Everyone in the West NBA playoffs race controls their own destiny

What happened in the NBA playoff race on Saturday? Almost everything that needed to happen to make the last four days of the regular season bonkers, of course!

The L.A. Clippers were eliminated with a loss to the Denver Nuggets, though, meaning we now have six teams fighting for five playoff positions in the West. The Clippers had a helluva season given the massive roster shifts and injury issues the team faced. We have absolutely no concept of what they’ll look like when they come back in 2018-19.

The Nuggets’ win kept them tied with the Timberwolves for the No. 8 seed. Later on Saturday, the Thunder beat the Rockets on national TV behind an excellent Russell Westbrook two-way effort. The Spurs beat the Blazers, and the Pelicans beat the Warriors. (Worried yet, Golden State?)

Portland is in, and in fact the Blazers cannot fall below the No. 5 seed. But the Jazz still have a shot at the No. 3 seed, and in fact control their own destiny. How? Portland and Utah face off on Wednesday in the season finale. If the Jazz beat the Lakers and, uh, Warriors before then, the No. 3 seed will be on the line. Portland has the Nuggets on Monday. If the Jazz and Blazers both falter, the Spurs could actually slip into the No. 3 seed! So this could get messier still.

The Pelicans, Spurs, and Thunder wins kept all three teams a game ahead of the Timberwolves and Nuggets. New Orleans, San Antonio, and Oklahoma City -- like Utah -- each need just one more win to guarantee a playoff spot after Saturday. The Pels face the Clippers and Spurs. The Spurs have the Kings and Pelicans. The Thunder have the Heat and Grizzlies.

If all three get in, that leaves just one spot for the Nuggets and Wolves ... who face off in the season finale on Wednesday. Before then, Minnesota faces Memphis and Denver faces Portland. Because of each team’s division and conference record, if Minnesota beats the Grizzlies on Monday and Denver loses to the Blazers, then the Nuggets cannot eliminate the Wolves on Wednesday! But they could still make the playoffs by beating the Wolves so long as the Pels or Thunder lose out. (This could also apply to the Spurs, but that goes like seven tiebreakers deep and my brain is already on the verge of hyperextension.)

Basically, Denver can’t be eliminated until Wednesday, but losing Monday would be rough.

All that said, here’s the current West playoff picture. Teams who have clinched their seed have asterisks.

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

The only relevant East team that played Saturday was the Bucks, who throttled the Knicks. That keeps Milwaukee tied with Miami with 37 losses, one better than Washington. Here’s the current East playoff bracket with asterisks denoting guaranteed playoff seeds.

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

Indiana and Philadelphia both play matinees against non-playoff teams on Sunday. The Pacers could still move up by winning out and getting some help. A Sixers win guarantees Philly no lower than No. 4.

The Jazz, who face the Lakers (6 p.m. ET, League Pass), are the only West team with something at stake in action. A win keeps their quest for No. 3 alive and guarantees them a playoff berth.