NBA Western Conference playoff image: Lakers, Mavericks in four-way tie; Clippers hold 5 seeds

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 involving more than two teams, nominations will go to the teams with the best overall win odds against all teams involved, in order.

Below is a comprehensive snapshot of the state of the Western Conference playoff and play-in races that come into play on Friday. 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: 2
• Current first round encounter: vs. Timberwolves-Mavericks Play-In Winner
• 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

• Projected Seed: 3
• Current first round encounter: against warriors
• 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

4. Phoenix Suns (38-34)

• 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 (39-35)

• 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. Warrior of the Golden State (38-36)

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

Play-In Tournament

7.Minnesota Timberwolves (36-37)

• Projected Seed: 9
• Current first round encounter: 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 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

8. Dallas Mavericks (36-37)

• Projected Seed: 7
• Current first round encounter: at Timberwolves (play-in)
• Tiebreaker vs. Oklahoma City: OKC clung
• Tiebreaker vs Phoenix: Suns owns the winning percentage of the conference
• Tiebreaker vs. Golden State: Warriors clung
• 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

9.Los Angeles Lakers (36-37)

• Projected Seed: 8th
• Current first round encounter: vs. Pelicans (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

10. New Orleans Pelicans (36-37)

• Projected Seed: lottery
• Current first round encounter: at Lakers (play-in)
• 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

Look inside outside

• Projected Seed: 10
• Current first round encounter: none, lottery
• Tiebreaker vs. Warrior: Golden State leads 2-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs. Dallas: OKC clung
• 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

12. Utah Jazz (35-37)

• Projected Seed: lottery
• Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Jazz clamped
• 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

• 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