NBA

What's at stake on the final night of the regular season

Author Photo
hornets-pistons-0410-ftr-getty.jpg

The 2018-19 NBA season will end tonight with the NBA Playoffs set to begin on April 13. Between now and the end of the regular season, teams are still jockeying for playoff positioning and seeding.

Here's what's on the line entering Wednesday's games...

EASTERN CONFERENCE SCENARIOS

Brooklyn Nets

The Nets clinch the No. 6 seed with a win against the Heat.

The Nets clinch the No. 6 seed with a loss AND losses by the Magic AND Pistons

The Nets clinch the No. 7 seed with a loss AND wins by the Magic AND Pistons

The Nets clinch the No. 7 seed with a loss AND wins by the Magic AND Knicks

The Nets clinch the No. 7 seed with a loss AND wins by the Hornets AND Pistons

Relevant Games:

  • Heat vs. Nets (8 ET, TSN2)
  • Magic vs. Hornets (8 ET, TSN3)
  • Pistons vs. Knicks (8 ET, NBA League Pass)

Orlando Magic

The Magic clinch the No. 6 seed with a win AND a Nets loss AND a Pistons win.

The Magic clinch the No. 6 seed with a win AND a Nets loss AND a Pistons loss.

The Magic clinch the No. 6 seed with a loss AND a Nets loss AND a Pistons win.

The Magic clinch the No. 7 seed with a win AND a Nets win AND a Pistons win.

The Magic clinch the No. 7 seed with a win AND a Nets win OR loss AND a Pistons loss.

The Magic clinch the No. 8 seed with a loss AND a Pistons win and a Nets win.

Relevant Games:

  • Magic vs. Hornets (8 ET, TSN3)
  • Heat vs. Nets (8 ET, TSN2)
  • Pistons vs. Knicks (8 ET, NBA League Pass)

Detroit Pistons

The Pistons clinch a playoff spot with a win OR a Hornets loss.

The Pistons clinch the No. 7 seed with a win AND a Nets win AND a Hornets win.

The Pistons clinch the No. 8 seed with a win AND a Nets win AND a Magic win.

The Pistons clinch the No. 8 seed with a loss AND a Hornets loss.

The Pistons clinch the No. 8 seed with a win AND a Magic win AND a Nets loss.

The Pistons clinch the No. 8 seed with a loss AND a Magic win AND a Nets win.

The Pistons clinch the No. 8 seed with a loss AND a Magic win AND a Nets loss.

Relevant Games:

  • Pistons vs. Knicks (8 ET, NBA League Pass)
  • Magic vs. Hornets (8 ET, TSN3)
  • Heat vs. Nets (8 ET, TSN2)

Charlotte Hornets

The Hornets clinch a playoff spot with a win AND a Pistons loss. Charlotte cannot finish higher than No. 8.

Relevant Games:

  • Magic vs. Hornets (8 ET, TSN3)
  • Pistons vs. Knicks (8 ET, NBA League Pass)

* * *

East seeds entering Wednesday night

Seven of the eight playoff spots are clinched in the East, but three seeds are still up for grabs. Here's a look at the current breakdown: 

  1. Milwaukee Bucks 
  2. Toronto Raptors
  3. Philadelphia 76ers
  4. Boston Celtics
  5. Indiana Pacers
  6. Brooklyn Nets or Orlando Magic
  7. Brooklyn Nets, Orlando Magic or Detroit Pistons
  8. Orlando Magic, Detroit Pistons or Charlotte Hornets

* * *

WESTERN CONFERENCE SCENARIOS

Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets clinch the No. 2 seed with a win.

The Nuggets clinch the No. 3 seed with a loss.

Relevant Games:

  • Timberwolves vs. Nuggets (10:30 ET, TSN4)

Houston Rockets

The Rockets clinch the No. 2 seed with a Nuggets loss.

The Rockets clinch the No. 3 seed with a Nuggets win AND a Blazers loss.

The Rockets clinch the No. 4 seed with a Nuggets win AND a Blazers win.

Relevant Games:

  • Timberwolves vs. Nuggets (10:30 ET, TSN4)

Portland Trail Blazers

The Blazers clinch the No. 3 seed with a win AND a Nuggets win.

