NBA Playoff Picture: Everything at stake entering Friday with 17 teams still playing for seeding – MASHAHER

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.

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WESTERN CONFERENCE

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Clinched playoff berth

• Net rating: 5.4

• Magic number for No. 1 seed: 2

• 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

• Magic number for top-two seed: 2

• 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

• Magic number for No. 9 seed: 2

• 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

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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

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EASTERN CONFERENCE

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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

• Magic number for No. 2 seed: 1

• 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

• Magic number for playoff berth: 1

• Remaining schedule: IND, CHA

• Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed (clinched no lower than No. 7)

• No relevant tiebreakers

• Net rating: 2.0

• Magic number for playoff berth: 2

• 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

• Magic number for playoff berth: 1

• 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

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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)