NBA
The tiebreaker between the Lakers, Warriors, Suns, Kings and Pelicans explained: Who has the advantage?
The Pelicans will fight it out with the Suns for the final playoff place, with the Kings, Warriors and Lakers set for the play-in round.
The New Orleans Pelicans took a big step towards clinching a place in the Western Conference 2024 NBA playoffs thanks to Thursday’s 135-123 victory over the Sacramento Kings, one of the teams who had been hoping to overtake them before the end of the season. CJ McCollum and Zion Williamson bagged 31 points each, with Trey Murphy III contributing another 27 as the Pelicans sent the Kings to the play-in round.
2024 NBA Western Conference standings
| Team | Record | Games Remaining |
|---|---|---|
| New Orleans Pelicans | 48-32 | @GS, vs. LAL |
| Phoenix Suns | 47-33 (1GB) | @SAC, @MIN |
| Sacramento Kings | 45-35 (3GB) | vs. PHO, vs. POR |
| Golden State Warriors | 45-35 (3GB) | @NO, vs. UTA |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 45-35 (3GB) | @MEM, @NO |
Pelicans or Suns to take playoff place: who holds the tiebreaker?
With only two games for each team left to play in the regular season, the sixth and final playoff spot will be taken by either New Orleans or the Phoenix Suns. The Pelicans visit the Golden State Warriors and then host the LA Lakers, while the Suns are at both the Kings and the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Should Willie Green’s team win both games, they will finish sixth, no questions asked. However, one victory will not be enough unless the Phoenix fail to win their main two encounters. Crucially, the Suns have the tiebreaker over New Orleans across the season, winning the series 2-1.
Kings, Warriors and Lakers playing for position ahead of play-in round
Despite their win against the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday, the Warriors now know they will feature in the play-in round along with the Kings and the Lakers. Either the Pelicans or the Suns will join them.
Defeating the Kings means the Pelicans are guaranteed to finish no lower than seventh, while Phoenix need one win from their last two games to also ensure that.
The Kings, Warriors and Lakers have identical records across the season, which means a tiebreaker could well be needed to decide in which position they finish, and which play-in game they qualify for.
Kings, Warriors and Lakers tiebreakers
Kings - Warriors: the Kings hold the tiebreaker
Kings - Lakers: the Kings hold the tiebreaker
Warriors - Lakers: the Warriors hold the tiebreaker
If there is a three-way tie, which is entirely possible with only two games left, the following rules apply:
- Division leaders win ties
- Which of the three teams has the best winning percentage in all games?
- If all teams are in the same division, the division won-lost percentage is considered.
- Conference won-lost percentage
- Which of the teams has the better winning percentage against teams eligible for the playoffs in the same conference?
- Point differential
Neither the Warriors nor the Lakers can match the Kings’ division record (point 3), which means they will also finish ahead of the other two contenders if there is a three-way tie.
When is the 2023/24 NBA play-in tournament?
The 2023/24 NBA play-in tournament will take place between Tuesday 16 and Friday 19 April. The playoffs themselves get underway on Saturday 20 April.
The tournament works as follows, as described by the NBA itself:
“Each conference’s No. 7 team in the standings will host the No. 8 team. The winners secure the No. 7 seed in the playoffs. The losers will get another chance to earn a playoff spot.
Each conference’s No. 9 team in the standings will host the No. 10 team. The winners will advance to the final stage of the Play-In Tournament. The losers are eliminated.
The losers of the No. 7 vs. No. 8 matchups will host the winners of the No. 9 vs. No. 10 matchups. The winners secure the No. 8 seed in the NBA playoffs for its conference. The losing teams are eliminated.”