The Nuggets would additionally clinch a playoff spot if the Warriors or Timberwolves lose, whereas the Clippers can safe their spot if the Nuggets or Timberwolves lose and the Warriors can sew up a playoff berth with a Timberwolves loss. Minnesota should beat Utah in an effort to end within the prime six. If the Wolves and Nuggets each win, they’ll end within the prime six together with the winner of the Clippers/Warriors sport.
The Grizzlies are locked right into a play-in spot and can face whichever a kind of 4 groups fails to clinch a playoff berth on Sunday. They nonetheless have an opportunity to host that 7 vs. 8 play-in sport in the event that they beat Dallas and Utah upsets Minnesota.
The one excellent query for the Kings and Mavericks is which group will host their play-in sport — Sacramento can lock up dwelling court docket benefit with a victory over the Suns.
Traded draft picks and lottery odds
Whereas a win on Sunday would assure the Kings a house play-in sport, it could cut back the percentages that they’ll cling onto their top-12-protected first-round decide, which they owe to the Hawks. To be able to cling onto that decide, Sacramento should miss the playoffs after which both transfer into the highest 4 within the draft lottery or decide eleventh or twelfth, forward of a number of play-in groups.
That second situation technically stays in play. For instance, let’s say the Kings lose on Sunday and end the season with a 39-43 report. And let’s say the Mavericks and Hawks every win on Sunday and end 40-42, whereas the Bulls win too to finish up at 39-43. Lastly, let’s say the Warmth declare one of many closing playoff spots within the East by way of the play-in event.
In that situation, there can be two lottery groups (both the Magic or Hawks and one Western group) with higher information than the Kings, who can be in a coin flip with the Bulls for the No. 11 spot within the draft lottery. That will give the Kings a powerful likelihood of hanging onto their protected first-rounder, however so much must fall into place for that to occur, beginning with a loss on Sunday.
There are a number of extra traded first-round picks which have a variety of outcomes relying on the place groups end within the standings and the way the play-in event performs out. For instance, the Grizzlies owe the Wizards their lottery-protected first-round decide. If Memphis wins its first play-in sport, that decide figures to land at 17 or 18. However, if the Grizzlies lose consecutive play-in video games, they’d hold the decide and Washington would as an alternative get a pair of second-rounders.
One other instance: The Timberwolves owe their first-round decide to the Jazz, with no protections. A win on Sunday for Minnesota would imply that decide lands within the late teenagers or early 20s. A loss, adopted by a pair of losses within the play-in event, would make it a lottery decide.
Talking of the lottery, there’s nonetheless some positioning to be finalized there too, beginning with whether or not the Wizards and Jazz, who’re tied at 17-64, will end atop the lottery standings. If each groups win (or in the event that they each lose) on Sunday, a coin flip will determine their order. The group that will get the No. 1 spot may have the identical odds at a top-four decide because the No. 2 group, however gained’t be capable to fall additional than fifth general within the draft. The coin flip loser may fall so far as sixth if a number of groups leapfrog them into the highest 4.
Most different assured lottery groups are locked into their respective positions, however the Path Blazers (35-46) and Suns (36-45) at No. 9 and No. 10 may nonetheless find yourself swapping spots if Portland wins and Phoenix loses on Sunday. In that situation, a coin flip would determine which group is ninth within the lottery order.
