The NBA playoff picture will come into clearer view each day between now and the end of the regular season on April 12. In the meantime, we will provide detailed daily updates on the landscape, including magic numbers, remaining schedules and the stakes for every day’s slate of games. For those teams not in the postseason hunt, we also break down the “race” for pole position in the upcoming NBA Draft lottery.

Jump to: Eastern Conference • Western Conference

CURRENT PLAY-IN BRACKETEastern Conference

(7) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (8) Orlando Magic
(9) Charlotte Hornets vs. (10) Miami Heat

Advertisement

Western Conference

(7) Phoenix Suns vs. (8) LA Clippers
(9) Portland Trail Blazers vs. (10) Golden State Warriors

CURRENT PLAYOFF BRACKETEastern Conference

(1) Detroit Pistons vs. (8) play-in winner
(2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) play-In winner
(3) New York Knicks vs. (6) Toronto Raptors
(4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks

Western Conference

(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (8) play-In winner
(2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (7) play-In winner
(3) Denver Nuggets vs. (6) Minnesota Timberwolves
(4) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (5) Houston Rockets

EASTERN CONFERENCE RACE

In the Eastern Conference, the Detroit Pistons have locked up the No. 1 seed, and the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers appear bound for the next three seeds, in some order, and home-court advantage in the opening round.

Advertisement

Who, exactly, those four teams will play in the opening round is still up for grabs, as just two losses separate the sixth seed from the ninth seed. The Atlanta Hawks, Toronto Raptors, Philadelphia 76ers, Charlotte Hornets, Orlando Magic and Miami Heat are all jockeying for position in the final week of the season.

Playoff-bound, seeding locked

Record: 57-22 | Net rating: 8.3 (3rd)

Clinched No. 1 seed and Central Division title

Remaining schedule: MIL, @CHA, @IND

What’s at stake: First-round matchup against No. 8 seed

Playoff-bound, seeding to be determined

Record: 54-25 | Net rating: 8.2 (4th)

Magic number for No. 2 seed: 1

Remaining schedule: @NYK, NOP, ORL

Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed

Lowest possible finish: No. 3 seed

What’s at stake: The No. 2 seed and home-court advantage in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Advertisement

Record: 51-28 | Net rating: 6.5 (5th)

Magic number for No. 3 seed: 2

Remaining schedule: BOS, TOR, CHA

Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed

Lowest possible finish: No.4 seed

What’s at stake: The No. 2 seed and home-court advantage in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Record: 50-29 | Net rating: 4.1 (9th)

Magic number for No. 4 seed: 1

Remaining schedule: ATL, @ATL, WAS

Highest possible finish: No. 3 seed

Lowest possible finish: No. 4 seed

What’s at stake: The No. 3 seed and home-court advantage in the first round.

Battling for guaranteed playoff spot

Record: 45-34 | Net rating: 2.5 (11th)

Magic number for No. 5 seed: 3

Remaining schedule: @CLE, CLE, @MIA

Highest possible finish: No. 5 seed

Lowest possible finish: No. 10 seed

What’s at stake: The No. 5 or 6 seed and a guaranteed playoff berth.

Record: 44-35 | Net rating: 2.2 (12th)

Magic number for No. 6 seed: 3

Remaining schedule: MIA, @NYK, BKN

Highest possible finish: No. 5 seed

Lowest possible finish: No. 9 seed

What’s at stake: The No. 5 or 6 seed and a guaranteed playoff berth.

Record: 43-36 | Net rating: -0.2 (18th)

Advertisement

Magic number for No. 7 seed: 3

Remaining schedule: @HOU, @IND, MIL

Highest possible finish: No. 5 seed

Lowest possible finish: No. 10 seed

What’s at stake: The No. 5 or 6 seed and a guaranteed playoff berth.

Record: 43-36 | Net rating: 0.0 (17th)

Magic number for No. 8 seed: 3

Remaining schedule: MIN, @CHI, @BOS

Highest possible finish: No. 5 seed

Lowest possible finish: No. 10 seed

What’s at stake: The No. 5 or 6 seed and a guaranteed playoff berth.

Record: 43-37 | Net rating: 5.3 (6th)

Magic number for No. 9 seed: 2

Remaining schedule: DET, @NYK

Highest possible finish: No. 5 seed

Lowest possible finish: No. 10 seed

What’s at stake: The No. 5 or 6 seed and a guaranteed playoff berth.

