Simmons misses shot at Sixers revenge; Giddey can ruin big Kyrie plan: NBA Playoff Picture

With simply days left within the NBA season, the play-in is as soon as once more creating main drama, with a some extra readability within the East and absolute insanity within the West.

We have a reasonably sturdy concept of what’ll occur within the former, however between fifth and ninth within the latter it’s nearly unattainable to work out – with the Warriors, Clippers, Lakers, Pelicans and Timberwolves all capable of end fifth … or needing to win two play-in video games simply to earn a sequence in opposition to the Nuggets.

Foxsports.com.au breaks down the state of play within the NBA playoff race.

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All odds/percentages by way of PlayoffStanding.com.

EASTERN CONFERENCE (Percentage likelihood of ending in particular spot)

1. Milwaukee Bucks (58-22)

Locked into No.1 seed

2. Boston Celtics (55-25)

Locked into No.2 seed

3. Philadelphia 76ers (52-27)

Locked into No.3 seed

4. Cleveland Cavaliers (50-30)

Locked into No.4 seed

5. New York Knicks (47-33)

Locked into No.5 seed

6. Brooklyn Nets (44-36)

Locked into play-in spot, with a potential seeding of No.5-8 (99% No.6, 1% No.7)

7. Miami Heat (42-37)

Locked into play-in spot, with potential seeding of No.6-9 (1% No.6, 97% No.7, 2% No.8, lower than 1% No.9)

8. Atlanta Hawks (41-39)

Locked into play-in spot, with potential seeding of No.7-9 (1% No.7, 95% No.8, 4% No.9)

9. Toronto Raptors (40-40)

Locked into play-in spot, with potential seeding of No.7-9 (lower than 1% No.7, 3% No.8, 96% No.9)

10. Chicago Bulls (38-42)

Locked into No.10 seed

Eliminated: Indiana Pacers (34-45), Washington Wizards (34-45), Orlando Magic (34-45), Charlotte Hornets (26-54), Detroit Pistons (16-63)

Projected first spherical based mostly on more than likely outcomes

No.1 Bucks vs No.8 (Heat/Hawks loser vs Raptors/Bulls winner)

No.2 Celtics vs No.7 (Heat/Hawks winner)

No.3 76ers vs No.6 Nets

No.4 Cavaliers vs No.5 Knicks

Boston’s loss to Philadelphia on Wednesday (AEST) locked within the prime 5, with the Celtics holding the tie-breaker over each the Bucks and Sixers – however unable to make the most of it.

Despite buying and selling away its superstars Brooklyn (to return: at Pistons, vs Magic, vs Sixers) appears prone to maintain onto the final correct playoff spot. The Nets maintain the tie-breaker over Miami (to return: at Sixers, at Wizards, vs Magic) which means they solely want to complete degree on wins to complete No.6.

That units up an intriguing first-round playoffs sequence between Philadelphia and Brooklyn, though Australian Ben Simmons is unavailable after being dominated out for the season.

If the Heat can’t preserve it collectively, Toronto (to return: Celtics, vs Bucks) or Atlanta (to return: vs Sixers, at Celtics) may pinch home-court benefit within the 7-8 play-in sport, but it surely’s extra seemingly the Raptors and Hawks are combating for eighth, somewhat than having to host the 9-10 sport and win twice to make the playoffs correct.

The Hawks are favoured for No.8 as a result of they maintain the tie-breaker and have a barely simpler schedule.

After a loss to the Hawks on Wednesday, Chicago (to return: at Bucks, at Mavericks, vs Pistons) appears extraordinarily prone to be the away staff within the 9-10 play-in sport, and would want to win twice simply to earn a sequence in opposition to Milwaukee.

