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NBA Playoff Picture: Pelicans-Kings has high stakes, plus a big showdown in the East

Ben Rohrbach
·Senior NBA writer
·4-min read

The NBA playoff picture will come into clearer view each day between now and the end of the regular season on Sunday. In the meantime, we will provide detailed daily updates on the landscape, including magic numbers, relevant tiebreakers and the stakes for every day's slate of games.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

1. Denver Nuggets (56-24)

Clinched playoff berth

  • Net rating: 5.4

  • Magic number for No. 1 seed: 2

  • Remaining schedule: @SAS, @MEM

  • Highest possible finish: No. 1 seed (clinched no lower than No. 3)

  • No relevant tiebreakers

2. Minnesota Timberwolves (55-25)

Clinched playoff berth

  • Net rating: 6.6

  • Magic number for top-two seed: 2

  • Remaining schedule: ATL, PHX

  • Highest possible finish: No. 1 seed (clinched no lower than No. 3)

  • Own tiebreakers against: Nuggets

3. Oklahoma City Thunder (55-25)

Clinched playoff berth

  • Net rating: 6.6

  • Magic number for top-two seed: Do not control destiny

  • Remaining schedule: MIL, DAL

  • Highest possible finish: No. 1 seed (clinched no lower than No. 3)

  • Own tiebreakers against: Nuggets

4. Los Angeles Clippers (51-29)

Clinched playoff berth

5. Dallas Mavericks (50-30)

Clinched playoff berth

  • Net rating: 3.0

  • Magic number for No. 4 seed: Do not control destiny

  • Remaining schedule: DET, @OKC

  • Highest possible finish: No. 4 seed (clinched no lower than No. 5)

  • No relevant tiebreakers

6. New Orleans Pelicans (47-32)

7. Phoenix Suns (47-33)

  • Net rating: 3.0

  • Magic number for top-eight seed: 1

  • Remaining schedule: @SAC, @MIN

  • Highest possible finish: No. 6 seed (clinched no lower than No. 9)

  • Own tiebreakers against: Pelicans, Warriors

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 12: Domantas Sabonis #10, De'Aaron Fox #5, and Malik Monk #0 of the Sacramento Kings look on against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on January 12, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
The Sacramento Kings could be eliminated from a guaranteed playoff berth. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) (Mitchell Leff via Getty Images)

8. Sacramento Kings (45-34)

9. Los Angeles Lakers (45-35)

  • Net rating: 0.4

  • Magic number for No. 9 seed: Do not control destiny

  • Remaining schedule: @MEM, @NOP

  • Highest possible finish: No. 7 seed

  • Own tiebreakers against: Suns

10. Golden State Warriors (44-35)

  • Net rating: 2.4

  • Magic number for No. 9 seed: 3

  • Remaining schedule: @POR, NOP, UTA

  • Highest possible finish: No. 7 seed

  • Own tiebreakers against: Lakers

Thursday's games of consequence (all times Eastern)

Warriors at Blazers (10 p.m.)

  • GSW will be eliminated from contention for a top-eight seed with a loss and a SAC win

Pelicans at Kings (10 p.m., TNT)

  • NOP clinches at least a top-seven seed with a win

  • SAC will be eliminated from contention for a guaranteed playoff berth with a loss

  • PHX clinches at least a top-eight seed with a SAC loss

EASTERN CONFERENCE

1. Boston Celtics (62-17)

Clinched No. 1 seed and first-round playoff series vs. No. 8 seed (determined by play-in tournament)

2. Milwaukee Bucks (49-31)

Clinched playoff berth

  • Net rating: 3.2

  • Magic number for No. 2 seed: 1

  • Remaining schedule: @OKC, @ORL

  • Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed (clinched no lower than No. 4)

  • Own tiebreakers against: Knicks

3. New York Knicks (47-32)

Clinched playoff berth

4. Cleveland Cavaliers (47-33)

  • Net rating: 2.6

  • Magic number for playoff berth: 1

  • Remaining schedule: IND, CHA

  • Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed (clinched no lower than No. 7)

  • Own tiebreakers against: Heat

5. Orlando Magic (46-34)

  • Net rating: 2.0

  • Magic number for playoff berth: 2

  • Remaining schedule: @PHI, MIL

  • Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed (clinched no lower than No. 8)

  • Own tiebreakers against: Knicks, Pacers

6. Indiana Pacers (46-34)

  • Net rating: 2.6

  • Magic number for playoff berth: 1

  • Remaining schedule: @CLE, ATL

  • Highest possible finish: No. 3 seed (clinched no lower than No. 8)

  • Own tiebreakers against: Bucks, Knicks, 76ers, Heat

7. Philadelphia 76ers (45-35)

  • Net rating: 2.8

  • Magic number for playoff berth: Do not control destiny

  • Remaining schedule: ORL, BKN

  • Highest possible finish: No. 5 seed (clinched no lower than No. 8)

  • Own tiebreakers against: Magic

8. Miami Heat (44-36)

  • Net rating: 1.4

  • Magic number for playoff berth: Do not control destiny

  • Remaining schedule: TOR, TOR

  • Highest possible finish: No. 5 seed (clinched no lower than No. 8)

  • Own tiebreakers against: Cavaliers, Magic

9. Chicago Bulls (37-42)

Clinched play-in berth

10. Atlanta Hawks (36-44)

Clinched play-in berth

  • Net rating: -1.6

  • Magic number for No. 9 seed: Do not control destiny

  • Remaining schedule: @MIN, @IND

  • Highest possible finish: No. 9 seed

  • No relevant tiebreakers

Thursday's games of consequence (all times Eastern)

Bulls at Pistons (7 p.m.)

  • With a win, CHI clinches the No. 9 seed and homecourt advantage against ATL in a play-in tournament elimination game

Knicks at Celtics (7:30 p.m., TNT)

  • NYK clinches at least a top-five seed with a win

  • NYK will be eliminated from contention for the No. 2 seed with a loss

  • MIL clinches at least a top-three seed with a NYK loss