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NBA Playoff Picture 2024: Latest Standings, Play-in Predictions for Lakers, More – Bleacher Report
The New Orleans Pelicans can finish no worse than seventh place in the Western Conference after their Thursday win over the Sacramento Kings.
C.J. McCollum and Co. sit one game in front of the Phoenix Suns for the No. 6 seed with two games remaining in the NBA regular season.
New Orleans needs to win its final two games, or finish with the same record as the Suns in the last two contests, to stay out of the play-in race.
The Kings, Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors are confirmed to participate in the play-in round, but the order of those teams is yet to be determined.
Sacramento is ahead of the Lakers and Warriors on a tiebreaker. All three teams go into Friday with a 45-35 record.
The top part of the Eastern Conference play-in bracket is still up in the air as well. The Orlando Magic’s visit to the Philadelphia 76ers is the most important game in the East on Friday.
Updated NBA Standings
Eastern Conference
1. Boston (62-18)
2. Milwaukee (49-31)
3. New York (48-32)
4. Cleveland (47-33)
5. Orlando (46-34)
6. Indiana (46-34)
Play-In Race
7. Philadelphia (45-35)
8. Miami (44-36)
9. Chicago (38-42)
10. Atlanta (36-44)
Friday’s clash between the Magic and Sixers could either provide clarity, or more confusion, in the East play-in race.
Philadelphia needs the win to move level on record with the Magic and drag them back into the play-in hunt.
The Indiana Pacers should root for the Magic so they are not under threat from Philadelphia in Sunday’s regular-season finale.
Indiana has a big game of its own on Friday on the road at the Cleveland Cavaliers, who need a win to confirm safety from the play-in hunt. The Cavs are barely ahead of the Magic, Pacers and Sixers.
Indiana and Philadelphia have the two longest winning streaks among the teams in the East playoff positions.
The Miami Heat could be doomed to the No. 8 seed if the Sixers beat the Magic. The Heat need to win their consecutive games against the Toronto Raptors to have a shot at beating out the Sixers.
The Chicago Bulls, who won on Thursday, are two games ahead of the Atlanta Hawks for hosting privileges in the No.9-versus-No. 10 matchup.
Play-In Prediction: 7. Orlando, 8. Miami, 9. Chicago, 10. Atlanta
Western Conference
1. Denver (56-24)
2. Minnesota (55-25)
3. Oklahoma City (55-25)
4. Los Angeles Clippers (51-29)
5. Dallas (50-30)
6. New Orleans (48-32)
Play-In Race
7. Phoenix (47-33)
8. Sacramento (45-35)
9. Golden State (45-35)
10. Los Angeles Lakers (45-35)
New Orleans can’t finish lower than seventh, but it is not in the clear when it comes to avoiding the play-in places.
The Pelicans visit the Warriors on Friday and then return home to face the Lakers.
Golden State beat the Portland Trailblazers on Thursday to move ahead of the Lakers into ninth place.
The Warriors will be big fans of Kevin Durant and the Suns on Friday. Phoenix visits Sacramento, who is ahead in eighth on tiebreakers.
The Kings’ porous defense has the potential to give up a ton of points to a Suns team that needs help from the Warriors to move back level with the Pelicans.
Golden State and Sacramento are expected to win their regular-season finales. The same can be said about the Lakers in Memphis on Friday.
The head-to-head showdowns will decide the play-in order. New Orleans displayed a ton of fight to move ahead of everyone else and that could be its X-factor to remain above the rest of the pack.
Play-In Prediction: 7. Phoenix, 8. Sacramento, 9. Golden State, 10. Los Angeles Lakers
