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Highlights: Lakers vs. Pacers
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Damian Lillard missed a pair of late free throws, and the Portland Trail Blazers suffered a potentially pivotal loss to the Clippers as they continue to vie for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West. With the loss, Portland now trails No. 8 Memphis but continues to hold the inside track on the No. 9 spot and a spot in a play-in series … barely. The Suns and Spurs are both a half game back of Portland.
Reminder: At the conclusion of each team’s eight seeding games, the top seven seeds in each conference will be locked. At that point, if the No. 9 seed is within four games of the No. 8 seed, those two will decide the final spot via a play-in series, with the lower seed having to beat the higher seed twice, but the higher seed only needing to win once.
Here’s a rundown of Saturday’s bubble results:
Below is a look at where the playoff picture stands, from seeds to current matchups.
*This article will update at the conclusion of each night until the seeding games conclude.
Western Conference
1. Lakers
51-18 (–)
vs. Grizzlies/Blazers
2. Clippers
47-22 (4.5 GB)
vs. Mavericks
3. Nuggets
46-24 (6 GB)
vs. Thunder
4. Rockets
43-25 (8 GB)
vs. Jazz
5. Thunder
42-26 (9 GB)
vs. Rockets
6. Jazz
43-27 (9 GB)
vs. Nuggets
7. Mavericks
42-30 (11 GB)
vs. Clippers
8. Grizzlies
33-37 (19 GB)
vs. Blazers (Play-in)
The Thunder and Jazz flip-flop seeds again after Utah’s loss to Denver, which strengthened the Nuggets’ grip on the No 3 seed over the Rockets. Memphis has a bit more breathing room at No. 8 for the moment.
Race for No. 8
9. Trail Blazers
32-39
1.5 GB
10. Suns
31-39
2 GB
11. Spurs
30-38
2 GB
12. Pelicans
30-39
2.5 GB
13. Kings
29-40
3.5 GB
The Blazers continue to have the inside track on a play-in series with Memphis because they will have the tiebreaker based on winning percentage, but the Suns are coming. Phoenix moved to 5-0 in the bubble with a victory over Miami on Saturday.
Eastern Conference
1. Bucks
55-15 (–)
vs. Magic
2. Raptors
49-19 (5.5 GB)
vs. Nets
3. Celtics
46-23 (9 GB)
vs. 76ers
4. Heat
43-26 (12 GB)
vs. Pacers
5. Pacers
43-27 (12.5 GB)
vs. Heat
6. 76ers
42-27 (13 GB)
vs. Celtics
7. Nets
33-36 (22 GB)
vs. Raptors
8. Magic
32-38 (23.5 GB)
vs. Bucks
No change in the Eastern Conference standings on Saturday.
There is no race for the No. 8 seed in the East. The Wizards have been mathematically eliminated.
