The NBA regular season concludes today with all 30 teams taking the court, but the postseason picture in the Western Conference is far from settled.
While the top three seeds are locked in, seven Western Conference teams are still fighting for position. With seeds 4 through 10 up for grabs, Sunday’s games will determine who secures a guaranteed playoff spot and who will be forced into the Play-In Tournament.
Western Conference Overview
Locked In:
- 1. Oklahoma City Thunder (67-14)
- 2. Houston Rockets (52-29)
- 3. Los Angeles Lakers (50-31)
These three teams have clinched their playoff positions and are awaiting final matchups.
Still to Be Determined: Seeds 4-10
Four teams — Denver, LA Clippers, Golden State, and Minnesota — are vying for the final three guaranteed playoff spots (seeds 4-6). The remaining teams will be relegated to the Play-In Tournament.
Teams and What’s at Stake:
- Denver Nuggets (49-32)
- Can finish as high as 4th or as low as 7th
- Clinch a playoff spot with a win or a loss by either Minnesota or Golden State
- Facing: Houston Rockets
- LA Clippers (49-32)
- Can finish 4th, 5th, or 7th
- Clinch with a win or a loss by Denver or Minnesota
- Facing: Golden State Warriors
- Golden State Warriors (48-33)
- Can finish 6th or 7th
- Clinch with a win or if Minnesota loses
- Facing: LA Clippers
- Minnesota Timberwolves (48-33)
- Can finish anywhere from 4th to 8th
- Clinch with a win
- Facing: Utah Jazz
- Memphis Grizzlies (47-34)
- Can move up to 7th with a win and a Minnesota loss
- Otherwise will remain in the 8th seed
- Facing: Dallas Mavericks
- Sacramento Kings (39-42)
- Can lock the 9th seed with a win or a Dallas loss
- Hold the tiebreaker over Dallas
- Facing: Phoenix Suns
- Dallas Mavericks (39-42)
- Can move up to 9th only with a win and a Sacramento loss
- Otherwise will remain 10th
- Facing: Memphis Grizzlies
These matchups will determine the final order in the Western Conference and set the full playoff and Play-In brackets.
Eastern Conference
The East is already settled in terms of seeding. The top six teams have locked in their playoff spots:
- Cleveland Cavaliers
- Boston Celtics
- New York Knicks
- Indiana Pacers
- Milwaukee Bucks
- Detroit Pistons
The Play-In matchups are also set:
- Orlando Magic (7) vs. Atlanta Hawks (8)
- Chicago Bulls (9) vs. Miami Heat (10)
Looking Ahead
By the end of Sunday, all postseason seeds will be finalized. With multiple Western Conference teams just one result away from a major shift in standings, today promises to be one of the most consequential and competitive days of the season.
The NBA Playoffs officially begin next week, with Play-In games kicking off the action.
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