NBA Playoff Race Update: Miami Holding On in the East

Western Conference - Sure Things

(1) Golden State Warriors (50-23, clinched)
(2) Denver Nuggets (49-23, clinched)
(3) Houston Rockets (47-27, 100.0%)
(4) Portland Trail Blazers (46-27, clinched)
(5) Utah Jazz (44-30, 100.0%)
(6) Los Angeles Clippers (44-30, 100.0%)
(7) San Antonio Spurs (43-31, 100.0%)
(8) Oklahoma City Thunder (43-31, 100.0%)

As discussed last week, we pretty well already know which eight teams are making the postseason out of the Western Conference. That doesn't mean we can't have fun speculating about the order in which they might land, however.

The first-place Warriors and second-place Nuggets are only separated by half a game in the standings, and are three whole games up on the next closest competition. The top spot and homecourt advantage throughout the Western Conference playoffs will likely come down to those two.

From there, the third-place Rockets are only ahead of the eighth-place Spurs by four games, and teams fifth through eighth are only separated by one measly game. Just about every night, we see the six remaining teams shuffle in some way, which should make for a thrilling finish to the season. The tiebreakers are no doubt going to be convoluted on the last night of the season, but we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

Despite the fact that all eight of these teams have a 100.0% playoff probability at this point, and there's only one team outside the playoff picture that has not already been statistically eliminated, we've only seen three teams clinch a playoff berth so far (and the Trail Blazers only did so last night). A few days from now, they should all have their ticket punched, but it is still a unique situation in an otherwise decided playoff race.