NBA playoff picture: Bucks, Heat miss opportunities to climb

With just four NBA games on Wednesday’s schedule and none involving any of the eight teams in the Western conference quagmire, playoff picture implications were light. We did have some refinement of the situation in the East though, and a minor development at the top of the West.

First, let’s get the Western Conference out of the way. The only playoff-capable team in action Wednesday was the Warriors. Most of their roster was ruled out due to injury. The club started Kevin Durant (nice), Kevon Looney (OK), Zaza Pachulia (alright), Quinn Cook (uhh), and Nick Young (wait). Facing the feisty Lakers, this was a potential loss that could have made the chase for the No. 1 seed that much tougher. But Durant had a strong effort, and Golden State won, 117-106. Whew!

Here’s the static Western Conference playoff picture with four weeks left.

Rockets (1) vs. Jazz (8)
Thunder (4) vs. Pelicans (5)
Blazers (3) vs. Timberwolves (6)
Warriors (2) vs. Clippers (7)

On the outside: Spurs (9), Nuggets (10)

In the East, the Boston Celtics are rather ensconced in that No. 2 spot, especially after Wednesday’s wackadoo double-overtime loss to the Wizards. Boston is 4.5 games behind Toronto for No. 1 and six games ahead of Indiana for No. 2. Odds are Boston is your No. 2 seed, and Toronto is closer and closer to sewing up No. 1.

Washington’s win brought the Wiz within one game of Cleveland for the No. 4 seed and 1.5 games of Indiana for the No. 3 seed. The No. 3 seed would actually be huge for Indiana, Washington, or even Philadelphia (if they go on a run). Why? You’d almost assuredly avoid the Cavaliers in the first round, and given Boston’s injury plague, you might have a shot to beat them in Round 2 and make the conference finals.

The Wizards-Pacers tiebreaker will be settled on Saturday — that’s a huge game for Washington both in the standings and for the tiebreaker. Philadelphia is three games behind Indiana currently; the Sixers need to get hot and hope the Pacers falter to have any chance to climb that high.

The Bucks could have pulled into a virtual tie with Philly for the No. 6 seed on Wednesday, but instead lost to the Magic. Yikesville. Given that result, the Heat could have pulled ahead of the Bucks for the No. 7 seed, but instead lost to the Kings. Yikes city. Not good, bottom of the East playoff bracket. Not good at all.

Here’s what the East bracket looks like.

Raptors (1) vs. Heat (8)
Cavaliers (4) vs. Wizards (5)
Pacers (3) vs. Sixers (6)
Celtics (2) vs. Bucks (7)

Seven of Thursday’s nine NBA games have playoff implications. Six of the eight teams in the Western quagmire are in action, and two of them — the Spurs and Pelicans — face each other (8:30 p.m. ET, League Pass). You can find Thursday’s full schedule here.