What NBA playoff scenarios are still in play on the final day of the regular season?

The 2023-24 NBA common season concludes Sunday, and since a number of groups’ postseason positions are undecided, it’s assured to be a nail-biting day.

The Western Convention encompasses a three-way logjam on the high between the Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets. Every staff has a 56-25 file.

Denver briefly held a one-game lead after defeating Minnesota on Wednesday. Nevertheless, the Nuggets misplaced 121-120 to the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night time — and the Thunder and Timberwolves received their video games — making a crush atop the standings.

The Wild, Wild West.

Denver, Minnesota and Oklahoma Metropolis every enter the ultimate day of the NBA common season with the identical file.

It marks the primary time in league historical past through which three groups, by 81 video games, all have the identical file and likelihood to seize the No. 1 seed in… pic.twitter.com/AHOTRM79ZD

— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) April 13, 2024

Within the Japanese Convention, the battle for seeding for the Nos. 2-4 seeds will probably be tight. If the Bucks beat the Orlando Magic, Milwaukee will declare the No. 2 seed and have home-court benefit in a minimum of the primary two rounds of the playoffs, in the event that they make it that far. Apart from that, issues get complicated for the Bucks in a rush. (Extra on that beneath.)

In the meantime, the Philadelphia 76ers maintain the important thing to unlocking the Play-In Event schedule, placing the date of the East’s 7/8 matchup in flux.

There’s rather a lot to unpack heading into Sunday’s video games. The Athletic has you lined on the playoff and Play-In Event situations and convention standings.

Standings getting into Sunday

Japanese Convention (*= clinched Play-In spot): 

1. Celtics (63-18)
2. Bucks (49-32)
3. Knicks (49-32)
4. Cavaliers (48-33)
5. Magic (46-35)
6. Pacers (46-35)
7. 76ers (46-35)
8. Warmth (45-36)
9. Bulls* (39-42)
10. Hawks* (36-45)

Western Convention (*= clinched Play-In spot):

1. Thunder (56-25)
2. Timberwolves (56-25)
3. Nuggets (56-25)
4. Clippers (51-30)
5. Mavericks (50-31)
6. Pelicans (49-32)
7. Suns (48-33)
8. Lakers* (46-35)
9. Kings* (45-36)
10. Warriors* (45-36)

GO DEEPER

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Playoff matchups getting into Sunday

Play-In Event

Heat at 76ers, winner to face Bucks
Lakers at Suns, winner to face Timberwolves

Hawks at Bulls, loser eradicated
Warriors at Kings, loser eradicated

Hawks-Bulls winner at Warmth-76ers loser, winner to face Celtics
Warriors-Kings winner at Lakers-Suns loser, winner to face Thunder

Playoff matchups

(1) Celtics vs. (8) Play-In winner

(2) Bucks vs. (7) Warmth/76ers winner

(3) Knicks vs. (6) Pacers

(4) Cavaliers vs. (5) Magic

(1) Thunder vs. (8) Play-In winner

(2) Timberwolves vs. (7) Suns/Lakers winner

(3) Nuggets vs. (6) Pelicans

(4) Clippers vs. (5) Mavericks

Sunday schedule (occasions ET)

• Hawks at Pacers (1 p.m.)
• Wizards at Celtics (1 p.m.)
• Raptors at Warmth (1 p.m.)
• Bulls at Knicks (1 p.m.)
• Hornets at Cavaliers (1 p.m.)
• Bucks at Magic (1 p.m.)
• Nets at 76ers (1 p.m.)
• Nuggets at Grizzlies (3:30 p.m.)
• Trail Blazers at Kings (3:30 p.m.)
• Jazz at Warriors (3:30 p.m.)
• Mavericks at Thunder (3:30 p.m.)
• Pistons at Spurs (3:30 p.m.)
• Suns at Timberwolves (3:30 p.m.)
• Rockers at Clippers (3:30 p.m.)
• Lakers at Pelicans (3:30 p.m.)

Follow The Athletic’s NBA Play-In Tournament and playoff bracket blog to keep up with Sunday’s action.

Eventualities affecting Western Convention’s No. 1 seed

No one amongst Denver, Oklahoma Metropolis and Minnesota — who’ve an identical 56-25 data — has full management of their quest to earn the West’s high seed.

Under are the next situations to find out the No. 1 seed within the Western Convention.

Oklahoma Metropolis is the highest seed: If all three win or if all three lose. In each situations, Minnesota can be second and Denver third.

Denver is the highest seed: If it wins and the opposite two groups lose, through which case Minnesota can be second and Oklahoma Metropolis third.

Minnesota is the highest seed: If it wins and Denver loses, through which case Oklahoma Metropolis can be second.

Oklahoma Metropolis is the highest seed: If it wins and Minnesota loses.

Denver would transfer as much as second: If it wins and one of many different two groups loses. In any situation the place solely one of many three groups loses, that staff will find yourself the third seed.

Setting the stage for the East’s Nos. 2-4 seed chase

If Milwaukee wins: The Bucks are the No. 2 seed, the Knicks are the No. 3 seed and Cleveland is the No. 4 seed

If Milwaukee loses and New York wins and Cleveland loses: New York is the No. 2 seed, Milwaukee is third and Cleveland is fourth.

If Milwaukee loses and Cleveland and New York each win: New York is the No. 2 seed, Cleveland is the third and Milwaukee is fourth.

If Milwaukee loses and New York and Cleveland each lose: Milwaukee is the No. 2 seed, New York is third and Cleveland is fourth.

If Milwaukee and New York lose and Cleveland wins: Cleveland takes over the second seed, Milwaukee is third and New York is fourth.

GO DEEPER

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Setting the stage for the East’s Nos. 5-8 seeds

If all people loses or if all people wins: Orlando is fifth, Indiana sixth, Philadelphia seventh and Miami eighth.

If Orlando wins: The Magic are the No. 5 seed except Indiana loses and Philadelphia wins, through which case the Magic are the No. 6 seed.

If Orlando loses and Miami wins: Orlando would be the No. 8 seed except Indiana additionally loses, through which case the Magic will probably be seventh.

If Indiana wins: The Pacers would be the sixth seed except Orlando loses, through which case the Pacers would transfer as much as fifth.

If Philadelphia wins: The Sixers will probably be no worse than the seventh seed. If Indiana loses, the 76ers transfer as much as fifth. If Indiana wins and Orlando loses, the 76ers transfer as much as sixth.

If Miami loses: It’s the No. 8 seed.

If Miami wins and Orlando wins: Miami is the No. 8 seed.

If Miami wins and Orlando loses: Miami is the Southeast Division champion and will probably be seeded forward of Orlando. If that occurs and one in every of Indiana or Philadelphia additionally loses, Miami strikes as much as sixth. If that occurs and each these groups lose, Miami strikes as much as fifth. In any other case, Miami can be seventh.

Required studying

(Picture of Rudy Gobert and Nikola Jokić: Bart Younger / NBAE through Getty Pictures)