The Magic and Nets both clinched a playoff spot on Sunday, while the Hornets pulled within one game of the No. 8 Pistons out East. Out West, the Blazers got a big win over Denver to keep their chances of getting to the No. 3 seed alive.
What follows is everything you need to know about where things stand as of Monday, April 8. Teams are listed in order of current seed, with the projected finishing seed, along with the SportsLine data used to determine that finishing seed, below. This post will continue to update for the remainder of the season as we keep track of these races right down to the wire.
NOTE: Our SportsLine model, developed by predictive data engineer Stephen Oh, simulates the entire season 10,000 times to produce the most unbiased and precise projections imaginable.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
The Warriors clinched the West's No. 1 seed with their win over the Clippers Sunday night.
- Current first-round matchup: vs. Spurs
Denver lost to the Blazers Sunday night and is now just one game up on No. 3 Houston in the loss column with two games to play. Houston has the tiebreaker, so the only way Denver can clinch the No. 2 seed without any Houston help is if the Nuggets win their final two games against the Jazz and Timberwolves.
- Magic number to clinch No. 2 seed: Two
- Projected seed: No. 2
- Current first-round matchup: vs. Clippers
- Tiebreaker: Lost tiebreaker to Houston
The Rockets gained a game on Denver Sunday night and, as mentioned above, are just one game back of the No. 2 seed. Houston has one game remaining vs. the Thunder on Tuesday. If the Rockets win that game, and Denver loses one of its final two games, the Rockets would be the No. 2 seed. That said, Houston also only leads No. 4 Portland by one game and it's the Blazers who have the tiebreaker in that situation. Houston needs one more win or one more Portland loss to clinch the No. 3 seed.
- Magic number to clinch No. 3 seed: One
- Projected seed: No. 3
- Current first-round matchup: vs. Thunder
- Tiebreaker: Own tiebreaker over Denver; lost tiebreaker to Portland
Portland kept itself in the running for the No. 3 seed by beating Denver Sunday night. If Portland wins its final two games (vs. Lakers and Kings), and Houston loses its final game against the Thunder, the Blazers would be the No. 3 seed. Portland could still fall to the No. 5 seed if it loses its final two and the Jazz win their final two.
- Magic number to clinch top-four seed: One
- Projected seed: No. 4
- Current first-round matchup: vs. Jazz
- Tiebreaker: Clinched tiebreaker over Houston; lost tiebreaker to Utah
Entering the 5-8 logjam
Utah is two games back of the No. 4 Blazers with two games to play. It owns the tiebreaker so if the Jazz win out and the Blazers lose out, Utah would get the No. 4 seed. The Jazz can't be passed for the No. 5 seed by the Clippers, but OKC could still technically catch them. One more Jazz win or one OKC loss would seal the No. 5 seed for Utah.
- Magic number to clinch No. 5 seed: One
- Projected seed: No. 5
- Current first-round matchup: at Blazers
- Tiebreaker: Clinched tiebreaker over Spurs and Clippers; currently own tiebreaker over Portland via division record; lost tiebreaker to OKC; currently losing tiebreaker with Houston (division leader)
The Thunder moved into the No. 6 seed with a win in Minnesota on Sunday. OKC leads the No. 7 Clippers and No. 8 Spurs by one game in the loss column with two games to play, but they are two tough games -- vs. Houston, at Milwaukee. Keep in mind the Bucks have already clinched the No. 1 overall seed and could well be resting a lot of players in that final game.
- Magic number to clinch No. 6 seed: Two
- Projected seed: No. 7
- Current first-round matchup: at Rockets
- Tiebreaker: Lost tiebreaker to Spurs; currently leading tiebreaker over Clippers via record vs. Western playoff teams
The Spurs trail No. 6 OKC by one game in the loss column with one game to play. Because the Spurs have the tiebreaker and OKC has a tough game coming up against Houston, SportsLine projections have San Antonio ending up ahead of OKC in the No. 6 seed.
- Magic number to clinch No. 7 seed: One
- Projected seed: No. 6
- Current first-round matchup: at Warriors
- Tiebreaker: Clinched tiebreaker over Thunder and Clippers
The Clippers trail No. 6 OKC by one game in the loss column with one game to play. They are tied with No. 7 San Antonio. The problem is, both those teams own the tiebreaker over the Clippers, who now need help to get out of the No. 8 seed and a first-round matchup with the Warriors.
- Projected seed: No. 8
- Current first-round matchup: at Rockets
- Tiebreaker: Already lost tiebreaker to Jazz and Spurs; currently losing tiebreaker to Thunder via record vs. Western playoff teams
EASTERN CONFERENCE
The Bucks clinched the No. 1 overall seed with their win over the Sixers Thursday night. They will have home-court advantage all the way through the Finals, should they make it that far.
- Current first-round matchup: vs. Pistons
Toronto is locked into the No. 2 seed.
- Current first-round matchup: vs. Nets
The Sixers have clinched the No. 3 seed.
- Current first-round matchup: vs. Nets
The Celtics clinched the No. 4 seed with Indiana's loss to Brooklyn on Sunday. Boston will play No. 5 Indiana in the first round and have home-court advantage.
- First-round matchup: vs. Pacers
The Pacers are locked into the No. 5 seed and will play Boston in the first round.
- First-round matchup: at Celtics
The Nets clinched a playoff spot with their win over indiana, and Miami's loss to Toronto, on Sunday. They are tied in the loss column with No. 7 Orlando but own the tiebreaker. Each team has one game remaining.
- Current first-round matchup: at Sixers
- Tiebreaker: Clinched tiebreaker over Pistons and Magic; trail season series vs. Miami 2-1 with one to play
The Magic also clinched a playoff spot with a win over Boston on Sunday. Orlando is one game up on No. 8 Detroit, which has two games remaining to Orlando's one. Detroit also owns the tiebreaker.
- Magic number to clinch No. 7 seed: One
- Projected seed: No. 7
- Current first-round matchup: at Raptors
- Tiebreaker: Clinched tiebreaker over Miami; already lost tiebreaker to Nets and Pistons
The Pistons can still improve their seed, but job one is simply making the playoffs. Detroit only leads No. 9 Charlotte by one game and Charlotte has the tiebreaker. Both teams have two games remaining.
- Magic number to clinch playoff spot: Two
- Projected seed: No. 8
- Current first-round matchup: at Bucks
- Tiebreaker: Clinched tiebreaker over Magic and Heat; lost tiebreaker to Nets and Hornets
Outside looking in
The Hornets are fighting until the end and just might make it in. They are just one game back of the No. 8 Pistons and they own the tiebreaker. Both teams have two games remaining. Bad news for Charlotte: Detroit plays the Grizzlies and the Knicks.
- Projected seed: No. 9
- Tiebreaker: Own tiebreaker over Detroit and Miami
Miami picked a terrible time to go on a four-game losing streak. Detroit is the only team it can catch and, with a one-game lead and two games left for both teams, the Pistons own the tiebreaker. Pretty simply: Miami needs to win its final two and Detroit needs to lose its final two for the Heat to get in. It's not likely. Detroit plays the Grizzlies and the Knicks.