NBA Daily Playoff Picture: The one where the Warriors and Rockets tangle for the final time

The NBA playoff picture will come into clearer view each day between now and the end of the regular season on April 14. 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.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

1. Minnesota Timberwolves (53-23)

Clinched playoff berth

• Projected record: 57-25

• Net rating: 7.0

• Magic number for top-three seed: 2

• Remaining schedule: @PHX, @LAL, WAS, @DEN, ATL, PHX

• Remaining strength of schedule: .520

• Highest possible finish: No. 1 seed (clinched no lower than No. 4)

• Own tiebreakers against: Thunder, Nuggets, Clippers, Mavericks

2. Denver Nuggets (53-23)

Clinched playoff berth

• Projected record: 57-25

• Net rating: 5.0

• Magic number for top-three seed: 2

• Remaining schedule: @LAC, ATL, @UTA, MIN, @SAS, @MEM

• Remaining strength of schedule: .459 (second-easiest in the West)

• Highest possible finish: No. 1 seed (clinched no lower than No. 4)

• No relevant tiebreakers

3. Oklahoma City Thunder (52-24)

Clinched playoff berth

• Projected record: 57-25

• Net rating: 6.6

• Magic number for top-three seed: 3

• Remaining schedule: @IND, @CHA, SAC, SAS, MIL, DAL

• Remaining strength of schedule: .473

• Highest possible finish: No. 1 seed (clinched no lower than No. 5)

• Own tiebreakers against: Nuggets, Clippers

4. Los Angeles Clippers (47-28)

• Projected record: 51-31

• Net rating: 3.4

• Magic number for top-four seed: 5

• Remaining schedule: DEN, UTA, CLE, @PHX, PHX, UTA, HOU

• Remaining strength of schedule: .536

• Highest possible finish: No. 1 seed (clinched no lower than No. 10)

• Own tiebreakers against: Mavericks, Warriors

5. Dallas Mavericks (45-30)

• Projected record: 49-33

• Net rating: 2.2

• Magic number for playoff berth: 6

• Remaining schedule: ATL, GSW, HOU, @CHA, @MIA, DET, @OKC

• Remaining strength of schedule: .454 (easiest in the West)

• Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed

• Own tiebreakers against: Suns, Lakers

6. Phoenix Suns (45-31)

• Projected record: 47-35

• Net rating: 3.1

• Magic number for playoff berth: 6

• Remaining schedule: MIN, NOP, LAC, @LAC, @SAC, @MIN

• Remaining strength of schedule: .638 (hardest in the West)

• Highest possible finish: No. 4 seed

• Own tiebreakers against: Pelicans, Warriors

7. New Orleans Pelicans (45-31)

• Projected record: 50-32

• Net rating: 4.8

• Magic number for playoff berth: 6

• Remaining schedule: SAS, @PHX, @POR, @SAC, @GSW, LAL

• Remaining strength of schedule: .466

• Highest possible finish: No. 4 seed

• Own tiebreakers against: Clippers, Kings

8. Sacramento Kings (44-31)

• Projected record: 47-35

• Net rating: 1.5

• Magic number for playoff berth: 7

• Remaining schedule: @NYK, @BOS, @BKN, @OKC, NOP, PHX, POR

• Remaining strength of schedule: .556 (second-hardest in the West)

• Highest possible finish: No. 4 seed

• Own tiebreakers against: Lakers

9. Los Angeles Lakers (44-33)

• Projected record: 46-36

• Net rating: 0.4

• Magic number for play-in tournament berth: 2

• Remaining schedule: CLE, MIN, GSW, @MEM, @NOP

• Remaining strength of schedule: .555

• Highest possible finish: No. 4 seed

• Own tiebreakers against: Clippers, Suns

10. Golden State Warriors (41-34)

• Projected record: 45-37

• Net rating: 1.9

• Magic number for play-in tournament berth: 4

• Remaining schedule: @HOU, @DAL, UTA, @LAL, @POR, NOP, UTA

• Remaining strength of schedule: .471

• Highest possible finish: No. 4 seed

• Own tiebreakers against: Rockets

11. Houston Rockets (38-37)

• Projected record: 42-40

• Net rating: 1.2

• Magic number for play-in tournament berth: Do not control destiny

• Remaining schedule: GSW, MIA, @DAL, ORL, @UTA, @POR, @LAC

• Remaining strength of schedule: .509

• Highest possible finish: No. 6 seed

• Own tiebreakers against: Kings

Thursday's games of consequence (all times Eastern)

Kings at Knicks (7:30 p.m., TNT)

• SAC clinches at least a play-in tournament berth with a win and a HOU loss

Hawks at Mavericks (7:30 p.m.)

