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NBA Daily Playoff Picture: The one when the Clippers control their own destiny

Ben Rohrbach
Senior NBA writer
·1 min read
9

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, strength of schedule, relevant tiebreakers and the stakes for every day's slate of games.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

1. Milwaukee Bucks (58-23)
Clinched No. 1 seed and first-round playoff series vs. No. 8 seed (determined by play-in tournament)

2. Boston Celtics (56-25)
Clinched No. 2 seed and first-round playoff series vs. No. 7 seed (determined by play-in tournament)

3. Philadelphia 76ers (53-28)
Clinched No. 3 seed and first-round playoff series vs. No. 6 Brooklyn Nets

4. Cleveland Cavaliers (51-30)
Clinched No. 4 seed and first-round playoff series vs. No. 5 New York Knicks

5. New York Knicks (47-34)

6. Brooklyn Nets (45-36)

PLAY-IN TOURNAMENT

7. Miami Heat (43-38)
Clinched No. 7 seed and play-in tournament game vs. No. 8 Atlanta Hawks

8. Atlanta Hawks (41-40)

9. Toronto Raptors (40-41)
Clinched No. 9 seed and play-in tournament game vs. No. 10 Chicago Bulls

10. Chicago Bulls (39-42)

Kawhi Leonard's Los Angeles Clippers can inch closer to clinching a playoff berth with a win on Saturday. (Petre Thomas/USA Today Sports)

WESTERN CONFERENCE

1. Denver Nuggets (52-28)
Clinched No. 1 seed and first-round playoff series vs. No. 8 seed (determined by play-in tournament)

2. Memphis Grizzlies (51-30)
Clinched No. 2 seed and first-round playoff series vs. No. 7 seed (determined by play-in tournament)

3. Sacramento Kings (48-32)
Clinched No. 3 seed and first-round playoff series vs. No. 6 seed (LAC, GSW, LAL, NOP or MIN)

4. Phoenix Suns (45-36)
Clinched No. 4 seed and first-round playoff series vs. No. 5 seed (LAC, GSW, LAL or NOP)

5. Golden State Warriors (43-38)

  • Remaining schedule: @POR

  • Highest possible finish: No. 5 seed (clinched no lower than No. 9)

6. Los Angeles Clippers (42-38)

  • Remaining schedule: POR, @PHX

  • Highest possible finish: No. 5 seed (clinched no lower than No. 9)

  • Own tiebreakers against: Lakers, Warriors

PLAY-IN TOURNAMENT

7. New Orleans Pelicans (42-39)

  • Remaining schedule: @MIN

  • Highest possible finish: No. 5 seed (clinched no lower than No. 9)

  • Owns tiebreaker against: Clippers

8. Los Angeles Lakers (42-39)

  • Remaining schedule: UTA

  • Highest possible finish: No. 5 seed (clinched no lower than No. 9)

  • Own tiebreakers against: Warriors, Pelicans

9. Minnesota Timberwolves (40-40)

  • Remaining schedule: @SAS, NOP

  • Highest possible finish: No. 6 seed (clinched no lower than No. 9)

  • Own tiebreakers against: Clippers, Lakers

10. Oklahoma City Thunder (39-42)
Clinched No. 10 seed and play-in tournament game vs. No. 9 seed (LAC, GSW, LAL, NOP or MIN)

Saturday's games of consequence (all times Eastern)

  • Minnesota at San Antonio (4 p.m.): The Timberwolves will be the No. 9 seed and host the Thunder in a play-in tournament game with a loss.

  • Portland at Clippers (4 p.m.): The Clippers can clinch no lower than the No. 8 seed with a win.