The NBA playoff picture will come into clearer view each day between now and the end of the regular season on April 14. In the meantime, we will provide detailed daily updates on the landscape, including magic numbers, strength of schedule, relevant tiebreakers and the stakes for every day's slate of games.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
1. Minnesota Timberwolves (53-23)
Clinched playoff berth
Projected record: 57-25
Net rating: 7.0
Magic number for top-three seed: 2
Remaining schedule: @PHX, @LAL, WAS, @DEN, ATL, PHX
Remaining strength of schedule: .520
Highest possible finish: No. 1 seed (clinched no lower than No. 4)
Own tiebreakers against: Thunder, Nuggets, Clippers, Mavericks
2. Denver Nuggets (53-23)
Clinched playoff berth
Projected record: 57-25
Net rating: 5.0
Magic number for top-three seed: 2
Remaining schedule: @LAC, ATL, @UTA, MIN, @SAS, @MEM
Remaining strength of schedule: .459 (second-easiest in the West)
Highest possible finish: No. 1 seed (clinched no lower than No. 4)
No relevant tiebreakers
3. Oklahoma City Thunder (52-24)
Clinched playoff berth
Projected record: 57-25
Net rating: 6.6
Magic number for top-three seed: 3
Remaining schedule: @IND, @CHA, SAC, SAS, MIL, DAL
Remaining strength of schedule: .473
Highest possible finish: No. 1 seed (clinched no lower than No. 5)
Own tiebreakers against: Nuggets, Clippers
4. Los Angeles Clippers (47-28)
Projected record: 51-31
Net rating: 3.4
Magic number for top-four seed: 5
Remaining schedule: DEN, UTA, CLE, @PHX, PHX, UTA, HOU
Remaining strength of schedule: .536
Highest possible finish: No. 1 seed (clinched no lower than No. 10)
Own tiebreakers against: Mavericks, Warriors
5. Dallas Mavericks (45-30)
Projected record: 49-33
Net rating: 2.2
Magic number for playoff berth: 6
Remaining schedule: ATL, GSW, HOU, @CHA, @MIA, DET, @OKC
Remaining strength of schedule: .454 (easiest in the West)
Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed
Own tiebreakers against: Suns, Lakers
6. Phoenix Suns (45-31)
Projected record: 47-35
Net rating: 3.1
Magic number for playoff berth: 6
Remaining schedule: MIN, NOP, LAC, @LAC, @SAC, @MIN
Remaining strength of schedule: .638 (hardest in the West)
Highest possible finish: No. 4 seed
Own tiebreakers against: Pelicans, Warriors
7. New Orleans Pelicans (45-31)
Projected record: 50-32
Net rating: 4.8
Magic number for playoff berth: 6
Remaining schedule: SAS, @PHX, @POR, @SAC, @GSW, LAL
Remaining strength of schedule: .466
Highest possible finish: No. 4 seed
Own tiebreakers against: Clippers, Kings
8. Sacramento Kings (44-31)
Projected record: 47-35
Net rating: 1.5
Magic number for playoff berth: 7
Remaining schedule: @NYK, @BOS, @BKN, @OKC, NOP, PHX, POR
Remaining strength of schedule: .556 (second-hardest in the West)
Highest possible finish: No. 4 seed
Own tiebreakers against: Lakers
9. Los Angeles Lakers (44-33)
Projected record: 46-36
Net rating: 0.4
Magic number for play-in tournament berth: 2
Remaining schedule: CLE, MIN, GSW, @MEM, @NOP
Remaining strength of schedule: .555
Highest possible finish: No. 4 seed
Own tiebreakers against: Clippers, Suns
10. Golden State Warriors (41-34)
Projected record: 45-37
Net rating: 1.9
Magic number for play-in tournament berth: 4
Remaining schedule: @HOU, @DAL, UTA, @LAL, @POR, NOP, UTA
Remaining strength of schedule: .471
Highest possible finish: No. 4 seed
Own tiebreakers against: Rockets
11. Houston Rockets (38-37)
Projected record: 42-40
Net rating: 1.2
Magic number for play-in tournament berth: Do not control destiny
Remaining schedule: GSW, MIA, @DAL, ORL, @UTA, @POR, @LAC
Remaining strength of schedule: .509
Highest possible finish: No. 6 seed
Own tiebreakers against: Kings
Thursday's games of consequence (all times Eastern)
Kings at Knicks (7:30 p.m., TNT)
SAC clinches at least a play-in tournament berth with a win and a HOU loss
Hawks at Mavericks (7:30 p.m.)
