NBA West playoff image: Lakers cling to play-in spot; Warriors in real danger of missing the postseason

The Los Angeles Lakers held out against the Orlando Magic on Sunday to stay above the play-in line in 10th place. Had the Lakers lost, they would have fallen to 12th in the West. There’s no room for error with just two games in the losing column separating the No. 6 Mavericks and the No. 12 Pelicans.

Speaking of room for error, the No. 7 Warriors, unable to win a game along the way to save their lives, lie in the losing column with the No. 11 Jazz and just a lead over the No. 12 Pelicans with two games left on this one road trip. The final game of this trip is against No. 6 Dallas, which Golden State leads by a margin in the loss column.

This game will also decide the season tiebreak between Dallas and Golden State.

Below is a comprehensive snapshot of the state of the Western Conference playoff and play-in races that come into play on Sunday. This post will be updated daily for the remainder of the regular season or until all seeds are won.

Reminder of how the play-in tournament works: #7 plays against #8 and #9 against #10. The winner of the 7-8 game gets the #7, while the loser plays against the winner of the 9-10 game for the #8.

READ: Eastern Conference playoff image

NOTE: Developed by predictive data engineer Stephen Oh, our SportsLine model simulates the entire season 10,000 times to create the most unbiased and accurate predictions imaginable.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

• Projected Seed: 1
• Current first round encounter: open
• Tiebreakers vs. Memphis: Nuggets have taken hold
• Tiebreakers vs. Sacramento: Season series tied 1-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs Phoenix: Nuggets lead the season streak 2-0, playing two

• Projected Seed: 3
• Current first round encounter: Winner of the Warriors-Timberwolves Play-in
• Tiebreaker vs. Denver: Tie 1-1 with one to play
• Tiebreakers vs. Memphis: Kings currently own the win percentage over the conference
• Tiebreaker vs Phoenix: Suns lead 2-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs. Golden State: Warriors lead 2-1 with one to play

• Projected Seed: 2
• Current first round encounter: against mavericks
• Tiebreaker vs. Denver: Nuggets have taken hold
• Tiebreakers vs. Sacramento: Kings currently own a Via conference record
• Tiebreaker vs Phoenix: Grizzlies own over the department head

4. Phoenix Suns (38-33)

• Projected Seed: 4
• Current first round encounter: vs Clippers
• Tiebreakers vs. Memphis: Grizzlies own over the department head
• Tiebreakers vs. Sacramento: Phoenix leads 2-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs. Golden State: Suns have settled
• Tiebreakers vs. Timberwolves: Suns lead 2-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs. Dallas: Suns currently own the winning percentage over the conference
• Tiebreakers vs. Clippers: Suns lead 2-1 with one to play

5. Los Angeles Clippers (38-34)

• Projected Seed: 5
• Current first round encounter: at suns
• Tiebreaker vs Phoenix: Suns lead 2-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs. Golden State: Clippers lead by division win percentage
• Tiebreakers vs. Timberwolves: Wolves clung
• Tiebreaker vs. Dallas: Mavericks currently own a Via conference record
• Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Pelicans lead 1-0 with two to play
• Tiebreaker vs. Utah: Jazz clamped
• Tiebreakers vs. Lakers: Clippers clipped

6. Dallas Mavericks (36-35)

• Projected Seed: 7
• Current first round encounter: at grizzlies
• Tiebreaker vs Phoenix: Suns owns the winning percentage of the conference
• Tiebreaker vs. Golden State: Tie 1-1 with one to play
• Tiebreakers vs. Timberwolves: Wolves clung
• Tiebreakers vs. Clippers: Dallas currently holds a 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
• Tiebreakers vs. Lakers: Mavericks won

Play-In Tournament

7. Warrior of the Golden State (36-36)

• Projected Seed: 6
• Current first round encounter: vs. Timberwolves (Play-in)
• Tiebreaker vs Phoenix: Suns have settled
• Tiebreakers vs. Timberwolves: Warriors lead 2-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs. Dallas: Tie 1-1 with one to play
• Tiebreakers vs. Clippers: Clippers lead by division win percentage
• Tiebreakers vs. Lakers: Lakers clung
• Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Pelicans lead 2-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs. Utah: Warriors clung

• Projected Seed: 10
• Current first round encounter: vs. Lakers (play-in)
• Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Pelicans flinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Utah: OKC leads 2-1 with one to play
• Tiebreakers vs. Lakers: Tie 1-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs Portland: OKC clung

9.Minnesota Timberwolves (35-37)

• Projected Seed: 9
• Current first round encounter: at Warriors (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 clung
• Tiebreakers vs. Clippers: Wolves clung
• Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Tie 1-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs. Utah: Wolves currently own a via division record
• Tiebreakers vs. Lakers: Wolves clung

10.Los Angeles Lakers (35-37)

• Projected Seed: 8th
• Current first round encounter: at Thunder (play in)
• Tiebreakers vs. Clippers: Clippers clipped
• Tiebreaker vs. Warrior: Lakers clung
• Tiebreakers vs. Timberwolves: Wolves clung
• Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Lakers clung
• Tiebreaker vs. Utah: Jazz leads 2-0 with two to play
• Tiebreaker vs. OKC: Tie 1-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs Portland: Blazers currently own the winning percentage over the conference

Look inside outside

11. Utah Jazz (34-36)

• Projected Seed: lottery
• Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Jazz Clinted
• Tiebreakers vs. Lakers: Jazz leads 2-0 with two to play
• Tiebreaker vs. OKC: Thunder lead 2-1 with a play
• Tiebreaker vs Portland: Blazers lead 2-1 with one to play

12. New Orleans Pelicans (34-37)

• Projected Seed: lottery
• Tiebreaker vs. Golden State: Pelicans lead 2-1 with one to play
• Tiebreakers vs. Timberwolves: Tie 1-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs. Dallas: Mavericks lead 2-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs. Utah: Jazz clamped
• Tiebreakers vs. Lakers: Lakers clung
• Tiebreaker vs. OKC: Pelicans flinched
• Tiebreaker vs Portland: Pelicans flinched

• Projected Seed: lottery
• Tiebreaker vs. Utah: Blazers lead 2-1 with one to play
• Tiebreakers vs. Lakers: Blazers currently own the winning percentage over the conference
• Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Pelicans flinched
• Tiebreaker vs. OKC: thunder sounded