NBA Western Conference playoff picture: Lakers, Mavericks caught in four-way tie; Clippers keep hold on 5-seed

The No. 8 Dallas Mavericks, No. 9 Los Angeles Lakers, No. 10 New Orleans Pelicans and No. 11 Oklahoma City Thunder hold identical 36-37 records after OKC’s loss to the Clippers on Thursday. 

In tiebreaker scenarios that involve more than two teams, the nods, in order, go to the teams with the best aggregate head-to-head winning percentages against all teams involved. 

Below is a comprehensive snapshot of where things stand in the Western Conference playoff and play-in races entering play on Friday. This post will update daily throughout the remainder of the regular season or until all seeds are clinched. 

Reminder on how the play-in tournament works: No. 7 plays No. 8 and No. 9 plays No. 10. The winner of the 7-8 game gets the No. 7 seed, while the loser plays the winner of the 9-10 game for the  No. 8 seed. 

READ: Eastern Conference playoff picture

NOTE: Our SportsLine model, developed by predictive data engineer Stephen Oh, simulates the entire season 10,000 times to produce the most unbiased and precise projections imaginable.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

• Projected seed: 1
• Current first-round matchup: TBD
• Tiebreaker vs. Memphis: Nuggets have clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Sacramento: Season series tied 1-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Nuggets lead season series 2-0 with two to play

• Projected seed: 2
• Current first-round matchup: vs. Timberwolves-Mavericks play-in winner
• Tiebreaker vs. Denver: Nuggets have clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Sacramento: Kings currently own via conference record
• Tiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Grizzlies own via division leader

• Projected seed: 3
• Current first-round matchup: vs. Warriors
• Tiebreaker vs. Denver: Tied 1-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs. Memphis: Kings currently own via conference win percentage 
• Tiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Suns lead 2-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs. Golden State: Warriors lead 2-1 with one to play

4. Phoenix Suns (38-34)

• Projected seed: 4
• Current first-round matchup: vs. Clippers
• Tiebreaker vs. Memphis: Grizzlies own via division leader
• Tiebreaker vs. Sacramento: Phoenix leads 2-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs. Golden State: Suns have clinched 
• Tiebreaker vs. Timberwolves: Suns lead 2-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs. Dallas: Suns currently own via conference win percentage
• Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: Suns lead 2-1 with one to play

5. Los Angeles Clippers (39-35)

• Projected seed: 5
• Current first-round matchup: at Suns
• Tiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Suns lead 2-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs. Golden State: Clippers lead via division win percentage
• Tiebreaker vs. Timberwolves: Wolves clinched 
• Tiebreaker vs. Dallas: Mavericks currently own via conference record
• Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Pelicans lead 1-0 with two to play
• Tiebreaker vs. Utah: Jazz clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Clippers clinched

6. Golden State Warriors (38-36)

• Projected seed: 6
• Current first-round matchup: at Kings
• Tiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Suns have clinched 
• Tiebreaker vs. Timberwolves: Warriors lead 2-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs. Dallas: Warriors clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: Clippers lead via division win percentage
• Tiebreaker vs. Thunder: Warriors lead 2-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Lakers clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Pelicans lead 2-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs. Utah: Warriors clinched

Play-In Tournament

7. Minnesota Timberwolves (36-37)

• Projected seed: 9
• Current first-round matchup: vs. Mavericks (play-in)
• Tiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Suns lead 2-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs. Golden State: Warriors lead 2-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs. Dallas: Wolves clinched 
• Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: Wolves clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Tied 1-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs. Utah: Wolves currently own via division record
• Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Wolves clinched

8. Dallas Mavericks (36-37)

• Projected seed: 7
• Current first-round matchup: at Timberwolves (play-in)
• Tiebreaker vs. Oklahoma City: OKC clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Suns owns via conference win percentage
• Tiebreaker vs. Golden State: Warriors clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Timberwolves: Wolves clinched 
• Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: Dallas currently owns via conference record
• Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Dallas leads 2-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs. Utah: Dallas leads 2-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Mavericks clinched

9. Los Angeles Lakers (36-37)

• Projected seed: 8
• Current first-round matchup: vs. Pelicans (play-in)
• Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: Clippers clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Warriors: Lakers clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Timberwolves: Wolves clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Lakers clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Utah: Jazz lead 2-0 with two to play
• Tiebreaker vs. OKC: Tied 1-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs. Portland: Blazers currently own via conference win percentage

10. New Orleans Pelicans (36-37)

• Projected seed: Lottery
• Current first-round matchup: at Lakers (play-in)
• Tiebreaker vs. Golden State: Pelicans lead 2-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs. Timberwolves:  Tied 1-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs. Dallas: Mavericks lead 2-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs. Utah: Jazz clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Lakers clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. OKC: Pelicans clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Portland: Pelicans clinched

Outside Looking In

• Projected seed: 10
• Current first-round matchup: none, lottery
• Tiebreaker vs. Warriors: Golden State leads 2-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs. Dallas: OKC clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Pelicans clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Utah: OKC leads 2-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Tied 1-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs. Portland: OKC clinched

12. Utah Jazz (35-37)

• Projected seed: Lottery
• Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Jazz clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Jazz lead 2-0 with two to play
• Tiebreaker vs. OKC: Thunder lead 2-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs. Portland: Blazers lead 2-1 with one to play

• Projected seed: Lottery
• Tiebreaker vs. Utah: Blazers lead 2-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Blazers currently own via conference win percentage
• Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Pelicans clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. OKC: Thunder clinched