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, relevant tiebreakers and the stakes for every day's slate of games.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
1. Minnesota Timberwolves (54-24)
Clinched playoff berth
Projected record: 57-25
Net rating: 6.8
Magic number for top-two seed: 4
Remaining schedule: WAS, @DEN, ATL, PHX
Highest possible finish: No. 1 seed (clinched no lower than No. 3)
Own tiebreakers against: Thunder, Nuggets
2. Denver Nuggets (54-24)
Clinched playoff berth
Projected record: 57-25
Net rating: 5.2
Magic number for top-three seed: 1
Remaining schedule: @UTA, MIN, @SAS, @MEM
Highest possible finish: No. 1 seed (clinched no lower than No. 4)
No relevant tiebreakers
3. Oklahoma City Thunder (53-25)
Clinched playoff berth
Projected record: 56-26
Net rating: 6.2
Magic number for top-three seed: 2
Remaining schedule: SAC, SAS, MIL, DAL
Highest possible finish: No. 1 seed (clinched no lower than No. 4)
Own tiebreakers against: Nuggets, Clippers
4. Los Angeles Clippers (50-28)
Projected record: 52-30
Net rating: 3.7
Magic number for top-four seed: 2
Remaining schedule: @PHX, PHX, UTA, HOU
Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed (clinched no lower than No. 7)
Own tiebreakers against: Mavericks
5. Dallas Mavericks (48-30)
Projected record: 51-31
Net rating: 2.4
Magic number for playoff berth: 2
Remaining schedule: @CHA, @MIA, DET, @OKC
Highest possible finish: No. 4 seed (clinched no lower than No. 8)
Own tiebreakers against: Suns, Pelicans, Lakers
6. Phoenix Suns (46-32)
Projected record: 48-34
Net rating: 3.0
Magic number for playoff berth: 4
Remaining schedule: LAC, @LAC, @SAC, @MIN
Highest possible finish: No. 4 seed
Own tiebreakers against: Pelicans, Warriors
7. New Orleans Pelicans (46-32)
Projected record: 49-33
Net rating: 4.7
Magic number for top-eight seed: 3
Remaining schedule: @POR, @SAC, @GSW, LAL
Highest possible finish: No. 4 seed
Own tiebreakers against: Clippers, Kings
8. Sacramento Kings (45-33)
Projected record: 47-35
Net rating: 1.6
Magic number for top-eight seed: 3
Remaining schedule: @OKC, NOP, PHX, POR
Highest possible finish: No. 5 seed
Own tiebreakers against: Lakers
9. Los Angeles Lakers (45-34)
Projected record: 47-35
Net rating: 0.6
Magic number for No. 9 seed: 3
Remaining schedule: GSW, @MEM, @NOP
Highest possible finish: No. 6 seed
Own tiebreakers against: Clippers, Suns
10. Golden State Warriors (43-35)
Projected record: 46-36
Net rating: 2.2
Magic number for No. 9 seed: 4
Remaining schedule: @LAL, @POR, NOP, UTA
Highest possible finish: No. 6 seed
No relevant tiebreakers
Tuesday's games of consequence (all times Eastern)
Mavericks at Hornets (7 p.m.)
DAL clinches a playoff berth with a win and a loss by PHX or NOP
DAL will be eliminated from contention for a home playoff seed with a loss and a LAC win
Wizards at Timberwolves (8 p.m.)
Kings at Thunder (8 p.m.)
OKC clinches a top-three seed with a LAC loss or a win and a MIN win
SAC will be eliminated from contention for the No. 5 seed with a loss or a DAL win
Nuggets at Jazz (9 p.m.)
DEN clinches a top-three seed with a win or a LAC loss
Warriors at Lakers (10 p.m., TNT)
GSW earns tiebreaker against LAL with a win
LAL will be eliminated from contention for a guaranteed playoff berth with a loss and ...1) PHX and SAC wins2) PHX and NOP winsOr 3) SAC and NOP wins
GSW will be eliminated from contention for a guaranteed playoff berth with ...1) PHX and NOP winsOr 2) SAC and NOP wins
Clippers at Suns (10 p.m.)
