NBA

How Friday's results impact the race for the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference

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With just over a month remaining in the 2019-20 NBA season, we've officially entered the stretch run as a number of teams make their final playoff push.

As it stands, the Memphis Grizzlies, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans are fighting for the West's No. 8 seed and a likely opening-round meeting with Anthony Davis, LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.

At this point of the season, every win and loss matters for the teams fighting for eighth.

Four of the above five were in action Friday, with Sacramento as the only idle team.

Here's how each of the four fared.

Friday's Schedule/Results

  • Brooklyn Nets def. San Antonio Spurs,139-120
  • New Orleans Pelicans def. Miami Heat, 110-104
  • Dallas Mavericks def. Memphis Grizzlies, 121-96
  • Phoenix Suns def. Portland Trail Blazers, 127-117

Western Conference Standings

Take a look at the impact the above results had on the Western Conference standings:

The Race For No. 8
  Team W L PCT GB
8 Memphis Grizzlies 31 32 .492  –
9 Portland Trail Blazers 28 36 .438 3.5
10 Sacramento Kings 27 35 .435 3.5
11 New Orleans Pelicans 27 36 .429 4.0
12 San Antonio Spurs 26 35 .426 4.0

Playoff Probability

According to FiveThirtyEight's NBA Predictions model.

New Orleans Pelicans – 53%

Portland Trail Blazers – 19%

Memphis Grizzlies – 17%

Sacramento Kings – 9%

San Antonio Spurs – 2%

Notable Remaining Meetings

Memphis Grizzlies

  • Mar. 12 @ Portland Trail Blazers
  • Mar. 16 @ San Antonio Spurs
  • Mar. 21 vs. New Orleans Pelicans
  • Mar. 24 @ New Orleans Pelicans
  • Apr. 5 @ Portland Trail Blazers

Portland Trail Blazers

  • Mar. 6 @ Phoenix Suns
  • Mar. 7 vs. Sacramento Kings
  • Mar. 10 vs. Phoenix Suns
  • Mar. 12 vs. Memphis Grizzlies
  • Apr. 5 vs. Memphis Grizzlies

Sacramento Kings

  • Mar. 7 @ Portland Trail Blazers
  • Mar. 22 @ New Orleans Pelicans
  • Mar. 31 vs. San Antonio Spurs
  • Apr. 7 @ San Antonio Spurs

San Antonio Spurs

  • Mar. 16 vs. Memphis Grizzlies
  • Mar. 18 @ New Orleans Pelicans
  • Mar. 31 @ Sacramento Kings
  • Apr. 7 vs. Sacramento Kings

New Orleans Pelicans

  • Mar. 11 @ Sacramento Kings
  • Mar. 18 vs. San Antonio Spurs
  • Mar. 21 @ Memphis Grizzlies
  • Mar. 22 vs. Sacramento Kings
  • Mar. 24 vs. Memphis Grizzlies
  • Apr. 5 @ San Antonio Spurs
  • Apr. 9 vs. Phoenix Suns
  • Apr. 15 @ San Antonio Spurs

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