NBA Playoff Picture 2018: Spurs, Thunder, Heat, Clippers, Nuggets Among Potential Postseason Teams

It’s hard to recall a year in which there was so much to be determined with so few games left on the schedule. Fewer than 10 days remain in the 2017-2018 NBA season, and the playoff picture is very much up in the air.

The Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors will own the top two seeds in the Western Conference, while the Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics will finish with the best records in the East. That’s about all we know for certain regarding the upcoming postseason.

More than half of the 16 playoff berths are unclinched with the postseason set to start in less than two weeks. The Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers and Indiana Pacers are among the teams that will definitely compete in the first round, though they are fighting for the chance to host Game 1 in their own building. The Washington Wizards have clinched a playoff spot, as well.

In the East, it’s all about determining seeding. Holding a 3.5-game lead over the No.9 seed Detroit Pistons with five games left, the Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks are both on the verge of officially getting into the postseason. They are a game behind Washington in the standings, and those three teams will almost certainly finish No.6-No.8 in some order.

Cleveland, Philadelphia and Indiana are separated by just a game in the fight for the No.3-No.5 seeds. Toronto has a two-game lead over Boston for the East’s top spot.

The West is a mystery beyond the top three seeds. Houston has clinched the No.1 seed and Golden State is firmly in the No.2 position. The Portland Trail Blazers are in the playoffs with a comfortable three-game lead as the No.3 seed.

The No.4 seed San Antonio Spurs are close to making the postseason with a three-game lead over the No.9 seed, though they’ve still got work to do. Three of San Antonio’s final five games are against potential playoff teams, and it’s unknown if Kawhi Leonard will return at all this year.

The Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder, Utah Jazz, Minnesota Timberwolves and New Orleans Pelicans make up seeds No.4-No.8. Each team has a half-game lead over the one it precedes in the standings.

The No.9 seed Denver Nuggets are a game behind New Orleans, and Denver has a one-game lead over the No.10 seed Los Angeles Clippers. Even though L.A. needs some help to get into the postseason, they can determine part of their fate with upcoming matchups against four of the teams seeded No.4-No.9.

After hosting the Indiana Pacers, Denver has two games against Minnesota, in addition to matchups with the Clippers and Trail Blazers.

The NBA playoffs start on April 14.