LAC clinches a playoff berth with a NOP loss
LAC clinches a home playoff seed with a win and a DAL loss
LAC earns tiebreaker against PHX with a win
LAC will be eliminated from contention for the No. 3 seed with a loss or wins by DEN, OKC and MIN
PHX will be eliminated from contention for a home playoff seed with a loss
Pelicans at Blazers (10 p.m.)
NOP will be eliminated from contention for a home playoff seed with a loss or a LAC win
EASTERN CONFERENCE
1. Boston Celtics (62-16)
Clinched No. 1 seed and first-round playoff series vs. No. 8 seed (determined by play-in tournament)
2. Milwaukee Bucks (47-31)
Clinched playoff berth
Projected record: 49-33
Net rating: 2.9
Magic number for No. 2 seed: 3
Remaining schedule: BOS, ORL, @OKC, @ORL
Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed (clinched no lower than No. 6)
Own tiebreakers against: Knicks, Heat
3. Orlando Magic (46-32)
Projected record: 48-34
Net rating: 2.5
Magic number for playoff berth: 2
Remaining schedule: @HOU, @MIL, @PHI, MIL
Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed (clinched no lower than No. 8)
Own tiebreakers against: Knicks, Pacers
4. New York Knicks (46-32)
Projected record: 48-34
Net rating: 4.9
Magic number for playoff berth: 2
Remaining schedule: @CHI, @BOS, BKN, CHI
Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed (clinched no lower than No. 8)
Own tiebreakers against: Cavaliers, Heat, 76ers
5. Cleveland Cavaliers (46-33)
Projected record: 48-34
Net rating: 2.5
Magic number for playoff berth: 2
Remaining schedule: MEM, IND, CHA
Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed (clinched no lower than No. 8)
Own tiebreakers against: Heat
6. Indiana Pacers (45-34)
Projected record: 47-35
Net rating: 2.4
Magic number for playoff berth: 3
Remaining schedule: @TOR, @CLE, ATL
Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed (clinched no lower than No. 8)
Own tiebreakers against: Bucks, Knicks, 76ers, Heat
7. Philadelphia 76ers (44-35)
Projected record: 46-36
Net rating: 2.6
Magic number for playoff berth: Do not control destiny
Remaining schedule: DET, ORL, BKN
Highest possible finish: No. 3 seed (clinched no lower than No. 8)
Own tiebreakers against: Magic
8. Miami Heat (43-35)
Projected record: 46-36
Net rating: 1.6
Magic number for playoff berth: Do not control destiny
Remaining schedule: @ATL, DAL, TOR, TOR
Highest possible finish: No. 3 seed (clinched no lower than No. 8)
Own tiebreakers against: Cavaliers, Magic
9. Chicago Bulls (37-41)
Clinched play-in berth
Projected record: 39-43
Net rating: -1.9
Magic number for No. 9 seed: 3
Remaining schedule: NYK, @DET, @WAS, @NYK
Highest possible finish: No. 9 seed
Own tiebreakers against: Hawks
10. Atlanta Hawks (36-42)
Clinched play-in berth
Projected record: 38-44
Net rating: -1.6
Magic number for No. 9 seed: Do not control destiny
Remaining schedule: MIA, CHA, @MIN, @IND
Highest possible finish: No. 9 seed
No relevant tiebreakers
Tuesday's games of consequence (all times Eastern)
Pistons at 76ers (7 p.m.)
PHI will be eliminated from contention for a guaranteed playoff berth with a loss and wins by IND and ORL
Pacers at Raptors (7 p.m.)
IND clinches a playoff berth with a win and losses by MIA, PHI and HOU
IND will be eliminated from contention for a top-three seed with a loss and wins by MIL and ORL
Heat at Hawks (7:30 p.m.)
MIA will be eliminated from contention for a top-five seed with a loss and an ORL win
Celtics at Bucks (7:30 p.m., TNT)
MIL clinches no lower than the No. 5 seed with a win and an IND loss
Knicks at Bulls (8 p.m.)
NYK clinches a playoff berth with a win and a MIA loss or losses by MIA, PHI and HOU
NYK will be eliminated from contention for the No. 2 seed with a loss and wins by MIL and ORL
Magic at Rockets (8 p.m.)
ORL clinches a playoff berth with a win and ...1) MIA and IND losses2) MIA and PHI lossesOr 3) IND and PHI losses
