NBA Playoff Standings 2020: Latest Records, Postseason Scenarios and Predictions

Now it's a party.

With all 22 NBA teams in the bubble having just one game left to play to finish the restarted regular season, the playoff picture is much clearer.

In the Eastern Conference, no matter who wins or loses, the matchups are already set.

Even when it comes to the Miami Heat (No. 4) and Indiana Pacers (No. 5), who have the exact same record, they would still face each other in the first round if they switched positions after the final seeding game.

The No. 1-seeded Milwaukee Bucks will face the Orlando Magic, the reigning champs Toronto Raptors will go up against the Brooklyn Nets and the Boston Celtics will battle the Philadelphia 76ers.

In the Western Conference, there are still four teams vying for the final postseason spot: the Portland Trail Blazers, Memphis Grizzlies, Phoenix Suns and San Antonio Spurs.

For the play-in tournament, whoever finishes at No. 9 must take on No. 8 and beat them two times to advance for a first-round series with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Reigning Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers will host the Dallas Mavericks, and the Denver Nuggets and Utah Jazz will go at it.

Perhaps the most intriguing first-round series will be between the Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder.

The duel will pit Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook—players who were traded for each other last offseason—against each other.

Here's an updated look at the standings and a few playoff scenarios and predictions.

Latest NBA Standings

Eastern Conference

1. z-Milwaukee Bucks (56-16)

2. y-Toronto Raptors (52-19)

3. x-Boston Celtics (48-23)

4. y-Miami Heat (44-28)

5. x-Indiana Pacers (44-28)

6. x-Philadelphia 76ers (42-30)

7. x-Brooklyn Nets (35-36)

8. x-Orlando Magic (32-40)

9. e-Washington Wizards (24-47)

Western Conference

1. z-Los Angeles Lakers (52-18)

2. x-Los Angeles Clippers (48-23)

3. y-Denver Nuggets (46-26)

4. x-Oklahoma City Thunder (44-27)

5. y-Houston Rockets (44-27)

6. x-Utah Jazz (43-28)

7. x-Dallas Mavericks (43-31)

8. Portland Trail Blazers (34-39)

9. Memphis Grizzlies (33-39)

10. Phoenix Suns (33-39)

11. San Antonio Spurs (32-38)

12. e-New Orleans Pelicans (30-41)

13. e-Sacramento Kings (30-41)

*z-clinched conference

*y-clinched division

*x-clinched playoff berth

*e-eliminated from playoffs

Predicted Playoff Bracket

Eastern Conference

No. 1 Milwaukee Bucks vs. No. 8 Orlando Magic

No. 2 Toronto Raptors vs. No. 7 Brooklyn Nets

No. 3 Boston Celtics vs. No. 6 Philadelphia 76ers

No. 4 Miami Heat vs. No. 5 Indiana Pacers

Western Conference

No. 1 Los Angeles Lakers vs. No. 8 Portland Trail Blazers

No. 2 Los Angeles Clippers vs. No. 7 Dallas Mavericks

No. 3 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 6 Utah Jazz

No. 4 Houston Rockets vs. No. 5 Oklahoma City Thunder

Most Intriguing Projected First-Round Matchups

Miami Heat vs. Indiana Pacers

Because of the dust-up between Jimmy Butler and T.J. Warren, and, of course, the elevated play of the latter in the bubble, the matchup between the Heat and Pacers is easily the most intriguing one in the first round of the playoffs in the East.

Warren has gone from "cash considerations" to Bubble MVP, and he's going to be a problem for Miami.

Thus far, the six-year small forward out of N.C. State is averaging 31.0 points since the restart in Orlando. He's shooting an impressive 57.8 percent from the floor and 52.4 percent from behind the arc.

Based on his career-high 53 points against the Sixers, the only thing that can seemingly slow down Warren is the plantar fasciitis in his right foot.

"He has been experiencing that really throughout the season," Pacers head coach Nate McMillan told J. Michael of The Indianapolis Star. "Been able to play on it."

Outside of the soft tissue injury, Warren has another roadblock: Butler.

The defensive-minded forward has made his matchup with Warren personal and played like it on Monday. According to StatMuse, Butler guarded his new nemesis on almost every possession and held him to only 12 points on 5-of-14 shooting from the field.

The Butler vs. Warren rivalry will be good for social media banter, but when it comes to the collective squads, both are well coached and playing better than expected.

Indiana isn't just a one-man show. It also has former All-Star Victor Oladipo working his way back from injury and former Rookie of the Year Malcolm Brogdon. Miami has first-time All Star Bam Adebayo, three-point sniper Duncan Robinson and swagged-out rookie Tyler Herro.

This will be an exciting series with lots of back and forth, but in the end it will be the Heat who prevail and move on.

Prediction: Miami 4, Indiana 2

Houston Rockets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

There are so many levels of significance in the matchup between Houston and OKC.

First of all, there's CP3 and Westbrook.

One was traded for the other in a deal that seemed to breathe new life into the Rockets while supposedly damning the Thunder with a point guard maybe past his prime and a little too banged up.

But then a funny thing happened.

Paul, aware of all the talk that he was washed and banished to a team that couldn't win, took it personally and changed the narrative.

He came in and cemented his leadership, mentoring young players like Shai-Gilgeous Alexander and guiding the team to a surprise season that has them neck-and-neck with the team that was predicted to be much better.

Now, he gets to face his former team.

Ever the diplomat, though, Paul is ready for the challenge.

"It'll be interesting," Paul told Matt Eppers of USA Today. "Two teams that know a lot about each other. We'll prepare, get ready and we'll see what's what."

For his part, Westbrook has also excelled with his new team.

His points are up from last year (22.9 to 27.2 per game) and he's definitely more efficient, shooting a career-high 47.2 percent from the field after hitting on 42.8 percent last year.

The 2017 MVP played 11 seasons in a Thunder uniform, so the connection runs deep.

And if that weren't enough, James Harden is also an OKC alum. He played there three years before being traded to Houston, where's he's become a superstar.

Put all of that aside, though, and this is still a great matchup on its own merit.

Oklahoma has a balanced attack in the backcourt with Paul, Alexander and Dennis Schröder. Steven Adams has been their anchor in the middle, and the Thunder could surprise some people if he plays well.

Westbrook is nursing a right quadriceps strain, but all signs point to him being able to play. He and Harden make a formidable duo for the small ball Rockets, and they'll get some help from their others like Eric Gordon, Robert Covington, Jeff Green and P.J. Tucker.

OKC head coach Billy Donovan is a finalist for Coach of the Year, so he'll draw up a great game plan for Houston, but if Westbrook is a go, look for he and his team to win the series.

Prediction: Houston 4, Oklahoma City 3

Other First Round Projections

Prediction: Milwaukee 4, Orlando 1

Prediction: Toronto 4, Brooklyn 0

Prediction: Boston 4, Philadelphia 2

Prediction: Los Angeles Lakers 4, Portland 3

Prediction: Los Angeles Clippers 4, Dallas 2

Prediction: Denver 4, Utah 2

               

Statistics obtained from Basketball-Reference.com

Follow Maurice Bobb on Twitter, @ReeseReport