NBA Western Conference playoff photo: Nuggets clinch top-six seed; Lakers dive Thunder, grab No. 9

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The Denver Nuggets clinched a minimum of a top-six seed with a win over the Detroit Pistons on Thursday, signing up with the Milwaukee Bucks as the very first 2 groups to seal playoff areas.

Below is a thorough photo of where things stand in the Western Conference playoff and play-in races going into play on Friday. This post will upgrade daily throughout the rest of the routine season or up until all seeds are clinched.

Reminder on how the play-in competition works: No. 7 plays No. 8 and No. 9 plays No. 10. The winner of the 7-8 video game gets the No. 7 seed, while the loser plays the winner of the 9-10 video game for the No. 8 seed.

READ: Eastern Conference playoff photo

KEEP IN MIND: Our SportsLine design, established by predictive information engineer Stephen Oh, mimics the whole season 10,000 times to produce the most objective and accurate forecasts possible.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Projected seed: 1
Current first-round match: TBD
Tiebreaker vs. Memphis: Nuggets have actually clinched
Tiebreaker vs. Sacramento: Season series connected 1-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Nuggets lead season series 2-0 with 2 to play

Projected seed: 3
Current first-round match: Winner of Timberwolves/Mavericks play-in
Tiebreaker vs. Denver: Tied 1-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Memphis: Kings presently own through conference win portion
Tiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Suns lead 2-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Golden State: Warriors lead 2-1 with one to play

Projected seed: 2
Current first-round match: vs. Warriors
Tiebreaker vs. Denver: Nuggets have actually clinched
Tiebreaker vs. Sacramento: Kings presently own through conference record
Tiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Grizzlies own through department leader

4. Phoenix Suns (38-32)

Projected seed: 4
Current first-round match: vs. Clippers
Tiebreaker vs. Memphis: Grizzlies own through department leader
Tiebreaker vs. Sacramento: Phoenix leads 2-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Golden State: Suns have actually clinched
Tiebreaker vs. Timberwolves: Suns lead 2-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Dallas: Suns presently own through conference win portion
Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: Suns lead 2-1 with one to play

5. Los Angeles Clippers (37-33)

Projected seed: 5
Current first-round match: at Suns
Tiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Suns lead 2-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Golden State: Clippers lead through department win portion
Tiebreaker vs. Timberwolves: Wolves clinched
Tiebreaker vs. Dallas: Mavericks presently own through conference record
Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Pelicans lead 1-0 with 2 to play
Tiebreaker vs. Utah: Jazz clinched
Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Clippers clinched

6. Golden State Warriors (36-34)

Projected seed: 6
Current first-round match: at Grizzlies
Tiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Suns have actually clinched
Tiebreaker vs. Timberwolves: Warriors lead 2-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Dallas: Tied 1-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: Clippers lead through department win portion
Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Pelicans lead 2-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Utah: Warriors clinched

Play-In Tournament

7. Minnesota Timberwolves (35-35)

Projected seed: 8
Current first-round match: 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 clinched
Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: Wolves clinched
Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Tied 1-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Utah: Wolves presently own through department record
Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Wolves clinched

8. Dallas Mavericks (35-35)

Projected seed: 9
Current first-round match: at Timberwolves (play-in)
Tiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Suns owns through conference win portion
Tiebreaker vs. Golden State: Tied 1-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Timberwolves: Wolves clinched
Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: Dallas presently owns through 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
Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Dallas leads 2-1 with one to play

9. Los Angeles Lakers (34-36)

Projected seed: 7
Current first-round match: vs. Thunder (play-in)
Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: Clippers clinched
Tiebreaker vs. Timberwolves: Wolves clinched
Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Lakers clinched
Tiebreaker vs. Utah: Jazz lead 2-0 with 2 to play
Tiebreaker vs. OKC: Tied 1-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Portland: Blazers presently own through conference win portion