• DAL clinches at least a play-in tournament berth with a win or a HOU loss

• DAL will be eliminated from contention for the No. 3 seed with a loss

Warriors at Rockets (8 p.m.)

• GSW will be eliminated from contention for a home playoff seed with a loss or a LAC win

• HOU will be eliminated from contention for the No. 8 seed with a loss and a SAC win

Nuggets at Clippers (10 p.m., TNT)

• DEN clinches a top-three seed with a win

• LAC will be eliminated from contention for the No. 1 seed with a loss

EASTERN CONFERENCE

1. Boston Celtics (60-16)

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

2. Milwaukee Bucks (47-29)

• Projected record: 51-31

• Net rating: 3.2

• Magic number for No. 2 seed: 5

• Remaining schedule: TOR, NYK, BOS, ORL, @OKC, @ORL

• Remaining strength of schedule: .591 (hardest in the East)

• Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed (clinched no lower than No. 7)

• Own tiebreakers against: Heat

3. Cleveland Cavaliers (46-31)

• Projected record: 50-32

• Net rating: 2.8

• Magic number for top-four seed: 5

• Remaining schedule: @LAL, @LAC, MEM, IND, CHA

• Remaining strength of schedule: .467

• Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed (clinched no lower than No. 8)

• No relevant tiebreakers

4. Orlando Magic (45-31)

• Projected record: 48-34

• Net rating: 2.5

• Magic number for playoff berth: 3

• Remaining schedule: @CHA, CHI, @HOU, @MIL, @PHI, MIL

• Remaining strength of schedule: .499

• Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed (clinched no lower than No. 8)

• Own tiebreakers against: Knicks, Pacers

5. New York Knicks (44-31)

• Projected record: 48-34

• Net rating: 4.8

• Magic number for playoff berth: 5

• Remaining schedule: SAC, @CHI, @MIL, @CHI, @BOS, BKN, CHI

• Remaining strength of schedule: .543

• Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed (clinched no lower than No. 8)

• Own tiebreakers against: Bucks, Heat, 76ers

6. Miami Heat (42-33)

• Projected record: 46-36

• Net rating: 1.6

• Magic number for playoff berth: 7

• Remaining schedule: PHI, @HOU, @IND, @ATL, DAL, TOR, TOR

• Remaining strength of schedule: .469

• Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed (clinched no lower than No. 9)

• Own tiebreakers against: Cavaliers, Magic, Hawks

7. Indiana Pacers (43-34)

• Projected record: 46-36

• Net rating: 2.3

• Magic number for No. 7 seed: 4

• Remaining schedule: OKC, MIA, @TOR, @CLE, ATL

• Remaining strength of schedule: .524

• Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed (clinched no lower than No. 8)

• Own tiebreakers against: Bucks, Knicks, 76ers

8. Philadelphia 76ers (41-35)

• Projected record: 45-37

• Net rating: 2.3

• Magic number for No. 8 seed: 2

• Remaining schedule: @MIA, @MEM, @SAS, DET, ORL, BKN

• Remaining strength of schedule: .382 (easiest in the East)

• Highest possible finish: No. 3 seed (clinched no lower than No. 10)

• Own tiebreakers against: Magic, Hawks

9. Chicago Bulls (36-40)

Clinched play-in berth

• Projected record: 39-43

• Net rating: -1.9

• Magic number for No. 9 seed: 6

• Remaining schedule: NYK, @ORL, NYK, @DET, @WAS, @NYK

• Remaining strength of schedule: .452 (second-easiest in the East)

• Highest possible finish: No. 8 seed

• Own tiebreakers against: 76ers, Hawks

10. Atlanta Hawks (36-40)

Clinched play-in berth

• Projected record: 38-44

• Net rating: -1.0

• Magic number for No. 9 seed: Do not control destiny

• Remaining schedule: @DAL, @DEN, MIA, CHA, @MIN, @IND

• Remaining strength of schedule: .558 (second-hardest in the East)

• Highest possible finish: No. 8 seed

• No relevant tiebreakers

Thursday's games of consequence (all times Eastern)

76ers at Heat (7:30 p.m.)

• MIA clinches a top-eight seed and the tiebreaker against PHI with a win

• PHI clinches a top-nine seed with a win or an ATL loss

Kings at Knicks (7:30 p.m., TNT)

• NYK clinches a top-seven seed with a win

Hawks at Mavericks (7:30 p.m.)

• ATL will be eliminated from contention for the No. 8 seed with a loss or a PHI win