NBA standings: Dallas, Phoenix and Memphis all battling for last playoff spot

There’s little room for error in the playoff hunt. Let’s look at the standings.

Apr 12, 2014, 2:00 PM UTC

Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sport

The bottom of the Western Conference playoff standings is a bloodbath. Memphis, Dallas and Phoenix are all fighting for the last two seeds and all three will play each other in the final week. Whoever made the schedule obviously knew something that the general public didn’t.

NBA postseason structure

Commissioner talks possible playoff changes

Dane Carbaugh

The league commissioner told broadcasters in San Antonio on Friday that we could see the top 16 teams make the postseason regardless of conference.

NBA postseason structure

Commissioner talks possible playoff changes

Either way, this final week is basically a series of playoff games for those three teams. Dallas is currently the seventh seed, Memphis is the eighth. The Mavericks are just a half game up on the Suns and Grizzlies.

The Grizzlies hold the same record as the ninth place Suns, but Memphis owns the tiebreaker. So it’s a tight race, to say the least. And this is the schedule coming down the stretch.

Saturday, April 12

Suns vs Mavericks — NBA TV; 8:30 p.m. ET

Sunday, April 13

Grizzlies vs Lakers — NBA TV; 9:30 p.m. ET

Monday, April 14

Grizzlies vs Suns — League Pass; 10 p.m. ET

Wednesday, April 16

Mavericks vs Grizzlies — ESPN; 8 p.m. ET

Suns vs Kings — League Pass; 10:30 p.m. ET

You thought your life was stressful! Here’s a full look at the Western Conference standings:

San Antonio^1w	62	18	0.775	0.0	38-12	12-3	32-8	30-10	8-2	W 2
Oklahoma City^2nw	58	21	0.734	3.5	36-15	11-5	33-7	25-14	7-3	W 3
L.A. Clippers^3p	55	24	0.696	6.5	34-15	11-4	32-7	23-17	7-3	L 1
Houston^4x	52	27	0.658	9.5	29-20	9-4	31-8	21-19	5-5	L 2
Portland^5x	52	28	0.650	10.0	29-21	13-3	29-10	23-18	7-3	W 3
Golden State^6x	49	30	0.620	12.5	29-20	11-5	26-14	23-16	6-4	W 1
Dallas⁷	48	32	0.600	14.0	28-22	9-6	25-15	23-17	6-4	L 1
Memphis⁸	47	32	0.595	14.5	26-23	3-12	26-14	21-18	6-4	W 2
Phoenix	47	32	0.595	14.5	27-22	7-8	26-14	21-18	7-3	L 1
Minnesota^o	40	39	0.506	21.5	23-26	7-8	24-16	16-23	6-4	W 1
Denver^o	35	44	0.443	26.5	19-30	4-11	21-18	14-26	4-6	W 2
New Orleans^o	32	47	0.405	29.5	13-36	3-11	20-19	12-28	3-7	L 7
Sacramento^o	27	52	0.342	34.5	14-35	3-11	16-23	11-29	3-7	L 4
L.A. Lakers^o	25	54	0.316	36.5	13-36	6-10	14-26	11-28	2-8	L 6
Utah^o	24	55	0.304	37.5	12-37	3-11	16-24	8-31	2-8	L 3

Eastern Conference

The Knicks, somehow, aren't fully eliminated from the playoffs. They are two games back from the Hawks and still have a sliver of hope. They must, however, win all three of their remaining games and hope that Atlanta loses its last three.

Atlanta's final three games are against the Heat, Bobcats and Bucks. The Heat game is likely a loss, and Charlotte is the better team between the two, but the Hawks should beat the Bucks. We'll emphasize should because it's the East and the Hawks have been wildly inconsistent this season.

New York's final three games are much more difficult. It plays the Bulls, Nets and Raptors, three teams near the top half of the conference. Losing any of those three games officially eliminates the Knicks from the postseason.

Here’s the full standings in the East:

Miami^1se	54	25	0.684	0.0	34-15	12-2	32-8	22-17	6-4	W 1
Indiana^2c	54	26	0.675	0.5	37-14	12-4	34-6	20-20	3-7	L 1
Chicago^3x	47	32	0.595	7.0	34-15	11-5	26-14	21-18	9-1	W 7
Toronto^4a	46	33	0.582	8.0	30-19	11-4	25-15	21-18	7-3	L 1
Brooklyn^5x	43	36	0.544	11.0	25-24	9-6	27-12	16-24	6-4	L 2
Washington^6x	41	38	0.519	13.0	30-19	9-6	20-19	21-19	5-5	W 1
Charlotte^7x	40	39	0.506	14.0	27-22	5-10	23-16	17-23	7-3	L 1
Atlanta⁸	36	43	0.456	18.0	26-23	7-7	23-16	13-27	5-5	W 2
New York	34	45	0.430	20.0	23-26	8-6	17-22	17-23	5-5	W 1
Cleveland^o	32	48	0.400	22.5	20-30	7-9	18-21	14-27	6-4	L 1
Detroit^o	29	51	0.363	25.5	23-28	6-10	17-23	12-28	3-7	L 2
Boston^o	24	55	0.304	30.0	20-29	5-10	16-24	8-31	1-9	W 1
Orlando^o	23	56	0.291	31.0	17-32	4-12	19-21	4-35	4-6	L 1
Philadelphia^o	17	62	0.215	37.0	12-37	4-11	9-31	8-31	2-8	L 3
Milwaukee^o	15	64	0.190	39.0	12-37	4-12	10-30	5-34	2-8	W 1