Below is a comprehensive snapshot of where things stand in the Western Conference playoff and play-in races entering play on Tuesday (no games Monday). This post will be updated throughout the remainder of the regular season or until all seeds are clinched.
Reminder on how the play-in tournament works: No. 7 plays No. 8 and No. 9 plays No. 10. The winner of the 7-8 game gets the No. 7 seed, while the loser plays the winner of the 9-10 game for the No. 8 seed.
READ: Eastern Conference playoff picture
NOTE: Our SportsLine model, developed by predictive data engineer Stephen Oh, simulates the entire season 10,000 times to produce the most unbiased and precise projections imaginable.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
1. Denver Nuggets (52-26)
- 🔒Clinched top-two seed
- Remaining schedule: at Rockets, at Suns, at Jazz, vs. Kings
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Current first-round matchup: TBD
- Tiebreaker vs. Memphis: Nuggets have clinched
2. Memphis Grizzlies (49-29)
- 🔒Clinched top-three seed
- Remaining schedule: vs. Blazers, at Pelicans, at Bucks, at Thunder
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Current first-round matchup: vs. Lakers-Pelicans play-in winner
- Tiebreaker vs. Denver: Nuggets have clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Sacramento: Kings currently own via conference record
3. Sacramento Kings (47-31)
- 🔒Clinched top-four seed
- Remaining schedule: at Pelicans, at Mavericks, vs. Warriors, at Nuggets
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Current first-round matchup: vs. Warriors
- Tiebreaker vs. Denver: Tied 1-1 with one to play
- Tiebreaker vs. Memphis: Kings currently own via conference win percentage
- Tiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Kings own via division leader
4. Phoenix Suns (43-35)
- Remaining schedule: vs. Spurs, vs. Nuggets, at Lakers, at Clippers
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Current first-round matchup: vs. Clippers
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Tiebreaker vs. Sacramento: Kings own via division leader
- Tiebreaker vs. Golden State: Suns clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Timberwolves: Suns clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: Suns lead 2-1 with one to play
- Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Suns lead 2-1 with one to play
5. Los Angeles Clippers (41-38)
- Remaining schedule: vs. Lakers, vs. Blazers, at Suns
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Current first-round matchup: at Suns
- Tiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Suns lead 2-1 with one to play
- Tiebreaker vs. Golden State: Clippers lead via division win percentage
- Tiebreaker vs. Minnesota: Wolves clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Pelicans clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Clippers clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Oklahoma City: Thunder clinched
6. Golden State Warriors (41-38)
- Remaining schedule: vs. Thunder, at Kings, at Blazers
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Current first-round matchup: at Kings
- Tiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Suns have clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Minnesota: Wolves currently lead via conference win percentage
- Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: Clippers lead via division win percentage
- Tiebreaker vs. Oklahoma City: Warriors lead 2-1 with one to play
- Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Lakers clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Warriors lead via conference win percentage
PLAY-IN TOURNAMENT
7. Los Angeles Lakers (40-38)
- Remaining schedule: at Jazz, at Clippers, vs. Suns, vs. Jazz
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Current first-round matchup: vs. Pelicans (play-in)
- Tiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Suns lead 2-1 with one to play
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Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: Clippers clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Golden State: Lakers clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Minnesota: Wolves clinched
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Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Lakers clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Utah: Jazz lead 2-0 with two to play
- Tiebreaker vs. Oklahoma City: Lakers clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Dallas: Mavericks clinched
8. New Orleans Pelicans (40-38)
- Remaining schedule: vs. Kings, vs. Grizzlies, vs. Knicks, at Timberwolves
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Current first-round matchup: at Lakers (play-in)
- Tiebreaker vs. Golden State: Warriors lead via conference win percentage
- Tiebreaker vs. Minnesota: Tied 1-1 with one to play
- Tiebreaker vs. Dallas: Pelicans currently own via division record
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Tiebreaker vs. Utah: Jazz clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Lakers clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: Pelicans clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Oklahoma City: Pelicans clinched
9. Minnesota Timberwolves (39-40)
- Remaining schedule: at Nets, at Spurs, vs. Pelicans
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Current first-round matchup: vs. Thunder (play-in)
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Tiebreaker vs. Golden State: Wolves currently lead via conference win percentage
- Tiebreaker vs. Dallas: Wolves clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: Wolves clinched
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Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Tied 1-1 with one to play
- Tiebreaker vs. Utah: Wolves currently own via division record
- Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Wolves clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Oklahoma City: Wolves clinched
10. Oklahoma City Thunder (38-41)
- Remaining schedule: at Warriors, at Jazz, vs. Grizzlies
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Current first-round matchup: at Timberwolves (play-in)
- Tiebreaker vs. Warriors: Warriors lead 2-1 with one to play
- Tiebreaker vs. Dallas: Thunder clinched
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Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Pelicans clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Utah: Thunder lead 2-1 with one to play
- Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Lakers clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Minnesota: Wolves clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: Thunder clinched
OUTSIDE LOOKING IN
11. Dallas Mavericks (37-42)
- Remaining schedule: vs. Kings, vs. Bulls, vs. Spurs
- Tiebreaker vs. Oklahoma City: Thunder clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Minnesota: Wolves clinched
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Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Pelicans currently own via division record
- Tiebreaker vs. Utah: Mavericks clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Mavericks clinched
12. Utah Jazz (36-42)
- Remaining schedule: vs. Lakers, vs. Thunder, vs. Nuggets, at Lakers
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Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Jazz clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Jazz lead 2-0 with two to play
- Tiebreaker vs. Oklahoma City: Thunder lead 2-1 with one to play
- Tiebreaker vs. Dallas: Mavericks clinched