With every team having two games left — and every team in the league playing Friday and Sunday — there is still much to be decided with playoff seedings across the NBA.
Let’s break down the races, starting in the East.
Eastern Conference
1. Boston (62-18)
2. Milwaukee (49-31)
3. New York (48-32)
4. Cleveland (47-33)
5. Orlando (46-34)
6. Indiana (46-34)
Play-In
7. Philadelphia (45-35)
8. Miami (44-36)
9. Chicago (38-42)
10. Atlanta (36-44)
Boston locked up the top seed long ago, but Milwaukee needs to win one of its final two games to be the No. 2. If the Bucks — playing without the injured Giannis Antetokounmpo — lose their last two games (at Oklahoma City and at Orlando) and the Knicks win their last two (hosting Brooklyn and Chicago) then New York is the two seed and Milwaukee slides to third.
Cleveland vs. Indiana is one of the key games of Friday night. The Cavaliers need a win in their final two games (at Pacers and hosting the Hornets) to secure staying out of the play-in. Indiana may need that win more Friday night, with Philadelphia looming in the No. 7 seed and on a roll since the return of Joel Embiid. Indiana is in real danger of falling back to the play-in.
The biggest game of Friday night is Orlando at Philadelphia. If Embiid can get the 76ers a win over the Magic, then they will leap over Orlando in the standings — Philly will have swept the season series and own the tiebreaker. The Magic could fall back to the play-in, depending on what happens with Indiana vs. Cleveland. If the Magic win, they will avoid the play-in and will have a top-five seed. A Philadelphia loss could doom the 76ers to the play-in if the Pacers win.
Western Conference
1. Denver (56-24)
2. Minnesota (55-25)
3. Oklahoma City (55-25)
4. Los Angeles Clippers (51-29)
5. Dallas (50-30)
6. New Orleans (48-32)
Play-In
7. Phoenix (47-33)
8. Sacramento (45-35)
9. Golden State (45-35)
10. Los Angeles Lakers (45-35)
The Nuggets control their own destiny for the No. 1 seed, they get it if they can win their final two games: At San Antonio (not a pushover if Victor Wembanyama plays) and at Memphis. Oklahoma City and Minnesota are lurking but the Thunder have the tougher couple of games remaining, vs. a desperate but shorthanded Milwaukee squad then closing against Luka Doncic and Dallas (who may have nothing to play for and sit key guys).
If the Clippers can beat the Jazz on Friday, they lock up the No. 4 seed and home court in what promises to be a wild 4/5 series against Dallas.
The West play-in race is insane. New Orleans needs a win in its final two games to avoid falling to seventh (the lowest it can go), but that will not be easy. The Pelicans close out at the Warriors then return home to face the Lakers on Sunday.
The New Orleans at Golden State game is critical for both teams, as is Friday night’s Phoenix at Sacramento game.
The Warriors moved up to ninth on Thursday and can finish no lower than that if they close out with two wins, hosting the Pelicans and then the Jazz. Golden State could move up to No. 8 if they win out and Sacramento drops its final two games, at Phoenix (which needs a win and some help to get back into the top six) and hosting the Trail Blazers.
Sacramento has the tiebreaker in the current three-way tie for 8-9-10 and against both Golden State and Los Angeles, but it will need wins to hold on to eighth (and to win one out of two games to advance to the playoffs, as opposed to 8/9 and having to win two in a row to advance).
The Lakers could move up to eighth or ninth in the West, but they both need to win out — at Memphis, then a huge game Sunday at New Orleans — and they need help. If the Warriors and Kings win out, then the Lakers can’t move up, however both have tough games Friday night so the Lakers have hope. If, after Friday, the Lakers are still 10th (the Warriors and Kings win), then Los Angeles will have choices to make about whether LeBron James and Anthony Davis play on Sunday in New Orleans.
Source Agencies
