NBA Daily Playoff Picture: The one where the West is coming into clearer view
The NBA playoff picture will come into clearer view each day between now and the end of the regular season on Sunday. In the meantime, we will provide detailed daily updates on the landscape, including magic numbers, relevant tiebreakers and the stakes for every day's slate of games.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
1. Minnesota Timberwolves (55-24)
Clinched playoff berth
Net rating: 6.8
Remaining schedule: @DEN, ATL, PHX
Highest possible finish: No. 1 seed (clinched no lower than No. 3)
Own tiebreakers against: Thunder, Nuggets
2. Denver Nuggets (55-24)
Clinched playoff berth
Net rating: 5.4
Remaining schedule: MIN, @SAS, @MEM
Highest possible finish: No. 1 seed (clinched no lower than No. 3)
No relevant tiebreakers
3. Oklahoma City Thunder (54-25)
Clinched playoff berth
Net rating: 6.2
Magic number for top-two seed: Do not control destiny
Remaining schedule: SAS, MIL, DAL
Highest possible finish: No. 1 seed (clinched no lower than No. 3)
Own tiebreakers against: Nuggets
4. Los Angeles Clippers (51-28)
Clinched playoff berth
Net rating: 3.8
Remaining schedule: PHX, UTA, HOU
Highest possible finish: No. 4 seed (clinched no lower than No. 5)
Own tiebreakers against: Mavericks
5. Dallas Mavericks (49-30)
Clinched playoff berth
Net rating: 2.8
Remaining schedule: @MIA, DET, @OKC
Highest possible finish: No. 4 seed (clinched no lower than No. 6)
Own tiebreakers against: Suns, Pelicans
6. New Orleans Pelicans (47-32)
Net rating: 4.8
Remaining schedule: @SAC, @GSW, LAL
Highest possible finish: No. 5 seed
Own tiebreakers against: Clippers, Kings
7. Phoenix Suns (46-33)
Net rating: 2.8
Remaining schedule: @LAC, @SAC, @MIN
Highest possible finish: No. 6 seed
Own tiebreakers against: Pelicans, Warriors
8. Sacramento Kings (45-34)
Net rating: 1.6
Remaining schedule: NOP, PHX, POR
Highest possible finish: No. 6 seed
Own tiebreakers against: Lakers
9. Los Angeles Lakers (45-35)
Net rating: 0.4
Magic number for No. 9 seed: Do not control destiny
Remaining schedule: @MEM, @NOP
Highest possible finish: No. 6 seed
Own tiebreakers against: Clippers, Suns
10. Golden State Warriors (44-35)
Net rating: 2.4
Remaining schedule: @POR, NOP, UTA
Highest possible finish: No. 6 seed
Own tiebreakers against: Lakers
Wednesday's games of consequence (all times Eastern)
Mavericks at Heat (7:30 p.m., ESPN)
DAL clinches a top-five seed with a win or a NOP loss
DAL will be eliminated from contention for the No. 4 seed with a loss or a LAC win
Spurs at Thunder (8 p.m.)
OKC will be eliminated from contention for the No. 1 seed with a loss and a MIN win
Timberwolves at Nuggets (10 p.m., ESPN)
MIN clinches a top-two seed with a win and an OKC loss
Suns at Clippers (10:30 p.m.)
LAC clinches the No. 4 seed with a win or a DAL loss
PHX eliminates LAL and GSW from contention for a guaranteed playoff seed with a win
EASTERN CONFERENCE
1. Boston Celtics (62-17)
Clinched No. 1 seed and first-round playoff series vs. No. 8 seed (determined by play-in tournament)
2. Milwaukee Bucks (48-31)
Clinched playoff berth
Net rating: 3.0
Remaining schedule: ORL, @OKC, @ORL
Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed (clinched no lower than No. 6)
Own tiebreakers against: Knicks
3. New York Knicks (47-32)
Net rating: 5.0
Remaining schedule: @BOS, BKN, CHI
Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed (clinched no lower than No. 8)
Own tiebreakers against: Cavaliers, Heat, 76ers
4. Orlando Magic (46-33)
Net rating: 2.3
Remaining schedule: @MIL, @PHI, MIL
Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed (clinched no lower than No. 8)
Own tiebreakers against: Knicks, Pacers
5. Cleveland Cavaliers (46-33)
Net rating: 2.5
Remaining schedule: MEM, IND, CHA
Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed (clinched no lower than No. 8)
Own tiebreakers against: Heat
6. Indiana Pacers (46-34)
Net rating: 2.6
Remaining schedule: @CLE, ATL
Highest possible finish: No. 3 seed (clinched no lower than No. 8)
Own tiebreakers against: Bucks, Knicks, 76ers, Heat
7. Philadelphia 76ers (45-35)
Net rating: 2.8
Magic number for playoff berth: Do not control destiny
Remaining schedule: ORL, BKN
Highest possible finish: No. 5 seed (clinched no lower than No. 8)
Own tiebreakers against: Magic
8. Miami Heat (44-35)
Net rating: 1.7
Magic number for playoff berth: Do not control destiny
Remaining schedule: DAL, TOR, TOR
Highest possible finish: No. 3 seed (clinched no lower than No. 8)
Own tiebreakers against: Cavaliers, Magic
9. Chicago Bulls (37-42)
Clinched play-in berth
Net rating: -2.1
Remaining schedule: @DET, @WAS, @NYK
Highest possible finish: No. 9 seed
Own tiebreakers against: Hawks
10. Atlanta Hawks (36-43)
Clinched play-in berth
Net rating: -1.6
Magic number for No. 9 seed: Do not control destiny
Remaining schedule: CHA, @MIN, @IND
Highest possible finish: No. 9 seed
No relevant tiebreakers
Wednesday's games of consequence (all times Eastern)
Grizzlies at Cavaliers (7 p.m.)
CLE will be eliminated from contention for the No. 2 seed with a loss
Hornets at Hawks (7:30 p.m.)
Mavericks at Heat (7:30 p.m., ESPN)
MIA will be eliminated from contention for a guaranteed playoff berth with a loss, an ORL win and a CLE win
Magic at Bucks (8 p.m.)
ORL clinches a guaranteed playoff berth with a win, a CLE loss and a MIA loss
ORL will be eliminated from contention for the No. 2 seed with a loss
MIL clinches the tiebreaker against ORL with a win