What's at stake for the 10 teams in action on Day 12 of the NBA restart?

Yash Matange

What's at stake for the 10 teams in action on Day 12 of the NBA restart? image

After an action-packed 14-team slate on Monday, 10 teams take the floor on Tuesday. 

Can the Phoenix Suns improve to 6-0 and keep their playoff hopes alive? Can the Nuggets make a run for the West's No. 2 seed?

Here's a rundown of the standings and all that's at stake in Tuesday's five-game slate.

All win probabilities are per FiveThirtyEight's NBA Predictions model.

STANDINGS

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Phoenix Suns - 4:30 a.m.

Win probability: Suns - 58%

From the teams contending for the final playoff spot in the West, the undefeated Phoenix Suns are the only team taking the floor on Tuesday. Heading into this contest, they are one game behind the ninth-seeded Portland Trail Blazers while holding a half-game lead over the eleventh-seeded San Antonio Spurs. A win here would help them trim the deficit to the Blazers and keep their playoff hopes alive.

For the Thunder, who will still be without Dennis Schroder, there's nothing but seeding at stake. They are currently 5th, a game behind the fourth-seeded Houston Rockets and lead the Utah Jazz by half a game.

Dallas Mavericks vs. Utah Jazz - 5:00 a.m.

Win probability: Mavericks - 59%

The Dallas Mavericks are locked into the seventh seed in the West. So, nothing at stake here for them, just an opportunity for more game reps.

On the other hand, the Jazz could climb up the standings if the OKC Thunder drop their game earlier in the day. A loss, however, would keep them in sixth or increase their deficit to the OKC Thunder.

Toronto Raptors vs. Milwaukee Bucks - 8:30 a.m.

Win probability: Bucks - 60%

The Bucks have the top seed in the league locked up, while the Raptors have clinched the second seed, holding a 3.5 game lead over the Boston Celtics with three games to go. 

Will this game be a preview of the Eastern Conference Finals?

Indiana Pacers vs. Miami Heat - 10:00 a.m.

Win probability: Pacers - 57%

Both these teams face each other twice in their remaining three seeding games. The Heat have already clinched the tiebreaker but the Pacers could jump to the fourth seed on the basis of a better record. However, that would drop the Heat only as low as the 5th seed unless he 76ers go 3-0 in their remaining games. 

So, even with three games left, these teams are most probably locked into a 4-5 playoff series. 

Denver Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Lakers - 11:00 a.m.

Win probability: Lakers - 57%

The Lakers have clinched the top seed in the West, but after losing three straight games, they'll be out to test themselves against a contending team.

The same can be said for the Nuggets as well, who welcomed back some of their injured players in Jamal Murray and Torrey Craig. In addition, heading into this one, they are only a game behind the second-seeded LA Clippers, who they split their regular-season series with 1-1.

The Nuggets will have played one more game than the Clippers at the end of the seeding schedule and can finish half a game ahead of the Clippers by having one more win and the same amount of losses.

Current Standings

Standings after games on Aug. 10
 EAST    WEST   
 TEAMWLGB TEAMWLGB
1x - Milwaukee Bucks5515-1x - Los Angeles Lakers5118-
2x - Toronto Raptors50194.52x - LA Clippers47234.5
3x - Boston Celtics472383x - Denver Nuggets46245.5
4x - Miami Heat4327124x - Houston Rockets44257
5x - Indiana Pacers4327125x - Oklahoma City Thunder43268
6x - Philadelphia 76ers4228136x - Utah Jazz43278.5
7x - Brooklyn Nets3436217x - Dallas Mavericks423010.5
8x - Orlando Magic323923.58Memphis Grizzlies333819
9e - Washington Wizards2446319Portland Trail Blazers333919.5
     10Phoenix Suns313920.5
     11San Antonio Spurs313821
     12e - New Orleans Pelicans304021.5
     13e - Sacramento Kings294122.5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

x - clinched playoff berth; e - eliminated

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Yash Matange