WESTERN CONFERENCE (Percentage likelihood of ending in particular spot)

1. Denver Nuggets (52-27)

Locked into No.1 seed

2. Memphis Grizzlies (50-30)

Locked into playoffs, with a potential seeding of No.2-3 (93% No.2, 7% No.3)

3. Sacramento Kings (48-32)

Locked into playoffs, with a potential seeding of No.2-3 (7% No.2, 93% No.3)

4. Phoenix Suns (44-35)

Locked into No.4 seed

5. Los Angeles Clippers (4-38)

Locked into play-in event, with a potential seeding of No.5-9 (63% No.5, 17% No.6, 12% No.7, 6% No.8, 1% No.9)

6. Golden State Warriors (42-38)

Locked into play-in event, with a potential seeding of No.5-9 (17% No.5, 33% No.6, 23% No.7, 26% No.8, 1% No.9)

7. Los Angeles Lakers (41-39)

Locked into play-in event, with a potential seeding of No.5-9 (6% No.5, 30% No.6, 25% No.7, 28% No.8, 10% No.9)

8. New Orleans Pelicans (41-39)

Locked into play-in event, with a potential seeding of No.5-9 (13% No.5, 12% No.6, 16% No.7, 17% No.8, 42% No.9)

9. Minnesota Timberwolves (40-40)

Locked into play-in event, with a potential seeding of No.5-9 (1% No.5, 7% No.6, 23% No.7, 22% No.8, 46% No.9)

10. Oklahoma City Thunder (38-42)

47% No.10, 53% No playoffs

11. Dallas Mavericks (38-42)

53% No.10, 47% No playoffs

Eliminated: Utah Jazz (36-43), Portland Trail Blazers (33-46), San Antonio Spurs (20-59), Houston Rockets (20-60)

Projected first spherical based mostly on more than likely outcomes

No.1 Nuggets vs No.8 (Lakers/Pelicans loser vs Timberwolves/Thunder winner)

No.2 Grizzlies vs No.7 (Lakers/Pelicans winner)

No.3 Kings vs No.6 Warriors

No.4 Suns vs No.5 Clippers

Note: It is extraordinarily troublesome to work out the ‘most likely results’ for the No.5-9 seeds so please settle for some guess work

Safe to say the house groups for the primary spherical of the playoffs are lots simpler to foretell than the away groups.

Despite shedding three of their final 4 video games, Denver (to return: at Suns, at Jazz, vs Kings) secured the No.1 seed within the West after the Grizzlies’ time beyond regulation loss to the Pelicans.

Memphis (to return: at Bucks, at Thunder) is prone to declare the No.2 spot however not locked in, because it doesn’t maintain the tie-breaker in opposition to Sacramento (to return: vs Warriors, at Nuggets).

If the Kings end 2-1 and the Grizzlies go 0-3, then the Kings would earn the No.2 seed.

Phoenix (to return: vs Nuggets, at Lakers, vs Clippers) has locked up the No.4 seed because of leads to current days, however their opponent could possibly be any of 5 groups.

– Golden State (to return: at Kings, at Trail Blazers)

– LA Clippers (to return: vs Trail Blazers, vs Suns)

– LA Lakers (to return: vs Suns, vs Jazz)

– New Orleans (to return: vs Knicks, vs Timberwolves

– Minnesota (to return: at Spurs, vs Pelicans)

While the Warriors can nonetheless end No.5, they aren’t favour to take that spot — each as a result of they’ve misplaced the tie-breaker to each staff beneath them, and since their away kind is so terrible.

As lengthy as they beat the tanking Trail Blazers, they’ll keep away from dropping to ninth, however their conflict with the Kings on Saturday (AEST) is completely huge.

Meanwhile, having defeated the Lakers, the Clippers are actually within the field seat to complete fifth and earn a date with Phoenix, although with each nonetheless to play the Suns, the No.4 seed could have a lot to say about who they face.

Both the Pelicans and Timberwolves need assistance to keep away from the play-in however with a final-day sport in opposition to one another to return, you’d suspect the winner of their conflict will end No.8 with the loser No.9 (except one of many groups above them actually falls aside this week).

The ultimate battle is between Oklahoma City (to return: at Jazz, vs Grizzlies), Dallas (to return: vs Bulls, vs Spurs) for the No.10 seed.

Josh Giddey’s Thunder maintain the tie-breaker over Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving’s Mavericks and would clinch if it goes 1-1 and Dallas goes 1-1.

Of course, OKC would even be secured a play-in spot if it goes 2-0 or if Dallas finally ends up dropping each of its ultimate two video games.

But if the Thunder win one in all their remaining video games and the Mavs take each of theirs, it received’t see Giddey and Oklahoma City advance.