How can OKC Thunder earn top seed in Western Conference? Here are NBA playoff tiebreakers
Even after all these years, Devonte’ Graham still has a butterfly effect on the Thunder.
The Spurs guard — who once drilled a buzzer-beating, full-court shot to knock off OKC — connected on a floater with 0.9 seconds left in San Antonio’s 121-120 win over the Nuggets on Friday, a shot with endless implications.
In a race for the Western Conference’s top seed, it sunk Denver that much closer to Minnesota and Oklahoma City, who’ve all held the first seed at different points this season. And after Friday, all three teams enter the weekend with the same record.
According to NBA Communications, it's the first time in league history where, through 81 games, three teams carry identical records with a chance to snag the No. 1 seed. Each team is 56-25 entering the final game of the season.
It’s a head spinning situation with infinite realities, tiebreakers and ripple effects. So, what will the Thunder need to do to finish in first? For third? Here are all the possible realities:
More: OKC Thunder back atop Western Conference standings after win vs Milwaukee Bucks
NBA playoff tiebreakers and scenarios
In the event each team wins, furthering the three-way tie between the Thunder, Nuggets and Timberwolves, OKC will finish with the first seed. With all three in the same division, the three-way tie is decided by record in head-to-head matchups. OKC finishes first in that case, with a 5-3 record against the other couple teams. In the case all three teams lose their final game, reality remains the same for the Thunder. As of Friday, the Thunder holds the first seed.
If Minnesota loses and the others win, creating a two-way tie between the Thunder and Nuggets, the Thunder owns the tiebreaker, thrusting it into first place.
If the Nuggets lose and the others win, creating a two-way tie between the Thunder and Timberwolves, putting Minnesota in first and OKC in second. Minnesota owns its tiebreaker with the Thunder in a two-team scenario.
If OKC loses and the others win, creating a two-way tie between Denver and Minnesota, the Thunder slips into third, while Minnesota finishes in first.
If the Wolves are the only team that wins, creating a two-way tie between Denver and OKC, Minnesota finishes first. The Thunder finishes second.
If Denver is the weekend’s only winner, it earns the first seed, with Minnesota taking the two-way tie with OKC to finish second.
More: Does OKC Thunder own the tiebreaker over Nuggets, Timberwolves? Explaining NBA rules
Western Conference playoff picture
Thunder (56-25): Beat Bucks 125-107 on Friday. Up next: Regular-season finale vs. Mavericks at 2:30 p.m. Sunday.
Timberwolves (56-25): Beat Hawks 109-106 on Friday. Up next: Regular-season finale vs. Suns at 2:30 p.m. Sunday.
Nuggets (56-25): Lost at Spurs 121-120 on Friday. Up next: Regular-season finale at Grizzlies at 2:30 p.m. Sunday.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: NBA playoff tiebreakers, scenarios for OKC Thunder, Western Conference
