NBA
NBA playoffs and Play-in scenarios by team: Lakers, Warriors...
Only five of the 20 teams that will advance to the postseason have their spot: it’s all to play for as the season reaches its climax.
Basketball Sunday. NBA Sunday. The North American League closes out its regular phase this Sunday with a single day: all the franchises, all 30, play their last game in two different time slots.
Only the match between the San Antonio Spurs and the Detroit Pistons, in the second round, breaks with the norm, although it does not matter much: neither of the two franchises have anything at stake, with the Texans and the Michigan team in the bottom positions in the West and the East, respectively.
There are plenty of games and a lot at stake-. Of the 20 teams that will go to the postseason (12 directly to the playoffs and eight to the play´in), nine already have their ticket for the final rounds (four in the East and five in the West) and five their place for the play in: two in the East and three in the West.
Eastern Conference
Eastern Conference Standings:
1. Boston Celtics (63-18).
2. Milwaukee Bucks (49-32).
3. New York Knicks (49-32).
4. Cleveland Cavaliers (48-33).
5. Orlando Magic (46-35).
6. Indiana Pacers (46-35).
7. Philadelphia 76ers (46-35).
8. Miami Heat (45-36).
9. Chicago Bulls (39-42).
10. Atlanta Hawks (36-45).
Final day matches (East):
Boston – Washington.
Cleveland – Charlotte.
Indiana – Atlanta.
Miami – Toronto.
New York – Chicago.
Orlando – Milwaukee.
Philadelphia – Brooklyn.
What are the potential outcomes for the East?
First place:
Boston Celtics (63-18).
Second place:
Milwaukee Bucks (49-32), New York Knicks (49-32) or Cleveland Cavaliers (48-33).
- Milwaukee will finish second if they beat Orlando.
- The Knicks finish second if they beat Chicago and the Magic defeat the Bucks.
- The Cavaliers will move up to second place if they beat Charlotte and both the Knicks and Bucks lose.
Third place:
Milwaukee Bucks (49-32), New York Knicks (49-32) or Cleveland Cavaliers (48-33).
- Milwaukee will drop to third place if the Cavs also lose and the Knicks win.
- New York would finish third if they and the Bucks both win.
- If Cleveland and New York win but Milwaukee lose, the Cavs will finish in third.
Fourth place:
Milwaukee Bucks (49-32), New York Knicks (49-32) or Cleveland Cavaliers (48-33).
- The Bucks will drop to fourth place if they lose and both the Knicks and Cavs win.
- New York will finish the season in fourth place if they lose, and Milwaukee and Cleveland both win.
- The Cavs will occupy fourth place if they lose. They will also finish fourth if they win and as well as both the Bucks and Knicks.
Fifth place:
Orlando Magic (46-35), Indiana Pacers (46-35) and Philadelphia 76ers (46-35).
- Orlando will maintain fifth position if they win against the Bucks.
- Indiana will rise to fifth place if they win and the Magic do not.
- The Sixers must win and hope for both the Pacers and Orlando to stumble.
Sixth place:
Orlando Magic (46-35), Indiana Pacers (46-35) and Philadelphia 76ers (46-35).
- The Pacers will maintain their position if they win.
- The Sixers will leave the play in behind if they win and Indiana and Orlando lose.
Seventh place:
Philadelphia 76ers (46-35) and Miami Heat (45-36).
- The Sixers will hold the position if they win along with Orlando and Indiana.
- Miami will move up one spot if it beats Toronto; the Sixers and Pacers do the same and the Magic lose.
Eighth place:
Philadelphia 76ers (46-35) and Miami Heat (45-36).
- The Heat will close the regular phase as eighth if they lose or also if they defeat the Raptors and Orlando, Sixers and Pacers do not lose.
Western Conference
Western Conference Standings:
1. Oklahoma City Thunder (56-25).
2. Minnesota Timberwolves (56-25).
3. Denver Nuggets (56-25).
4. Los Angeles Clippers (51-30).
5. Dallas Mavericks (50-31).
6. New Orleans Pelicans (49-32).
7. Phoenix Suns (48-33).
8. Los Angeles Lakers (46-35).
9. Sacramento Kings (45-36).
10. Golden State Warriors (45-36).
Final day matches (West):
Memphis – Denver.
Minnesota – Phoenix.
New Orleans – LA Lakers.
Oklahoma City – Dallas.
San Antonio – Detroit.
Golden State – Utah.
LA Clippers – Houston.
Sacramento – Portland.
What are the potential outcomes for the West?
For positions 1, 2 and 3:
Oklahoma City Thunder (56-25), Minnesota Timberwolves (56-25) and Denver Nuggets (56-25).
- Oklahoma first: if they win and so do the Nuggets, while the Wolves lose. Denver will be second and Minnesota, third.
- Minnesota first: if they win and so do the Thunder while the Nuggets lose. OKC will be second and Denver, third. They will also finish top if they and the Nuggets win and Oklahoma lose. In that case, Denver will be second and OKC, third.
- Denver first: if they win and their two rivals lose.
For 6th and 7th place:
New Orleans Pelicans (49-32) and Phoenix Suns (48-33).
- Pelicans sixth: if they win. Also if Phoenix lose.
- Suns: sixth: if they win and New Orleans lose.
Eighth place:
Los Angeles Lakers (46-35), Sacramento Kings (45-36) and Golden State Warriors (45-36).
- Lakers: if they win.
- Kings: if they win and the Lakers lose.
- Warriors: if they win while Lakers and Kings both lose.
Ninth place:
Los Angeles Lakers (46-35), Sacramento Kings (45-36) and Golden State Warriors (45-36).
- Lakers: if they lose and Kings or Warriors win.
- Kings: if they win.
- Warriors: if they win and the Lakers or Kings lose.
Tenth place:
Los Angeles Lakers (46-35), Sacramento Kings (45-36) and Golden State Warriors (45-36).
- Lakers: if they lose and Kings and Warriors win.
- Kings: if they lose and Golden State win.
- Warriors: if everyone else wins.
However, only five teams have secured their position before the start of the day. Boston Celtics will close the regular phase out as the leader of the East, while the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks will finish 9th and 10th in that same Conference and will face each other in the play in.
On the other side of the divide, in the West, only The Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks have nothing at stake: they will be 4th and 5th and they will face each other in the first round of the playoffs with the California side having a home advantage. The rest will be decided this Sunday.