The Blazers clinch the No. 4 seed with a loss.

Relevant Games:

  • Kings vs. Blazers (10:30 ET, TSN1)
  • Timberwolves vs. Nuggets (10:30 ET, TSN4)

Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder clinch the No. 6 seed with a win OR Spurs loss.

The Thunder clinch the No. 6 seed with a win AND a Spurs win AND a Clippers win.

The Thunder clinch the No. 6 seed with a loss AND a Spurs loss AND a Clippers win.

The Thunder clinch the No. 7 seed with a loss AND a Spurs win AND a Nuggets win AND a Blazers win AND a Clippers loss.

The Thunder clinch the No. 7 seed with a loss AND a Spurs win AND a Nuggets win AND a Blazers loss AND a Clippers loss.

The Thunder clinch the No. 7 seed with a loss AND a Spurs win AND a Nuggets loss AND a Blazers win AND a Clippers loss.

The Thunder clinch the No. 7 seed with a loss AND a Spurs win AND a Nuggets loss AND a Blazers loss AND a Clippers loss.

The Thunder clinch the No. 8 seed with a loss AND a Spurs win AND a Nuggets win AND a Blazers win AND a Clippers win.

The Thunder clinch the No. 8 seed with a loss AND a Spurs win AND a Nuggets win AND a Blazers loss AND a Clippers win.

The Thunder clinch the No. 8 seed with a loss AND a Spurs win AND a Nuggets loss AND a Blazers win AND a Clippers win.

The Thunder clinch the No. 8 seed with a loss AND a Spurs win AND a Nuggets loss AND a Blazers loss AND a Clippers win. 

Relevant Games:

  • Thunder vs. Bucks (8 ET, TSN4)
  • Mavericks vs. Spurs (8 ET, KTXA)
  • Jazz vs. Clippers (10:30 ET, TSN3)

LA Clippers

The Clippers clinch the No. 7 seed with a win AND a loss by either the Spurs or Thunder.

The Clippers clinch the No. 8 seed with a loss.

The Clippers clinch the No. 8 seed with a win AND wins by the Spurs and Thunder.

Relevant Games:

  • Jazz vs. Clippers (10:30 ET, TSN3)
  • Thunder vs. Bucks (8 ET, TSN4)
  • Mavericks vs. Spurs (8 ET, KTXA)

San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs clinch the No. 6 seed with a win AND a Thunder loss AND a Nuggets win AND a Blazers win AND a Clippers win.

The Spurs clinch the No. 6 seed with a win AND a Thunder loss AND a Nuggets win AND a Blazers win AND a Clippers loss.

The Spurs clinch the No. 6 seed with a win AND a Thunder loss AND a Nuggets win AND a Blazers loss AND a Clippers win.

The Spurs clinch the No. 6 seed with a win AND a Thunder loss AND a Nuggets win AND a Blazers loss AND a Clippers loss.

The Spurs clinch the No. 6 seed with a win AND a Thunder loss AND a Nuggets loss AND a Blazers win AND a Clippers win.

The Spurs clinch the No. 6 seed with a win AND a Thunder loss AND a Nuggets loss AND a Blazers win AND a Clippers loss.

The Spurs clinch the No. 6 seed with a win AND a Thunder loss AND a Nuggets loss AND a Blazers loss AND a Clippers win.

The Spurs clinch the No. 6 seed with a win AND a Thunder loss AND a Nuggets loss AND a Blazers loss AND a Clippers loss.

The Spurs clinch the No. 7 seed with a loss AND a Clippers loss.

The Spurs clinch the No. 8 seed with a loss AND a Clippers win.

Relevant Games:

  • Mavericks vs. Spurs (8 ET, KTXA)
  • Jazz vs. Clippers (10:30 ET, TSN3)

* * *

West seeds entering Wednesday night

All eight playoff spots are clinched in the West, but six seeds are still up for grabs. Here's a look at the current breakdown: 

  1. Golden State Warriors
  2. Denver Nuggets or Houston Rockets
  3. Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets or Portland Trail Blazers
  4. Portland Trail Blazers or Houston Rockets
  5. Utah Jazz
  6. Oklahoma City Thunder or San Antonio Spurs
  7. Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs or LA Clippers
  8. Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs or LA Clippers
Author(s)