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
2. Denver Nuggets (53-24)
Clinched playoff berth
3. Oklahoma City Thunder (52-24)
Clinched playoff berth
4. Los Angeles Clippers (48-28)
5. Dallas Mavericks (46-30)
6. Phoenix Suns (45-31)
7. New Orleans Pelicans (45-31)
8. Sacramento Kings (44-32)
9. Los Angeles Lakers (44-33)
10. Golden State Warriors (42-34)
11. Houston Rockets (38-38)
Friday’s games of consequence (all times Eastern)
Thunder at Pacers (7 p.m.)
Kings at Celtics (7:30 p.m., NBA TV)
Heat at Rockets (8 p.m.)
Spurs at Pelicans (8 p.m.)
Warriors at Mavericks (8:30 p.m.)
Timberwolves at Suns (10 p.m., NBA TV)
Jazz at Clippers (10:30 p.m.)
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)
3. Cleveland Cavaliers (46-31)
4. Orlando Magic (45-31)
5. New York Knicks (45-31)
6. Indiana Pacers (43-34)
7. Miami Heat (42-34)
8. Philadelphia 76ers (42-35)
9. Chicago Bulls (36-40)
Clinched play-in berth
10. Atlanta Hawks (36-41)
Clinched play-in berth
Friday’s games of consequence (all times Eastern)
Magic at Hornets (7 p.m.)
Thunder at Pacers (7 p.m.)
Knicks at Bulls (8 p.m.)
Heat at Rockets (8 p.m.)
Raptors at Bucks (8 p.m.)
Source Agencies
