The 20 teams that will compete in either the playoffs or the play-in tournament (or both) have officially been set following the Rockets‘ loss to Dallas on Sunday, per the NBA (Twitter link).
There’s still much to be decided in the season’s final week, including exactly which six teams in each conference will secure playoff spots without having to win one or two play-in games. However, with the Rockets’ elimination, we at least know which teams from both the West and East will play beyond the end of the regular season next Sunday.
The Nuggets, Timberwolves, and Thunder have already clinched playoff berths in the West, while the Clippers‘ magic number for a playoff spot is down to 1. The Mavericks are also well positioned to claim a top-six seed following their win on Sunday. They’re followed in the standings by the Suns, Pelicans, Lakers, Kings, and Warriors.
Four of those teams will compete in the play-in tournament for two playoff spots, but the exact play-in participants and matchups remain very much up in the air. Of the Western clubs in the back half of the top 10, only Golden State is a virtual lock to be a play-in team, since the Dubs are currently four games out of sixth place.
Over in the Eastern Conference, the Celtics are the lone club to secure a playoff berth so far and have also clinched the No. 1 seed. They’re followed by the Bucks, Magic, Knicks, Cavaliers, Pacers, Heat, and Sixers, with the Bulls and Hawks well out of eighth place and locked into the No. 9 vs. 10 play-in game.
The East’s playoff race remains tight, with No. 2 Milwaukee and No. 8 Philadelphia separated by only 4.5 games at the time of this writing.
We’re in !!!
Where is the Kings fan who always trashes the Warriors? I believe we have a play in 9 vs 10 appointment coming up in 2 weeks.
You better hope the Light Beam shows up because I think they’ve gone 5-5 their last 10.. might not be the best time to be trying to figure out how to pull this all together before the playoffs.
In all seriousness it should be a great play -in matchup. I look forward to it. May the best team win.
IF GSW can win Tuesday (LAL) I think they will win the last 3 (Por NO Utah) and get in that 7/8 game
That’s a stretch but it would be sweet if it happened. The team has so much potential that it could make a run like that for the last four games but they could also blow them all lol. Keeping hope alive. Good luck to the Lakers also.
Fat chance, Cap. Wolves 14 FTA, Lakers 32 FTA. The Lakers can’t even win when it’s handed to them. But the refs will make it up tomorrow.
Breath my guy, never said a peep about the Lakers
The Bucks are in prime playoff mode already. Can the NBA put them in a play-in game to expedite their early exit?