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
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
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
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
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
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
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.)
Bucks at Thunder (8 p.m., NBA TV)
Nuggets at Spurs (8 p.m.)
Pistons at Mavericks (8:30 p.m.)
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.)
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
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
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
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
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
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.)
Bucks at Thunder (8 p.m., NBA TV)
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