NBA Standings 2019: Lakers Playoff Hopes Almost Gone, Celtics Out Of Top Four

GettyImages-1132161889 — LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers waits for the start of play during a 111-106 Lakers win over the Houston Rockets at Staples Center on February 21, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. Harry How/Getty Images

Every NBA team made all the moves they could make at the trade deadline earlier this month and got a short break for All-Star Weekend. Now, the final stretch of the regular season is in full swing. As usual, the great teams are pulling away from the competition while others are playing themselves out of playoff contention.

The big story right now is the Los Angeles Lakers’ fading playoff hopes. LeBron James finally came back from the groin injury that kept him out of 18 games, but little has changed. The Lakers have lost seven of the last 10, including back-to-back losses to tanking teams in the New Orleans Pelicans and Memphis Grizzlies.

At 29-31, the Lakers are 11th in the west and nowhere near playoff contention. ESPN’s BPI gives them just a 3.1 percent chance of making the postseason at all.

Elsewhere in the Western Conference, things are working out roughly as expected. The Golden State Warriors are 1.5 games ahead of the Denver Nuggets for the top spot. The Oklahoma City Thunder have a small lead over the Portland Trail Blazers for the third seed, as well.

Things are more interesting at the bottom of the playoff standings. If the Staples Center hosts playoff games this year, it will be for the LA Clippers, not the Lakers. They have a one-game lead over San Antonio for the seventh seed. The Spurs, meanwhile, are just barely ahead of the upstart Sacramento Kings for the eighth and final playoff spot.

The Milwaukee Bucks have started to pull away in the Eastern Conference. They are 2.5 games ahead of the Toronto Raptors for the top seed, and should get it, barring anything unexpected. The Indiana Pacers are a story to watch right now; star Victor Oladipo is out for the year, but they are 8-2 in their last 10 and currently sit in the third spot in the east.

Despite briefly overtaking the Philadelphia 76ers earlier this month, the Boston Celtics are back to fifth after recent struggles. They gave up a huge lead in a home loss to the Clippers earlier this month and lost by 10 to the lowly Chicago Bulls on Saturday.

The bottom of the Eastern Conference is dominated by mediocrity. The final two playoff seeds are currently held by the Detroit Pistons and Charlotte Hornets, both of whom have losing records. The Orlando Magic or Miami Heat could theoretically grab the eighth seed, too.

NBA Eastern Conference Playoff Standings:

Milwaukee Bucks (46-14)

Toronto Raptors (44-17)

Indiana Pacers (40-21)

Philadelphia 76ers (39-22)

Boston Celtics (37-23)

Brooklyn Nets (32-30)

Detroit Pistons (29-30)

Charlotte Hornets (28-32)

NBA Western Conference Playoff Standings:

Golden State Warriors (43-17)

Denver Nuggets (41-18)