Play-in bound, seeding to be determined

Record: 41-38 | Net rating: 2.1 (13th)

Locked into play-in tournament

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

Remaining schedule: @TOR, @WAS, ATL

Highest possible finish: No. 7 seed

Lowest possible finish: No. 10 seed

What’s at stake: The No. 7 seed and home-court advantage in the play-in tournament.

Tuesday’s games of consequenceWednesday’s games of consequenceWESTERN CONFERENCE RACE

Out West, the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs are bound for the top two seeds, and OKC is on the brink of securing the league’s No. 1 overall seed.

Advertisement

The Los Angeles Lakers have slipped behind the Denver Nuggets for the West’s No. 3 seed. Only two losses separate the Lakers, Nuggets and Houston Rockets.

The Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors are locked into the West’s play-in tournament and the Phoenix Suns are close to joining them, likely as the No. 7 seed.

Playoff-bound, seeding to be determined

Record: 63-16 | Net rating: 11.6 (1st)

Clinched playoff berth and Northwest Division title

Remaining schedule: @LAC, @DEN, PHX

Highest possible finish: No. 1 seed

Lowest possible finish: No. 2 seed

What’s at stake: The No. 1 seed and home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.

Record: 60-19 | Net rating: 8.4 (2nd)

Clinched playoff berth and Southwest Division title

Magic number for No. 1 seed: Do not control own destiny

Remaining schedule: POR, DAL, DEN

Highest possible finish: No. 1 seed

Lowest possible finish: No. 2 seed

What’s at stake: The No. 1 seed and home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.

Advertisement

Record: 51-28 | Net rating: 4.8 (8th)

Magic number for No. 3 seed: Do not control own destiny

Magic number for No. 4 seed: 2

Remaining schedule: MEM, OKC, @SAS

Highest possible finish: No. 3 seed

Lowest possible finish: No. 5 seed

What’s at stake: The No. 3 seed and home-court advantage in the first round.

Record: 50-29 | Net rating: 1.2 (16th)

Clinched playoff berth and Pacific Division title

Magic number for No. 3 seed: 4

Magic number for No. 4 seed: 3

Remaining schedule: @GSW, PHX, UTA

Highest possible finish: No. 3 seed

Lowest possible finish: No. 5 seed

What’s at stake: The No. 3 seed and home-court advantage in the first round.

Record: 49-29 | Net rating: 5.0 (7th)

Magic number for No. 5 seed: 2

Remaining schedule: @PHX, PHI, MIN, MIN

Highest possible finish: No. 3 seed

Lowest possible finish: No. 6 seed

What’s at stake: The No. 4 seed and home-court advantage in the first round.

Battling for guaranteed playoff spot

Record: 47-32 | Net rating: 3.1 (10th)

Clinches playoff berth with Suns loss to Rockets

Magic number for No. 6 seed: 1

Remaining schedule: @ORL, @HOU, NOP

Highest possible finish: No. 5 seed

Lowest possible finish: No. 7 seed

What’s at stake: The No. 4 seed and home-court advantage in the first round.

Record: 43-35 | Net rating: 1.5 (14th)

Advertisement

Locked into play-in tournament with loss to Rockets

Magic number for No. 7 seed: 2

Remaining schedule: HOU, DAL, @LAL, @OKC

Highest possible finish: No. 6 seed

Lowest possible finish: No. 8 seed

What’s at stake: The No. 7 seed and home-court advantage against the No. 8 seed in their opening game of the play-in tournament.

Play-in bound, seeding to be determined

Record: 41-38 | Net rating: 1.5 (15th)

Magic number for No. 8 seed: 4

Remaining schedule: OKC, @POR, GSW

Highest possible finish: No. 7 seed

Lowest possible finish: No. 9 seed

What’s at stake: The No. 8 seed and two chances to secure a playoff berth.

Record: 40-39 | Net rating: -0.6 (20th)

Magic number for No. 8 seed: 4

Remaining schedule: @SAS, LAC, SAC

Highest possible finish: No. 8 seed

Lowest possible finish: No. 9 seed

What’s at stake: The No. 8 seed and two chances to secure a playoff berth.

Record: 37-42 | Net rating: -0.3 (19th)

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

Remaining schedule: LAL, @SAC, @LAC

Highest possible finish: No. 9 seed

Lowest possible finish: No. 10 seed

What’s at stake: The No. 9 seed and home-court advantage against the No. 10 seed in the play-in tournament.

Tuesday’s games of consequenceWednesday’s games of consequence