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NBA Playoff Picture: Everything at stake entering Friday with 17 teams still playing for seeding

Ben Rohrbach
Senior NBA writer
·7 min read
59

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

  • Magic number for No. 1 seed: 2

  • 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

  • Magic number for top-two seed: 2

  • 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

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)

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)

9. Golden State Warriors (45-35)

  • Net rating: 2.4

  • Magic number for No. 9 seed: 2

  • 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

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday, April 3, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

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

  • Magic number for No. 2 seed: 1

  • 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

4. Cleveland Cavaliers (47-33)

  • Net rating: 2.6

  • Magic number for playoff berth: 1

  • 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

  • Magic number for playoff berth: 2

  • 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

  • Magic number for playoff berth: 1

  • 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