NBA Playoff Picture 2022: Updated Play-in Standings, Predictions After April 4
A handful of teams are still jockeying for position in the play-in tournament as we head into the final week of the 2021-22 NBA regular season.
The Los Angeles Lakers are on the brink of missing the postseason following Sunday's loss to to the Denver Nuggets, while Minnesota Timberwolves have a shot at getting into the West's No. 6 seed with the Utah Jazz stumbling down the stretch.
In the East, the four teams currently in the play-in positions are likely to stay there, but the order could change between now and Sunday, the final day of the regular season.
All 30 NBA teams got a break on Monday, so let's take a look at where things stand as we gear up for the final postseason push.
Western Conference Standings, Predictions
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Western Conference Playoff Standings
1. Phoenix Suns (62-16)
2. Memphis Grizzlies (55-23)
3. Golden State Warriors (50-29)
4. Dallas Mavericks (49-30)
5. Denver Nuggets (47-32)
6. Utah Jazz (46-32)
Play-In Positions
7. Minnesota Timberwolves (45-34)
8. Los Angeles Clippers (39-40)
9. New Orleans Pelicans (34-44)
10. San Antonio Spurs (33-45)
11. Los Angeles Lakers (31-47)
The Lakers are two games back of the Spurs with four games left in the regular season. They need to go 3-1 or 4-0, with the Spurs losing out or going 1-3. Considering L.A. is on a six-game losing streak, the task seems all but impossible.
The final stretch for the purple and gold features road games against Phoenix, Golden State and Denver, and it ends with a home game against Oklahoma City. The top-seeded Suns could give them a break if they rest players, but the Warriors and the Nuggets will be motivated to not drop in the standings.
LeBron James missed Sunday's game against Denver with a left ankle injury, but he is listed as questionable for Tuesday's game against Phoenix. If he's unable to play this week, don't expect the Lakers to pull off a miracle.
There is a chance the Spurs stumble down the stretch, especially with Dejounte Murray struggling with an illness. The All-Star guard revealed on Twitter Monday that he's lost "7-8 pounds and been feeling awful," which doesn't bode well for his availability this week.
The Spurs get Denver, Minnesota, Golden State and Dallas to close the season. They could well drop three or four games, but the Lakers aren't likely to do their part.
At the top of the play-in positions sits Minnesota, which has an outside shot at vaulting past the Jazz this week. They are 1.5 games back of Utah and close out the season with home games against Washington, San Antonio and Chicago. There's a good chance they win all three.
As for Utah, they've lost six of the last seven, with that lone victory coming against the Lakers. Donovan Mitchell and company are having trouble holding on to leads and seem primed for a disappointing collapse.
Fortunately for them, they have a favorable schedule, playing Memphis, Oklahoma City and Phoenix on the road and then Portland at home. They need to win at least two of those games to stave off the Timberwolves. Phoenix might help them out by resting starters, but it's not guaranteed. Look for Minnesota to push past them.
As for the other spots, the Clippers are locked into the No. 8 seed, while the Pelicans aren't likely to drop below the Spurs considering Murray's illness.
Prediction: 6. Minnesota 7. Utah 8. L.A Clippers 9. New Orleans 10. San Antonio
Eastern Conference Standings, Predictions
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Eastern Conference Playoff Standings
1. Miami Heat (51-28)
2. Boston Celtics (49-30)
3. Milwaukee Bucks (48-30)
4. Philadelphia 76ers (48-30)
5. Chicago Bulls (45-33)
6. Toronto Raptors (45-33)
Play-In Positions
7. Cleveland Cavaliers (43-36)
8. Atlanta Hawks (41-37)
9. Charlotte Hornets (40-38)
10. Brooklyn Nets (40-38)
We'll start with No. 7 Cleveland, which is 2.5 games back of the No. 6 seed and 1.5 games ahead of Atlanta. The Cavaliers only have three games left on the schedule after losing to Philadelphia on Sunday, which means they're all but assured of staying in the play-in tournament.
They get a very winnable game against Orlando on Tuesday, then finish with a road game against Brooklyn and a home contest against Milwaukee. Both matchups should be tough.
Is there enough time for Atlanta to move into the No. 7 seed? It's possible with a game in hand. The Hawks are on a five-game winning streak, the most recent being a 122-115 victory over the Nets. Their remaining schedule includes two very winnable games against Washington and Houston and two tough road games against Toronto and Miami. They should be able to go 3-1 on that schedule, but they'll probably have to win out to overtake Cleveland.
Charlotte and Brooklyn have identical records and occupy the final two play-in spots. The Nets have lost their last two games, but they should rebound at home against the Rockets on Tuesday. After that, it's the Knicks, Cavs and Indiana Pacers to finish out the season. The Cleveland tilt will be tough as their opponents will have three days of rest, but the Nets should be able to win the other three.
As for the Hornets, they start the final week with a difficult game against the Heat in Miami. Jimmy Butler could be back after missing Sunday's win over Toronto with a toe injury. He wasn't listed on the league's injury report Monday, so he should play on Tuesday.
After that, the Hornets get the Magic at home, hit the road against Chicago and then close out at home against the Wizards. Look for them to go 2-2 and fall behind Brooklyn.
Prediction: 7. Cleveland 8. Atlanta 9. Brooklyn 10. Charlotte
