NBA’s last-day madness explained as FIVE teams locked in dramatic race to avoid play-in

After 81 video games and a prolonged marketing campaign, the NBA playoff race goes right down to the ultimate day of the common season, with big seeding implications within the Western Conference.

While the Eastern Conference is locked in, together with the highest 4 on the opposite facet of the nation, there are huge questions hanging over champions Golden State, each Los Angeles groups, New Orleans and Minnesota.

Only two can keep away from the play-in video games and one must win twice simply to make a correct playoff sequence – which means the stakes on Monday morning (all instances AEST) are excessive.

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EASTERN CONFERENCE PLAYOFF RACE (All seeds locked in)

Play-in video games

Tuesday April 11: No.8 Atlanta at No.7 Miami (winner will get No.7 seed)

Wednesday April 12: No.10 Chicago at No.9 Toronto

Friday April 14: Chicago/Toronto winner at Atlanta/Miami loser (winner will get No.8 seed)

Round 1 match-ups

No.1 Milwaukee vs No.8 (winner of [Chicago at Toronto winner] at [Atlanta at Miami loser])

No.2 Boston vs No.7 (Atlanta at Miami winner)

No.3 Philadelphia vs No.6 Brooklyn

No.4 Cleveland vs No.5 New York

Playoffs start Saturday April 15

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Play-in video games

Tuesday April 11: No.8 ??? at No.7 ??? (winner will get No.7 seed)

Wednesday April 12: No.10 Oklahoma City at No.9 ???

Friday April 14: Oklahoma City/??? winner at ???/??? loser (winner will get No.8 seed)

Round 1 match-ups

No.1 Denver vs No.8 (winner of [Oklahoma City at ??? winner] at [??? at ??? loser])

No.2 Memphis vs No.7 (??? at ??? winner)

No.3 Sacramento vs No.6 ???

No.4 Phoenix vs No.5 ???

Playoffs start Saturday April 15

SEEDING SCENARIOS

Standings as of Sunday April 9 5pm

No.5 LA Clippers (43-38)

Remaining sport: at Phoenix, 5:30am

WIN: Finish No.5

LOSE: Finish No.5 or 6 or 7 (need Warriors/Pelicans to lose)

No.6 Golden State Warriors (43-38)

Remaining sport: at Portland, 5:30am

WIN: Finish No.5 if Clippers lose; No.6 if Clippers win

LOSE: Finish No.6 or 7 or 8 (would lose tiebreakers with Clippers/Lakers/Pelicans)

No.7 Los Angeles Lakers (42-39)

Remaining sport: vs Utah, 5:30am

WIN: Finish No.6 or 7 or 8 (latter provided that Pelicans/Warriors/Suns win)

LOSE: Finish No.8

No.8 New Orleans Pelicans (42-39)

Remaining sport: at Minnesota, 5:30am

WIN: Finish No.5, 6, 7 or 8 (former if Warriors/Clippers lose, latter if Lakers/Warriors/Clippers win)

LOSE: Finish No.9

No.9 Minnesota Timberwolves (41-40)

Remaining sport: vs New Orleans, 5:30am

WIN: Finish No.7 (if Lakers lose) or No.8 (if Lakers win)

LOSE: Finish No.9

The predominant speaking factors…

– The Clippers are within the field seat, with a win over Phoenix guaranteeing they’ll play Kevin Durant’s facet once more within the 4-5 sequence;

– The Warriors, assuming they beat the tanking Trail Blazers, would end fifth if the Clippers slip up;

– The Lakers’ best-case situation of sixth requires the Warriors to lose, and ideally the Pelicans too;

– Pelicans at Timberwolves is a digital playoff sport, with the loser to host the Thunder within the 9-10 play-in sport, and the winner prone to play within the 7-8 sport, although the Pelicans may nonetheless attain as excessive as fifth.

MONDAY’S GAMES

From 3am

Atlanta at Boston (dwell on ESPN/Kayo)

Philadelphia at Brooklyn

Charlotte at Cleveland

Orlando at Miami

Indiana at New York

Milwaukee at Toronto

Houston at Washington

Detroit at Chicago

From 5:30am

San Antonio at Dallas

New Orleans at Minnesota

Memphis at Oklahoma City

Sacramento at Denver

Utah at Los Angeles Lakers (dwell on ESPN/Kayo)

Los Angeles Clippers at Phoenix

Golden State at Portland

Follow dwell updates from the NBA’s last day beneath!