NBA playoff picture: Uh oh, Spurs just passed the Thunder

The Wizards really need John Wall back. The guys who have been trying to hold down the fort are slowing down, and Washington is slipping far enough for this season to fall apart. The Wizards lost to the resurgent Pistons on Thursday. Combined with the Heat’s win over Chicago and Bucks’ win over Golden State, that puts Miami and Milwaukee just one game back in the loss column for the No. 6 seed.

The Wiz and Heat split their season series, so tiebreaker — and the Southeast Division title — would go to division record. Miami has the advantage there so long as it doesn’t lose to the Hawks in a home-and-home next week. Both teams have a tiebreaker advantage (one way or another) over the Bucks.

Of course, there’s the small matter of the No. 7 potentially being more desirable than the No. 6 seed. We’ll see if any of the three teams tank in the last game of the season to avoid LeBron James.

The Pacers also won Thursday, keeping them one game behind the Cavaliers and Sixers in the race for No. 3. Indiana now has a three-game lead on Washington — that race appears to be over.

Here’s the current East bracket.

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

The Spurs, led by LaMarcus Aldridge (who apparently isn’t too injured!) and Dejounte Murray, beat the Thunder in a crucial game in the West quagmire. This result tied the season series, 2-2, which gives San Antonio a tiebreaker advantage owing to a better record against the Western Conference. It’s still up in the air. But the Thunder could have clinched the tiebreaker with a win. Oh well.

San Antonio, Oklahoma City, and New Orleans all have 32 losses now. Utah and Minnesota have 33. The Clippers have 34. Denver has 35. Two weeks until the playoffs. Let’s go.

Here’s the updated West bracket.

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

Ten teams with playoff spots or seeds up in the air are in action on Friday. The biggest showdown: the Cavaliers vs. Pelicans (8 p.m. ET, ESPN). And another one: Nuggets vs. Thunder (8, League Pass). OK, one more: Clippers vs. Blazers (10:30, ESPN). Let’s go.