The Sacramento Kings, who have not been to the playoffs since 2006, the NBA’s longest present drought, defeated the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday for his or her eighth win of their final 11 video games, and at the moment are only one sport again of the No. 2 Memphis Grizzlies.
Meanwhile, the Pelicans loss created a five-way tie on the backside of the Western Conference play-in race, starting with No. 9 Utah Jazz and ending with No. 13 Oklahoma City Thunder.
Below is a complete snapshot of the place issues stand within the Western Conference playoff and play-in races getting into play on Tuesday. This publish 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 sport will get the No. 7 seed, whereas the loser performs the winner of the 9-10 sport for the No. 8 seed.
READ: Eastern Conference playoff image
NOTE: Our SportsLine mannequin, developed by predictive knowledge engineer Stephen Oh, simulates your complete season 10,000 occasions to supply essentially the most unbiased and exact projections conceivable.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
The Nuggets must go within the absolute tank to blow the No. 1 seed. With 17 video games to play, they maintain an efficient seven-game lead over the No. 2 Grizzlies with the tiebreaker secured.
Projected seed: 1Current first-round matchup: TBDTiebreaker vs. Memphis: Denver has clinchedTiebreaker vs. Sacramento: Season sequence tied 1-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Denver leads season sequence 2-0 with two to play
2. Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis’ seed feels tenuous now that Ja Morant is out indefinitely. With 19 video games to play, the Grizzlies lead the No. 3 Kings by one within the loss column and the No. 4 Suns by 4. Looking on the brilliant aspect, Memphis has the league’s best remaining schedule.
Projected seed: 2Current first-round matchup: Winner of Mavericks/Clippers play-inTiebreaker vs. Denver: Nuggets have clinchedTiebreaker vs. Sacramento: Kings at the moment personal by way of convention documentTiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Grizzlies personal by way of division chief
3. Sacramento Kings
The Kings have received eight of their final 11 and path the No. 2 Grizzlies by only one within the loss column. At current, in addition they personal the tiebreaker over Memphis with a better convention win share. The Kings maintain a three-game lead over the No. 4 Suns, however there are two head-to-head matchups remaining. Our SportsLine mannequin has the Suns finally passing Sacramento for the No. 3 seed.
Projected seed: 4Current first-round matchup: vs. TimberwolvesTiebreaker vs. Denver: Tied 1-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Memphis: Kings at the moment personal by way of convention document Tiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Suns lead 2-0 with two to playTiebreaker vs. Golden State: Warriors lead 2-1 with one to play
4. Phoenix Suns
The Suns are 3-0 for the reason that Durant commerce and have an important shot to cross the No. 3 Kings, whom they path by three video games with two head-to-head matchups left. The Suns lead the No. 5 Warriors by an efficient three video games with the tiebreaker secured.
Projected seed: 3Current first-round matchup: vs. WarriorsTiebreaker vs. Memphis: Grizzlies personal by way of division chiefTiebreaker vs. Sacramento: Phoenix leads 2-0 with two to playTiebreaker vs. Golden State: Suns have clinched Tiebreaker vs. Timberwolves: Suns lead 2-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Dallas: Suns at the moment personal by way of convention win shareTiebreaker vs. Clippers: Suns lead 2-1 with one to play
5. Golden State Warriors
The Warriors proceed to battle on the highway, falling to the Lakers with out LeBron James on Sunday in L.A. Still, they’ve received 5 of six and maintain a one-loss lead over the No. 6 Wolves and No. 7 Mavericks.
Projected seed: 5Current first-round matchup: vs. SunsTiebreaker 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: Warriors lead 2-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Pelicans lead 2-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Utah: Warriors clinched
6. Minnesota Timberwolves
The Wolves are tied within the loss column with No. 7 Dallas and only one up on the No. 8 Clippers and No. 9 Jazz. The excellent news is the Wolves personal the tiebreaker over each these groups, so the cushion is successfully two video games. The race to remain above the play-in line goes to be tight. SportsLine does not like Minnesota’s probabilities to take action.
Projected seed: 7Current first-round matchup: at KingsTiebreaker 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 at the moment personal by way of division documentTiebreaker vs. Lakers: Wolves clinched
PLAY-IN TOURNAMENT
7. Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks misplaced six of their final 10 to fall beneath the play-in line, tied within the loss column with the No. 6 Wolves, who personal the tiebreaker. Dallas trails No. 5 Golden State by only one sport however leads the No. 11 Lakers by simply two.
Projected seed: 8Current first-round matchup: vs. Clippers (play-in)Tiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Suns owns by way of convention win shareTiebreaker vs. Golden State: Tied 1-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Timberwolves: Wolves clinched Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: Dallas at the moment 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: Dallas leads 2-1 with one to play
8. Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers are two again of the No. 5 Warriors, one again of the No. 6 Wolves, and only one up on the No. 9 Pelicans, No. 10 Jazz and No. 11 Lakers. Our SportsLine mannequin likes them to rise above the play-in line.
Projected seed: 6Current first-round matchup: at Mavericks (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. Timberwolves: Wolves clinched Tiebreaker vs. Dallas: Mavericks at the moment 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
9. Utah Jazz
Utah has the identical 31-34 document because the No. 10 Blazers, No. 11 Lakers, No. 12 Pelicans and No. 13 Thunder. In tiebreaker eventualities that contain three or extra groups, the nod, so as, goes to the crew with the perfect head-to-head document in opposition to all groups concerned. At the second, the Jazz are tops in that situation.
Projected seed: LotteryCurrent first-round matchup: vs. Blazers (play-in)Tiebreaker 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
The Blazers, in the meanwhile, transfer into the play-in subject by advantage of New Orleans’ loss to Sacramento on Monday. See Utah’s part for the reason on tiebreakers involving three or extra groups.
Projected seed: LotteryCurrent first-round matchup: at Jazz (play-in)Tiebreaker vs. Utah: Blazers lead 2-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Lakers: Blazers at the moment personal by way of convention win shareTiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Pelicans lead 2-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. OKC: Thunder clinched
OUTSIDE LOOKING IN
11. Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers have the identical 31-34 document because the No. 9 Jazz, No. 10 Blazers, No. 12 Pelicans and No. 13 Thunder. In tiebreaker eventualities that contain three or extra groups, the nod, so as, goes to the crew with the perfect head-to-head document in opposition to all groups concerned. At the second, that leaves the Lakers out of the play-in event.
Projected seed: 10Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Lakers lead 2-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Utah: Jazz lead 2-0 with two to playTiebreaker vs. OKC: Tied 1-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. Portland: Blazers at the moment personal by way of convention win share
12. New Orleans Pelicans
After dropping to the Kings on Monday, the Pelicans have the identical 31-34 document because the No. 9 Jazz, No. 10 Blazers, No. 11 Lakers and No. 13 Thunder. See the Lakers part above for a breakdown of how tiebreaker eventualities involving three or extra groups are sorted out.
Projected seed: 9Tiebreaker 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: Los Angeles leads 2-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. OKC: Pelicans clinchedTiebreaker vs. Portland: Pelicans lead 2-1 with one to play
13. Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder have the identical 31-34 document because the No. 9 Jazz, No. 10 Blazers, No. 11 Lakers and No. 12 Pelicans. See the Lakers part above for a breakdown of how tiebreaker eventualities involving three or extra groups are sorted out.
Projected seed: LotteryTiebreaker vs. No. 9 New Orleans: Pelicans clinched
Tiebreaker vs. No. 10 Utah: OKC leads 2-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. No. 11 Lakers: Tied 1-1 with one to playTiebreaker vs. No. 13 Portland: OKC clinched
