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
Clinched playoff berth
2. Denver Nuggets (54-24)
Clinched playoff berth
Clinched playoff berth
4. Los Angeles Clippers (50-28)
5. Dallas Mavericks (48-30)
6. Phoenix Suns (46-32)
8. Sacramento Kings (45-33)
9. Los Angeles Lakers (45-34)
10. Golden State Warriors (43-35)
Tuesday’s games of consequence (all times Eastern)
Mavericks at Hornets (7 p.m.)
Wizards at Timberwolves (8 p.m.)
Kings at Thunder (8 p.m.)
Nuggets at Jazz (9 p.m.)
Warriors at Lakers (10 p.m., TNT)
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GSW earns tiebreaker against LAL with a win
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LAL will be eliminated from contention for a guaranteed playoff berth with a loss and …
1) PHX and SAC wins
2) PHX and NOP wins
Or 3) SAC and NOP wins -
GSW will be eliminated from contention for a guaranteed playoff berth with …
1) PHX and NOP wins
Or 2) SAC and NOP wins
Clippers at Suns (10 p.m.)
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LAC clinches a playoff berth with a NOP loss
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LAC clinches a home playoff seed with a win and a DAL loss
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LAC earns tiebreaker against PHX with a win
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LAC will be eliminated from contention for the No. 3 seed with a loss or wins by DEN, OKC and MIN
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PHX will be eliminated from contention for a home playoff seed with a loss
Pelicans at Blazers (10 p.m.)
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Clinched No. 1 seed and first-round playoff series vs. No. 8 seed (determined by play-in tournament)
Clinched playoff berth
4. New York Knicks (46-32)
5. Cleveland Cavaliers (46-33)
6. Indiana Pacers (45-34)
7. Philadelphia 76ers (44-35)
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Projected record: 46-36
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Net rating: 1.6
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Magic number for playoff berth: Do not control destiny
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Remaining schedule: @ATL, DAL, TOR, TOR
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Highest possible finish: No. 3 seed (clinched no lower than No. 8)
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Own tiebreakers against: Cavaliers, Magic
Clinched play-in berth
10. Atlanta Hawks (36-42)
Clinched play-in berth
Tuesday’s games of consequence (all times Eastern)
Pistons at 76ers (7 p.m.)
Pacers at Raptors (7 p.m.)
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IND clinches a playoff berth with a win and losses by MIA, PHI and HOU
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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.)
Celtics at Bucks (7:30 p.m., TNT)
Knicks at Bulls (8 p.m.)
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NYK clinches a playoff berth with a win and a MIA loss or losses by MIA, PHI and HOU
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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.)
Source Agencies
