NBA Playoff Picture 2017: Standings and Outlook as Postseason Approaches

The NBA playoff picture received a little more clarity on Monday night, but the entire field will not be set until the regular season concludes on Wednesday. Most notably, two Eastern Conference playoff spots and six Eastern Conference playoff seeds still need to be be finalized.

Below you'll find the latest NBA standings as well as an outlook on the 2017 NBA playoffs, featuring the most notable player, team and conference to watch in postseason play.

Place	Team	W	L	GB
1	Boston - y	52	29	0
2	Cleveland - y	51	30	1
3	Toronto - y	50	31	2
4	Washington - y	49	32	3
5	Atlanta - x	42	38	9.5
6	Milwaukee - x	42	39	10
7	Indiana	41	40	11
8	Chicago	40	41	12
9	Miami	40	41	12
10	Detroit - e	37	44	15
11	Charlotte - e	36	45	16
12	New York - e	30	51	22
13	Philadelphia - e	28	53	24
14	Orlando - e	28	53	24
15	Brooklyn - e	20	61	32

Place	Team	W	L	GB
1	Golden State - z	66	15	0
2	San Antonio - y	61	20	5
3	Houston - y	54	27	12
4	Los Angeles Clippers - y	50	31	16
5	Utah - x	50	31	16
6	Oklahoma City - x	46	34	19.5
7	Memphis - x	43	38	23
8	Portland - x	41	40	25
9	Denver - e	38	42	27.5
10	New Orleans - e	33	47	32.5
11	Dallas - e	32	48	33.5
12	Sacramento - e	31	49	34.5
13	Minnesota - e	31	49	34.5
14	Los Angeles Lakers - e	25	55	40.5
15	Phoenix - e	24	57	42

Outlook

Can Russell Westbrook Lead the Oklahoma City Thunder Deep Into the Playoffs?

The Oklahoma City Thunder are second-to-last in three-point field-goal percentage. Their lack of scoring depth is also concerning: Outside of Russell Westbrook, only four players in the rotation average more than seven points per game.

Those stats help lead to a 16th-place ranking in offensive efficiency, per ESPN.com. That might be OK if they had an elite defense, but the Thunder do not, placing 11th in the NBA.

And yet, it doesn't seem right to count out the Thunder considering that Westbrook is the most dominant force in the NBA, with no close second.

Westbrook averaged a triple-double this season, posting 31.9 points (first in the NBA), 10.7 rebounds (10th) and 10.4 assists (third). It wouldn't be inconceivable to see Westbrook average 40-plus over a round or two and lead the Thunder on a remarkable run.

One X-factor for the Thunder to watch is center Enes Kanter, who is one of the more efficient offensive players in the NBA. He averages 14.4 points per game in just 21.4 minutes off the bench and most notably accrued a double-double in just 20 minutes against Philadelphia, scoring 24 points and grabbing 11 boards in March. If he keeps up that production, the Thunder may surprise Houston in the playoffs.

Will the Golden State Warriors Dominate the Postseason?

The Warriors went on a 14-game win streak before losing to the Utah Jazz, 105-99, Monday night. That run included an impressive comeback victory at San Antonio that was sandwiched between two wins over Houston in a home-and-home (all without Kevin Durant).

Now KD is back, and it's possible that the Dubs crush the competition en route to its second NBA title in three years.

With the Warriors firing on all cylinders, who can match up with them, especially considering that they have home-court advantage (they are 35-5 at Oracle Arena) throughout the entire playoffs?

The San Antonio Spurs have the best chance at stopping the Dubs. They are 61-20 this year and well-rested heading into the postseason. Kawhi Leonard is a top-four MVP candidate, LaMarcus Aldridge is a consistent and steady presence at power forward, and center Pau Gasol is averaging a double-double in April. The Spurs are also first in defensive efficiency, per ESPN.com.

That being said, any team in NBA history would have trouble stopping another with three elite scorers, and with Durant, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson on the court and healthy at the same time, it will be hard to see anyone taking down Golden State this year.

Who Will Emerge from the Eastern Conference?

The Cleveland Cavaliers have now lost 14 of their last 25 games and look discombobulated on defense, ranking a sub-mediocre 22nd in defensive efficiency, per ESPN.com.

That defensive effort isn't going to cut it in the playoffs, but the Cavs are still the defending NBA champions, and LeBron James has gone to the NBA Finals in each of the past six seasons.

That being said, five viable Eastern Conference contenders are looking to knock Cleveland off its throne.

Boston will have all five of its starters healthy heading into the postseason, which was not the case for much of the year, and have home-court advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs if they remain in first.

Toronto is 11-2 in its last 13 games, and starting point guard Kyle Lowry just returned from a wrist injury. Washington loaded up its bench at the trade deadline and looks like a deep, formidable and well-rounded team.

Atlanta just beat Boston once and Cleveland twice but may be getting hot at the right time, and Milwaukee is 20-9 in their last 29 games and looking great since forward Khris Middleton returned from a hamstring tear.

It's not going to be an easy return to the Finals for the Cavs this year.