NBA Playoff Picture: Everything at stake entering Friday with 17 teams still playing for seeding
The NBA playoff picture is coming into clearer view with the end of the regular season on Sunday. Here are the latest updates on the landscape, including magic numbers, relevant tiebreakers and the stakes for today's slate of games.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
1. Denver Nuggets (56-24)
Clinched playoff berth
Net rating: 5.4
Remaining schedule: @SAS, @MEM
Highest possible finish: No. 1 seed (clinched no lower than No. 3)
No relevant tiebreakers
2. Minnesota Timberwolves (55-25)
Clinched playoff berth
Net rating: 6.6
Remaining schedule: ATL, PHX
Highest possible finish: No. 1 seed (clinched no lower than No. 3)
Own tiebreakers against: Nuggets, Thunder
3. Oklahoma City Thunder (55-25)
Clinched playoff berth
Net rating: 6.6
Magic number for top-two seed: Do not control destiny
Remaining schedule: MIL, DAL
Highest possible finish: No. 1 seed (clinched no lower than No. 3)
Own tiebreakers against: Nuggets
4. Los Angeles Clippers (51-29)
Clinched playoff berth
Net rating: 3.6
Remaining schedule: UTA, HOU
Highest possible finish: No. 4 seed (clinched no lower than No. 5)
Own tiebreakers against: Mavericks
5. Dallas Mavericks (50-30)
Clinched playoff berth
Net rating: 3.0
Magic number for No. 4 seed: Do not control destiny
Remaining schedule: DET, @OKC
Highest possible finish: No. 4 seed (clinched no lower than No. 5)
No relevant tiebreakers
6. New Orleans Pelicans (48-32)
Net rating: 4.8
Remaining schedule: @GSW, LAL
Highest possible finish: No. 6 seed (clinched no lower than No. 7)
Own tiebreakers against: Kings
7. Phoenix Suns (47-33)
Net rating: 3.0
Magic number for playoff berth: Do not control destiny
Remaining schedule: @SAC, @MIN
Highest possible finish: No. 6 seed (clinched no lower than No. 8)
Own tiebreakers against: Pelicans
8. Sacramento Kings (45-35)
Net rating: 1.4
Remaining schedule: PHX, POR
Highest possible finish: No. 7 seed
Own tiebreakers against: Lakers
9. Golden State Warriors (45-35)
Net rating: 2.4
Remaining schedule: NOP, UTA
Highest possible finish: No. 8 seed
Own tiebreakers against: Lakers
10. 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. 7 seed
Own tiebreakers against: Suns
Friday's games of consequence (all times Eastern)
Lakers at Grizzlies (8 p.m.)
LAL will be eliminated from contention for the No. 7 seed with a loss or a PHX win
LAL will be eliminated from contention for the No. 8 seed with a loss and a PHX or GSW win
LAL will be eliminated from contention for the No. 9 seed with a loss and SAC and GSW wins
Hawks at Timberwolves (8 p.m.)
MIN clinches a top-two-seed with a win and an OKC loss
MIN will be eliminated from contention for the No. 1 seed with a loss and a DEN or OKC win
Bucks at Thunder (8 p.m., NBA TV)
OKC will be eliminated from contention for the No. 1 seed with a loss and a DEN win
OKC will be eliminated from contention for the No. 2 seed with a loss and DEN and MIN wins
Nuggets at Spurs (8 p.m.)
DEN clinches the No. 1 seed with a win and OKC and MIN losses
DEN clinches a top-two seed with a win and an OKC or MIN loss
Pistons at Mavericks (8:30 p.m.)
DAL will be eliminated from contention for the No. 4 seed with a loss or a LAC win
Pelicans at Warriors (10 p.m.)
NOP clinches a guaranteed playoff berth with a win and a PHX loss
GSW clinches a top-nine seed with a win and a LAL loss
GSW will be eliminated from contention for the No. 8 seed with a loss and a SAC win
Jazz at Clippers (10:30 p.m.)
LAC clinches the No. 4 seed with a win or a DAL loss
Suns at Kings (10:30 p.m., NBA TV)
PHX clinches a top-seven seed with a win
PHX will be eliminated from contention for a guaranteed playoff berth with a loss and a NOP win
SAC clinches a top-eight seed with a win and LAL and GSW losses
SAC will be eliminated from contention for the No. 7 seed with a loss
EASTERN CONFERENCE
1. Boston Celtics (62-18)
Clinched No. 1 seed and first-round playoff series vs. No. 8 seed (determined by play-in tournament)
2. Milwaukee Bucks (49-31)
Clinched playoff berth
Net rating: 3.2
Remaining schedule: @OKC, @ORL
Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed (clinched no lower than No. 4)
Own tiebreakers against: Knicks
3. New York Knicks (48-32)
Clinched playoff berth
Net rating: 5.0
Remaining schedule: BKN, CHI
Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed (clinched no lower than No. 5)
Own tiebreakers against: Cavaliers
4. Cleveland Cavaliers (47-33)
Net rating: 2.6
Remaining schedule: IND, CHA
Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed (clinched no lower than No. 7)
No relevant tiebreakers
5. Orlando Magic (46-34)
Net rating: 2.0
Remaining schedule: @PHI, MIL
Highest possible finish: No. 3 seed (clinched no lower than No. 8)
Own tiebreakers against: Knicks, Pacers
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: 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 (44-36)
Net rating: 1.4
Magic number for playoff berth: Do not control destiny
Remaining schedule: TOR, TOR
Highest possible finish: No. 5 seed (clinched no lower than No. 8)
Own tiebreakers against: Magic
9. Chicago Bulls (38-42)
Clinched No. 9 seed and play-in tournament game vs. No. 10 Atlanta Hawks
10. Atlanta Hawks (36-44)
Clinched No. 10 seed and play-in tournament game vs. No. 9 Chicago Bulls
Friday's games of consequence (all times Eastern)
Magic at 76ers (7 p.m.)
ORL clinches a guaranteed playoff berth with a win
ORL clinches a top-five seed with a win and an IND loss
ORL will be eliminated from contention for the No. 3 seed with a loss or a NYK win
ORL will be eliminated from contention for a top-four seed with a loss and a CLE win
PHI clinches a top-seven seed with a win and a MIA loss
PHI will be eliminated from contention for a guaranteed playoff berth with a loss
Pacers at Cavaliers (7:30 p.m.)
IND clinches a guaranteed playoff berth with a win or a PHI loss
IND will be eliminated from contention for a top-four seed with a loss
IND will be eliminated from contention for a top-five seed with a loss and an ORL win
CLE clinches a guaranteed playoff berth with a win or a PHI loss
CLE clinches a top-five seed with a win
CLE clinches a top-four seed with a win and an ORL loss
Nets at Knicks (7:30 p.m.)
NYK clinches a top-four seed with a win or an ORL loss
NYK clinches a top-three seed with a win and a CLE loss or a MIL win
NYK will be eliminated from contention for the No. 2 seed with a loss or a MIL win
Raptors at Heat (8 p.m.)
MIA will be eliminated from contention for a guaranteed playoff berth with a loss or an ORL win
MIA will be eliminated from contention for the No. 7 seed with a loss and a PHI win
Bucks at Thunder (8 p.m., NBA TV)
MIL clinches the No. 2 seed with a win or CLE and NYK losses