NBA Playoff Picture: Standings, scenarios, matchups as Celtics reclaim No. 1 in East
By Matt Moore 8h ago • 8 min read
The NBA playoffs begin in a few days. The races are tightening, the seeds are being sorted out, the picture is slowly becoming clear. With that, here’s a look at the current playoff picture, and what to know about each team that’s in, or in the running for a spot.
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Scoreboard
Schedule
Standings
Some quick notes:
Golden State locked the No. 1 seed and home court throughout the playoffs. Most of the West is locked.
The following series are locked in the Western Conference: (2) Spurs vs. (7) Grizzlies, (3) Rockets vs. (6) Thunder, (4/5) Jazz vs. (5/4) Clippers (home court TBD), (1) Golden State vs. (
Portland.
The Clippers and Jazz won Monday, so home court will go down to Wednesday night. A Clippers win or Jazz loss secures home court for L.A.
The Raptors and Wizards are locked as the Nos. 3 and 4 in the Eastern Conference.
The Cavaliers, in profoundly silly style, lost twice to Atlanta over the weekend and after resting players vs. Miami, now are one game back of the No. 1 seed.
Boston controls its destiny for the top seed. Win, and the Celtics have home court throughout the East. They also get the first seed with a Cavs loss.
The Eastern Conference ... is where things go nuts.
Eastern Conference scenarios
No. 1 vs. No. 2 seed
If the Cavs win and Boston loses: The Cavs are the first seed.
If the Cavs win and Boston wins: The Celtics are the first seed.
If the Cavs lose: The Celtics are the first seed.
No. 3 seed goes to the Raptors (locked)
No. 4 seed goes to the Wizards (locked).
Nos. 5, 6 and 7
So Atlanta can’t fall further than seventh. The Hawks have the tiebreaker over the Bucks, and play the Pacers in the final game Wednesday, series tied 2-2. Here are their scenarios. Their magic number for the fifth seed is one.
If Atlanta goes 2-0: Atlanta is the fifth seed.
If Atlanta goes 1-1: Atlanta is the fifth seed.
If Atlanta goes 0-2 and the Bucks lose: Atlanta is the fifth seed.
If Atlanta goes 0-2 Bucks win: Bucks are the fifth seed, Atlanta is the seventh seed.
The Bucks can’t fall further than sixth, thanks to a tiebreaker over Indiana. Their scenarios:
If Atlanta goes 2-0: Milwaukee is the sixth seed.
If Atlanta goes 1-1: Milwaukee is the sixth seed.
If Atlanta goes 0-2 and the Bucks lose: The Bucks are the sixth seed.
If Atlanta goes 0-2 and the Bucks win: The Bucks are the fifth seed.
The Pacers can finish as high as sixth and as low as eighth. If they want to finish sixth, they need a Hawks loss to Charlotte on Tuesday. Their scenarios if they beat Atlanta:
If the Hawks win one game and the Pacers win: The Pacers are the seventh seed.
If the Hawks lose both games, the Bucks win, and the Pacers win: The Pacers are the sixth seed.
If the Hawks lose both games, and the Bucks lose: The Pacers are the seventh seed by virtue of a 3-way tie.
Nos. 7 and 8
Now, if the Pacers lose, things go bonkers. The Heat and Bulls both have tiebreakers, and both win three-way ties. Here are the scenarios:
If Pacers win, Bulls win, Heat win, Pacers 6/7, Bulls 8, Heat out.
If Pacers win, Bulls win, Heat lose, Pacers 6/7, Bulls 8, Heat out.
If Pacers win, Bulls lose, Heat lose, Pacers 6/7, Bulls 8, Heat out
If Pacers win, Bulls lose, Heat win, Pacers 6/7, Heat 8, Bulls out.
If Pacers lose, Bulls win, Heat win, Bulls 7, Heat 8, Pacers out.
If Pacers lose, Bulls lose, Heat win, Heat 7, Pacers 8, Bulls out.
if Pacers lose, Bulls lose, Heat lose, it’s Pacers 7, Bulls 8, Heat out.
If Pacers lose, Bulls win, Heat lose, It’s Bulls 7, Pacers 8, Heat out.
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