The Boston Celtics fell one other recreation again of the No. 1 seed on Monday with their third straight defeat, this time to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Celtics now path the top-seeded Bucks by three within the loss column with one head-to-head-matchup remaining.
With the playoff and play-in races heating up, beneath is a complete snapshot of the place issues stand within the Eastern Conference getting into play on Tuesday, March 7. This submit will replace every day all through the rest of the common season, or till all seeds are clinched.
Reminder on how the play-in event works: No. 7 performs No. 8 and No. 9 performs No. 10. The winner of the 7-8 recreation will get the No. 7 seed, whereas the loser performs the winner of the 9-10 recreation for the No. 8 seed.
READ: Western Conference playoff image
NOTE: Our SportsLine mannequin, developed by predictive knowledge engineer Stephen Oh, simulates the complete season 10,000 instances to supply probably the most unbiased and exact projections conceivable.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
The Bucks now maintain a three-game lead over the Celtics within the loss column. They play yet another time on March 30 with the season sequence tied 1-1. The Bucks lead No. 3 Philly by 4 within the loss column, which feels fairly secure with 18 to play.
Projected seed: 1Current first-round matchup: TBDTiebreaker vs. Boston: Tied 1-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Philadelphia: Sixers lead 2-1 with one to play
2. Boston Celtics
The Celtics have misplaced three straight, blowing a double-digit lead in every. Boston now trails No. 1 Milwaukee by three within the loss column and holds only a one-loss lead over No. 3 Philadelphia, although that lead is successfully two video games with Boston having cliched the tiebreaker over Philly. The Celtics must be secure to finish up no worse than third, as they lead the No. 4 Cavaliers by 5 within the loss column.
Projected seed: 2Current first-round matchup: Winner of Heat/Hawks play-inTiebreaker vs. Milwaukee: Tied 1-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Philadelphia: Boston clinchedTiebreaker vs. Cleveland: Cavs clinched
The Sixers path the No. 2 Celtics by only one within the loss column, however Boston has clinched the tiebreaker. They lead the No. 4 Cavs by 4 video games. At the second, the Sixers really feel like guess to remain at No. 3.
Projected seed: 3Current first-round matchup: vs. BrooklynTiebreaker vs. Milwaukee: Tied 1-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Philadelphia: Boston clinchedTiebreaker vs. Cleveland: Cavs lead 2-1 with one to play
4. Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavs are attempting to carry off the No. 5 Knicks, who’re only one recreation again within the loss column with one head-to-head matchup remaining. The Cavs additionally maintain only a two-game lead over the Nets with two extra head-to-head matchups remaining.
Projected seed: 4Current first-round matchup: vs. New YorkTiebreaker vs. Boston: Cavs clinchedTiebreaker vs. Philadelphia: Cavs lead 2-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. New York: Knicks lead 2-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Brooklyn: Nets lead 1-0 with two to play
5. New York Knicks
The Knicks have received 9 straight and sit only one again of the No. 4 Cavaliers. New York leads No. 6 Brooklyn by one. The Knicks maintain a four-game lead over the No. 7 Heat of their quest to remain above the play-in line, however take into account they play the Heat two extra instances.
Projected seed: 5Current first-round matchup: at ClevelandTiebreaker vs. Cleveland: Knicks lead 2-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Brooklyn: Knicks at present personal through division win share
Tiebreaker vs. Miami: Knicks lead 2-0 with two to play
6. Brooklyn Nets
The Nets are hanging robust since buying and selling Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. They maintain a three-loss lead over the No. 7 Heat to remain above the play-in line. They path the No. 5 Knicks by one and No. 4 Cavs by two within the loss column.
Projected seed: 6Current first-round matchup: at PhiladelphiaTiebreaker vs. Cleveland: Nets lead 1-0 with two to playTiebreaker vs. New York: Knicks at present personal through division win share
Tiebreaker vs. Miami: Nets lead 2-0 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Atlanta: Nets lead 2-1 with one to play
PLAY-IN TOURNAMENT
7. Miami Heat
Miami is three losses again of No. 6 Brooklyn with two matchups remaining, so there’s an actual probability to get above the play-in. At worst, they firmed up their spot on the No. 7 seed with a win over the Hawks on Monday, which sealed the tiebreaker over Atlanta, thus making Miami’s lead an efficient three video games.
Projected seed: 7Current first-round matchup: vs. Hawks (play-in)Tiebreaker vs. Brooklyn: Nets lead 2-0 with two to playTiebreaker vs. Atlanta: Miami clinched.
Tiebreaker vs. Toronto: Raptors lead 2-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Washington: Miami leads 2-1 with one to play
8. Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks fell to Miami on Monday to fall two video games again of the Heat, who additionally sealed the tiebreaker over Atlanta, making that lead successfully three video games.
Atlanta has to concentrate on staying within the No. 8 seed in order that they solely need to win on play-in recreation to advance. That’s going to get dicey. The Hawks are only one loss up on the No. 9 Raptors, although that lead is successfully two with Atlanta having secured the tiebreaker. Atlanta additionally holds only a one-loss lead over the No. 10 Wizards with three head-to-head matchups remaining.
Projected seed: 8Current first-round matchup: at Miami (play-in)Tiebreaker vs. Brooklyn: Nets lead 2-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Miami: Heat clinched
Tiebreaker vs. Toronto: Atlanta clinchedTiebreaker vs. Washington: Wizards lead 1-0 with three to playTiebreaker vs. Chicago: Bulls lead 2-1 with one to play
9. Toronto Raptors
After falling to Denver on Monday, the Raptors are one again of No. 8 Atlanta and one up on No. 10 Washington. As for staying above the lottery line, Toronto holds an efficient three-loss benefit over the No. 11 Bulls with the tiebreaker secured, and a three-loss lead over the No. 12 Pacers as nicely.
Projected seed: 10Current first-round matchup: vs. Wizards (play-in)Tiebreaker vs. Miami: Raptors lead 2-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Atlanta: Hawks clinchedTiebreaker vs. Washington: Tied 1-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Indiana: Pacers clinchedTiebreaker vs. Chicago: Raptors clinched
10. Washington Wizards
The Wizards are loss one again of No. 9 Toronto, two away from the No. 11 Bulls and three away from the No. 12 Pacers.
Projected seed: 9Current first-round matchup: at Toronto (play-in)Tiebreaker vs. Toronto: Tied 1-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Indiana: Pacers at present personal through convention win shareTiebreaker vs. Chicago: Bulls at present personal through convention win share
OUTSIDE LOOKING IN
11. Chicago Bulls
The Bulls are two again of the No. 10 Wizards and at present personal the tiebreaker. They are tied with the No. 11 Pacers however Indiana has sealed the tiebreaker.
Projected seed: LotteryTiebreaker vs. Washington: Bulls at present personal through convention win shareTiebreaker vs. Indiana: Pacers clinched
12. Indiana Pacers
The Pacers are two again of No. 10 Washington and at present personal the tiebreaker. They are tied with the No. 12 Bulls with the tiebreaker secured.
Projected seed: LotteryTiebreaker vs. Washington: Pacers at present personal through convention win shareTiebreaker vs. Chicago: Pacers clinched
