NBA Playoff Picture: One night remains with so much left to decide
The final day of the NBA regular season is upon us, nearly six months since the San Antonio Spurs received their 2014 title rings on opening night. However, we’re not especially close to figuring out the eight first-round playoff series set to begin this weekend. Only one matchup has been set — the East’s No. 2 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. the No. 7 Boston Celtics, who beat the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night to clinch that seed.
As such, Wednesday’s 14-game slate involves many different seeding scenarios dependent on a number of possible results. It’s easiest to break things down by conference first and team second, so let’s start with the East, where things are a little easier to follow.
The Indiana Pacers’ 99-95 double-overtime win over the Washington Wizards eliminated the Miami Heat from contention, leaving just two teams to fight for the conference’s final playoff berth. The possible seeds break down like this, with the team currently in that spot listed first:
1. Atlanta Hawks
2. Cleveland Cavaliers
3. Chicago Bulls or Toronto Raptors
4. Toronto Raptors or Chicago Bulls
5. Washington Wizards
6. Milwaukee Bucks
7. Boston Celtics
8. Indiana Pacers or Brooklyn Nets
And here’s how each team will end up in each spot, along with its current record and Wednesday opponent:
Chicago Bulls: 49-32, vs. Hawks 8:00 p.m. ET
– No. 3 if they beat the Hawks OR the Raptors lose to the Charlotte Hornets
– No. 4 if they lose to the Hawks AND the Raptors beat the Hornets
Toronto Raptors: 48-33, vs. Hornets 7:00 p.m. ET
– No. 3 if they beat the Hornets AND the Bulls lose to the Hawks
– No. 4 if they lose to the Hornets OR the Bulls beat the Hawks
Indiana Pacers: 38-43, at Memphis Grizzlies 9:30 p.m. ET
– No. 8 if they beat the Grizzlies OR the Nets lose to the Orlando Magic
– Eliminated if they lose to the Grizzlies AND the Nets beat the Magic
Brooklyn Nets: 37-44, vs. Orlando Magic 8:00 p.m. ET
– No. 8 if they beat the Magic AND the Pacers lose to the Grizzlies
– Eliminated if they lose to the Magic OR the Pacers beat the Grizzlies
The West is significantly more complicated. While the Los Angeles Clippers 112-101 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night finishes their regular season and ensures that they cannot finish lower than the No. 3 seed, the San Antonio Spurs or Houston Rockets could still take the No. 2 seed or even fall all the way down to No. 6. There is also one playoff berth yet to be determined. It’s a little tough to follow, but the basic breakdown looks like this:
1. Golden State Warriors
2. Los Angeles Clippers, San Antonio Spurs, or Houston Rockets
3. San Antonio Spurs or Los Angeles Clippers
4. Portland Trail Blazers (will not have homecourt advantage in first round)
5. Houston Rockets, Memphis Grizzlies, or San Antonio Spurs
6. Memphis Grizzlies, Houston Rockets, or San Antonio Spurs
7. Dallas Mavericks
8. New Orleans Pelicans or Oklahoma City Thunder
So how are we going to figure out which team goes where? Let us guide you:
Los Angeles Clippers: 56-26, already finished season
– No. 2 if the Spurs lose to the Pelicans AND the Rockets lose to the Utah Jazz
– No. 3 if the Spurs beat the Pelicans OR the Rockets beat the Jazz
San Antonio Spurs: 55-26, at Pelicans 8:00 p.m. ET
– No. 2 if they beat the Pelicans
– No. 3 if they lose to the Pelicans AND the Rockets lose to the Jazz
– No. 5 if they lose to the Pelicans AND the Rockets beat the Jazz AND the Grizzlies lose to the Pacers
– No. 6 if they lose to the Pelicans AND the Rockets beat the Jazz AND the Grizzlies beat the Pacers
Houston Rockets: 55-26, vs. Jazz 8:00 p.m. ET
– No. 2 if they beat the Jazz AND the Spurs lose to the Pelicans
– No. 5 if they beat the Jazz AND the Spurs beat the Pelicans; OR if they lose to the Jazz AND the Grizzlies lose to the Pacers
– No. 6 if they lose to the Jazz AND the Grizzlies beat the Pacers
Memphis Grizzlies: 54-27, vs. Pacers 9:30 p.m. ET
– No. 5 if they beat the Pacers AND the Rockets lose to the Jazz; OR if they beat the Pacers AND the Rockets beat the Jazz AND the Spurs lose to the Pelicans
– No. 6 if they lose to the Pacers; OR if they beat the Pacers AND the Rockets beat the Jazz AND the Spurs beat the Pelicans
New Orleans Pelicans: 44-37, vs. Spurs 8:00 p.m. ET
– No. 8 if they beat the Spurs OR the Thunder lose to the Minnesota Timberwolves
– Eliminated if they lose to the Spurs AND the Thunder beat the Timberwolves
Oklahoma City Thunder: 44-37, at Timberwolves 8:00 p.m. ET
– No. 8 if they beat the Timberwolves AND the Pelicans lose to the Spurs
– Eliminated if they lose to the Timberwolves OR the Pelicans beat the Spurs
The math gets a lot easier after Wednesday — first to four wins moves on to the next round, and whichever squad fails goes on vacation. Get excited, everybody. The playoffs are almost here.
– – – – – – –
Eric Freeman is a writer for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
