Adam Pantozzi
The Los Angeles Lakers held off the Orlando Magic on Sunday to stay above the play-in line within the No. 10 spot. Had the Lakers misplaced, they’d’ve fallen to No. 12 within the West. There is not any margin for error with simply two video games within the loss column separating the No. 6 Mavericks and No. 12 Pelicans.
Speaking of no room for error, the No. 7 Warriors, who cannot win a recreation on the street to avoid wasting their life, are tied within the loss column with the No. 11 Jazz and only one up on the No. 12 Pelicans with two video games remaining on this street journey. The ultimate recreation of that journey is towards No. 6 Dallas, which leads Golden State by one within the loss column.
That recreation can even resolve the season tiebreaker between Dallas and Golden State.
Below is a complete snapshot of the place issues stand within the Western Conference playoff and play-in races getting into play on Sunday. 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 match 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: Eastern Conference playoff image
NOTE: Our SportsLine mannequin, developed by predictive information engineer Stephen Oh, simulates the whole season 10,000 occasions to provide essentially the most unbiased and exact projections possible.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Projected seed: 1Current first-round matchup: TBDTiebreaker vs. Memphis: Nuggets have clinchedTiebreaker vs. Sacramento: Season sequence tied 1-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Nuggets lead season sequence 2-0 with two to playProjected seed: 3Current first-round matchup: Winner of Warriors-Timberwolves play-inTiebreaker vs. Denver: Tied 1-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Memphis: Kings presently personal by way of convention win proportion Tiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Suns lead 2-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Golden State: Warriors lead 2-1 with one to playProjected seed: 2Current first-round matchup: vs. MavericksTiebreaker vs. Denver: Nuggets have clinchedTiebreaker vs. Sacramento: Kings presently personal by way of convention documentTiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Grizzlies personal by way of division chief
4. Phoenix Suns (38-33)
Projected seed: 4Current first-round matchup: vs. ClippersTiebreaker vs. Memphis: Grizzlies personal by way of division chiefTiebreaker vs. Sacramento: Phoenix leads 2-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Golden State: Suns have clinched Tiebreaker vs. Timberwolves: Suns lead 2-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Dallas: Suns presently personal by way of convention win proportionTiebreaker vs. Clippers: Suns lead 2-1 with one to play
5. Los Angeles Clippers (38-34)
Projected seed: 5Current first-round matchup: at SunsTiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Suns lead 2-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Golden State: Clippers lead by way of division win proportionTiebreaker vs. Timberwolves: Wolves clinched Tiebreaker vs. Dallas: Mavericks presently personal by way of convention documentTiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Pelicans lead 1-0 with two to play
Tiebreaker vs. Utah: Jazz clinchedTiebreaker vs. Lakers: Clippers clinched
6. Dallas Mavericks (36-35)
Projected seed: 7Current first-round matchup: at GrizzliesTiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Suns owns by way of convention win proportionTiebreaker vs. Golden State: Tied 1-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Timberwolves: Wolves clinched Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: Dallas presently owns by way of convention documentTiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Dallas leads 2-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Utah: Dallas leads 2-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Lakers: Mavericks clinched
Play-In Tournament
7. Golden State Warriors (36-36)
Projected seed: 6Current first-round matchup: vs. Timberwolves (Play-in)Tiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Suns have clinched Tiebreaker vs. Timberwolves: Warriors lead 2-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Dallas: Tied 1-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Clippers: Clippers lead by way of division win proportionTiebreaker vs. Lakers: Lakers clinchedTiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Pelicans lead 2-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Utah: Warriors clinchedProjected seed: 10Current first-round matchup: vs. Lakers (play-in)Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Pelicans clinched
Tiebreaker vs. Utah: OKC leads 2-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Lakers: Tied 1-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Portland: OKC clinched
9. Minnesota Timberwolves (35-37)
Projected seed: 9Current first-round matchup: at Warriors (play-in)Tiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Suns lead 2-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Golden State: Warriors lead 2-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Dallas: Wolves clinched Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: Wolves clinchedTiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Tied 1-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Utah: Wolves presently personal by way of division documentTiebreaker vs. Lakers: Wolves clinched
10. Los Angeles Lakers (35-37)
Projected seed: 8Current first-round matchup: at Thunder (play-in)Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: Clippers clinchedTiebreaker vs. Warriors: Lakers clinchedTiebreaker vs. Timberwolves: Wolves clinchedTiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Lakers clinched
Tiebreaker vs. Utah: Jazz lead 2-0 with two to playTiebreaker vs. OKC: Tied 1-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Portland: Blazers presently personal by way of convention win proportion
Outside Looking In
11. Utah Jazz (34-36)
Projected seed: LotteryTiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Jazz Clinched
Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Jazz lead 2-0 with two to playTiebreaker vs. OKC: Thunder lead 2-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Portland: Blazers lead 2-1 with one to play
12. New Orleans Pelicans (34-37)
Projected seed: LotteryTiebreaker vs. Golden State: Pelicans lead 2-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Timberwolves: Tied 1-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Dallas: Mavericks lead 2-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Utah: Jazz clinched
Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Lakers clinchedTiebreaker vs. OKC: Pelicans clinchedTiebreaker vs. Portland: Pelicans clinchedProjected seed: LotteryTiebreaker vs. Utah: Blazers lead 2-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Blazers presently personal by way of convention win proportionTiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Pelicans clinchedTiebreaker vs. OKC: Thunder clinched
