: Tied 1-1 with two to play5. New York Knicks (45-32)Clinched: Play-In spotMagic Number: Playoff spot (3)Tiebreaker vs. Bucks: Bucks clinchedTiebreaker vs. Cavs: Knicks clinchedTiebreaker vs. Magic: Magic clinched6. Indiana Pacers (44-34)Clinched: Play-In spotMagic Number: Playoff spot (3)Tiebreaker vs. Magic: Magic clinchedTiebreaker vs. Heat: Tied 1-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. 76ers: Pacers clinchedPLAY-IN TOURNAMENT7. Miami Heat (43-34)
Clinched: Play-In spotMagic number: Playoff spot (5)Tiebreaker vs. Pacers: Tied 1-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. 76ers: Miami leads via conference record8. Philadelphia 76ers (42-35)Clinched: Play-In spotTiebreaker vs. Pacers: Pacers clinchedTiebreaker vs. Heat: Miami leads via conference record9. Chicago Bulls (37-40)Clinched: Play-In spotTiebreaker vs. Hawks: Bulls clinched10. Atlanta Hawks (36-41)Magic Number: Play-In spotTiebreaker vs. Bulls: Bulls clinched
NBA playoff picture, standings: Bracket, matchups as Lakers clinch Play-In spot and Warriors miss opportunity
NBA playoff picture, standings: Bracket, matchups as Lakers clinch Play-In spot and Warriors miss opportunity
NBA playoff picture, standings: Bracket, matchups as Lakers clinch Play-In spot and Warriors miss opportunity
NBA playoff picture, standings: Bracket, matchups as Lakers clinch Play-In spot and Warriors miss opportunity
NBA playoff picture, standings: Bracket, matchups as Lakers clinch Play-In spot and Warriors miss opportunity
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