NBA playoff picture: Hawks and Mavericks clinch spots, Indiana on top of East
Two more pieces of the NBA playoff picture slid into place Saturday night, as a pair of teams captured spots with big performances in must-win games.
In the Eastern Conference, the Atlanta Hawks topped the Miami Heat 98-85, clinching the 8th and final playoff spot. With the loss, the Heat slipped out of the top spot, tying Indiana with a 54-26 record. The Pacers clinched the tiebreaker with a better record against the East, leaving them in control of their own destiny.
Only seed is left up for grabs in the conference now, with Indiana and Miami, Chicago and Toronto, and Washington and Charlotte all capable of switching spots in the last week of the season.
Seed | Team | W | L | GB |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | y - Indiana Pacers | 54 | 26 | -- |
2 | y - Miami Heat | 54 | 26 | -- |
3 | x - Chicago Bulls | 47 | 32 | 6 ½ |
4 | y - Toronto Raptors | 46 | 33 | 7 ½ |
5 | x - Brooklyn Nets | 43 | 36 | 10 ½ |
6 | x - Washington Wizards | 42 | 38 | 12 |
7 | x - Charlotte Bobcats | 41 | 39 | 13 |
8 | x - Atlanta Hawks | 37 | 43 | 17 |
In the Western Conference, the Dallas Mavericks reserved their spot in the postseason thanks to a nail-biting 101-98 win over ninth-seeded Phoenix Suns.
Dallas is now within a game of Golden State for the sixth seed, and also lead the eighth seeded Memphis by a game. Phoenix stands half a game back of the Grizzlies, and will have a shot to make up ground when it faces Memphis on Monday.
The Houston Rockets moved themselves a game up on Portland for the fourth seed after a 111-104 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.
Only one playoff spot remains in the entire league, and either Memphis or Phoenix will be on the outside looking in come Wednesday.
Seed | Team | W | L | GB |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | z - San Antonio Spurs | 62 | 18 | -- |
2 | y - Oklahoma City Thunder | 58 | 21 | 3 ½ |
3 | y - Los Angeles Clippers | 56 | 24 | 6 |
4 | x - Houston Rockets | 53 | 27 | 9 |
5 | x - Portland Trail Blazers | 52 | 28 | 10 |
6 | x - Golden State Warriors | 49 | 30 | 12 ½ |
7 | x - Dallas Mavericks | 49 | 32 | 13 ½ |
8 | Memphis Grizzlies | 47 | 32 | 14 ½ |
9 | Phoenix Suns | 47 | 33 | 15 |