DAL clinches at least a play-in tournament berth with a win or a HOU loss
DAL will be eliminated from contention for the No. 3 seed with a loss
Warriors at Rockets (8 p.m.)
GSW will be eliminated from contention for a home playoff seed with a loss or a LAC win
HOU will be eliminated from contention for the No. 8 seed with a loss and a SAC win
Nuggets at Clippers (10 p.m., TNT)
DEN clinches a top-three seed with a win
LAC will be eliminated from contention for the No. 1 seed with a loss
EASTERN CONFERENCE
1. Boston Celtics (60-16)
Clinched No. 1 seed and first-round playoff series vs. No. 8 seed (determined by play-in tournament)
2. Milwaukee Bucks (47-29)
Projected record: 51-31
Net rating: 3.2
Magic number for No. 2 seed: 5
Remaining schedule: TOR, NYK, BOS, ORL, @OKC, @ORL
Remaining strength of schedule: .591 (hardest in the East)
Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed (clinched no lower than No. 7)
Own tiebreakers against: Heat
3. Cleveland Cavaliers (46-31)
Projected record: 50-32
Net rating: 2.8
Magic number for top-four seed: 5
Remaining schedule: @LAL, @LAC, MEM, IND, CHA
Remaining strength of schedule: .467
Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed (clinched no lower than No. 8)
No relevant tiebreakers
4. Orlando Magic (45-31)
Projected record: 48-34
Net rating: 2.5
Magic number for playoff berth: 3
Remaining schedule: @CHA, CHI, @HOU, @MIL, @PHI, MIL
Remaining strength of schedule: .499
Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed (clinched no lower than No. 8)
Own tiebreakers against: Knicks, Pacers
5. New York Knicks (44-31)
Projected record: 48-34
Net rating: 4.8
Magic number for playoff berth: 5
Remaining schedule: SAC, @CHI, @MIL, @CHI, @BOS, BKN, CHI
Remaining strength of schedule: .543
Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed (clinched no lower than No. 8)
Own tiebreakers against: Bucks, Heat, 76ers
6. Miami Heat (42-33)
Projected record: 46-36
Net rating: 1.6
Magic number for playoff berth: 7
Remaining schedule: PHI, @HOU, @IND, @ATL, DAL, TOR, TOR
Remaining strength of schedule: .469
Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed (clinched no lower than No. 9)
Own tiebreakers against: Cavaliers, Magic, Hawks
7. Indiana Pacers (43-34)
Projected record: 46-36
Net rating: 2.3
Remaining schedule: OKC, MIA, @TOR, @CLE, ATL
Remaining strength of schedule: .524
Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed (clinched no lower than No. 8)
Own tiebreakers against: Bucks, Knicks, 76ers
8. Philadelphia 76ers (41-35)
Projected record: 45-37
Net rating: 2.3
Magic number for No. 8 seed: 2
Remaining schedule: @MIA, @MEM, @SAS, DET, ORL, BKN
Remaining strength of schedule: .382 (easiest in the East)
Highest possible finish: No. 3 seed (clinched no lower than No. 10)
Own tiebreakers against: Magic, Hawks
9. Chicago Bulls (36-40)
Clinched play-in berth
Projected record: 39-43
Net rating: -1.9
Magic number for No. 9 seed: 6
Remaining schedule: NYK, @ORL, NYK, @DET, @WAS, @NYK
Remaining strength of schedule: .452 (second-easiest in the East)
Highest possible finish: No. 8 seed
Own tiebreakers against: 76ers, Hawks
10. Atlanta Hawks (36-40)
Clinched play-in berth
Projected record: 38-44
Net rating: -1.0
Magic number for No. 9 seed: Do not control destiny
Remaining schedule: @DAL, @DEN, MIA, CHA, @MIN, @IND
Remaining strength of schedule: .558 (second-hardest in the East)
Highest possible finish: No. 8 seed
No relevant tiebreakers
Thursday's games of consequence (all times Eastern)
76ers at Heat (7:30 p.m.)
MIA clinches a top-eight seed and the tiebreaker against PHI with a win
PHI clinches a top-nine seed with a win or an ATL loss
Kings at Knicks (7:30 p.m., TNT)
NYK clinches a top-seven seed with a win
Hawks at Mavericks (7:30 p.m.)
ATL will be eliminated from contention for the No. 8 seed with a loss or a PHI win