NBA Daily Playoff Picture: The one where the Warriors and Rockets tangle for the final time

The NBA playoff picture will come into clearer view each day between now and the end of the regular season on April 14. In the meantime, we will provide detailed daily updates on the landscape, including magic numbers, strength of schedule, relevant tiebreakers and the stakes for every day's slate of games.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

1. Minnesota Timberwolves (53-23)

Clinched playoff berth

Projected record: 57-25

Net rating: 7.0

Magic number for top-three seed: 2

Remaining schedule: @PHX, @LAL, WAS, @DEN, ATL, PHX

Remaining strength of schedule: .520

Highest possible finish: No. 1 seed (clinched no lower than No. 4)

Own tiebreakers against: Thunder, Nuggets, Clippers, Mavericks

2. Denver Nuggets (53-23)

Clinched playoff berth

Projected record: 57-25

Net rating: 5.0

Magic number for top-three seed: 2

Remaining schedule: @LAC, ATL, @UTA, MIN, @SAS, @MEM

Remaining strength of schedule: .459 (second-easiest in the West)

Highest possible finish: No. 1 seed (clinched no lower than No. 4)

No relevant tiebreakers

3. Oklahoma City Thunder (52-24)

Clinched playoff berth

Projected record: 57-25

Net rating: 6.6

Magic number for top-three seed: 3

Remaining schedule: @IND, @CHA, SAC, SAS, MIL, DAL

Remaining strength of schedule: .473

Highest possible finish: No. 1 seed (clinched no lower than No. 5)

Own tiebreakers against: Nuggets, Clippers

4. Los Angeles Clippers (47-28)

Projected record: 51-31

Net rating: 3.4

Magic number for top-four seed: 5

Remaining schedule: DEN, UTA, CLE, @PHX, PHX, UTA, HOU

Remaining strength of schedule: .536

Highest possible finish: No. 1 seed (clinched no lower than No. 10)

Own tiebreakers against: Mavericks, Warriors

5. Dallas Mavericks (45-30)

Projected record: 49-33

Net rating: 2.2

Magic number for playoff berth: 6

Remaining schedule: ATL, GSW, HOU, @CHA, @MIA, DET, @OKC

Remaining strength of schedule: .454 (easiest in the West)

Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed

Own tiebreakers against: Suns, Lakers

6. Phoenix Suns (45-31)

Projected record: 47-35

Net rating: 3.1

Magic number for playoff berth: 6

Remaining schedule: MIN, NOP, LAC, @LAC, @SAC, @MIN

Remaining strength of schedule: .638 (hardest in the West)

Highest possible finish: No. 4 seed

Own tiebreakers against: Pelicans, Warriors

7. New Orleans Pelicans (45-31)

Projected record: 50-32

Net rating: 4.8

Magic number for playoff berth: 6

Remaining schedule: SAS, @PHX, @POR, @SAC, @GSW, LAL

Remaining strength of schedule: .466

Highest possible finish: No. 4 seed

Own tiebreakers against: Clippers, Kings

8. Sacramento Kings (44-31)

Projected record: 47-35

Net rating: 1.5

Magic number for playoff berth: 7

Remaining schedule: @NYK, @BOS, @BKN, @OKC, NOP, PHX, POR

Remaining strength of schedule: .556 (second-hardest in the West)

Highest possible finish: No. 4 seed

Own tiebreakers against: Lakers

9. Los Angeles Lakers (44-33)

Projected record: 46-36

Net rating: 0.4

Magic number for play-in tournament berth: 2

Remaining schedule: CLE, MIN, GSW, @MEM, @NOP

Remaining strength of schedule: .555

Highest possible finish: No. 4 seed

Own tiebreakers against: Clippers, Suns

10. Golden State Warriors (41-34)

Projected record: 45-37

Net rating: 1.9

Magic number for play-in tournament berth: 4

Remaining schedule: @HOU, @DAL, UTA, @LAL, @POR, NOP, UTA

Remaining strength of schedule: .471

Highest possible finish: No. 4 seed

Own tiebreakers against: Rockets

11. Houston Rockets (38-37)

Projected record: 42-40

Net rating: 1.2

Magic number for play-in tournament berth: Do not control destiny

Remaining schedule: GSW, MIA, @DAL, ORL, @UTA, @POR, @LAC

Remaining strength of schedule: .509

Highest possible finish: No. 6 seed

Own tiebreakers against: Kings

Thursday's games of consequence (all times Eastern)

Kings at Knicks (7:30 p.m., TNT)

SAC clinches at least a play-in tournament berth with a win and a HOU loss

Hawks at Mavericks (7:30 p.m.)

DAL clinches at least a play-in tournament berth with a win or a HOU loss

DAL will be eliminated from contention for the No. 3 seed with a loss

Warriors at Rockets (8 p.m.)

GSW will be eliminated from contention for a home playoff seed with a loss or a LAC win

HOU will be eliminated from contention for the No. 8 seed with a loss and a SAC win

Nuggets at Clippers (10 p.m., TNT)

DEN clinches a top-three seed with a win

LAC will be eliminated from contention for the No. 1 seed with a loss

EASTERN CONFERENCE

1. Boston Celtics (60-16)

Clinched No. 1 seed and first-round playoff series vs. No. 8 seed (determined by play-in tournament)

2. Milwaukee Bucks (47-29)

Projected record: 51-31

Net rating: 3.2

Magic number for No. 2 seed: 5

Remaining schedule: TOR, NYK, BOS, ORL, @OKC, @ORL

Remaining strength of schedule: .591 (hardest in the East)

Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed (clinched no lower than No. 7)

Own tiebreakers against: Heat

3. Cleveland Cavaliers (46-31)

Projected record: 50-32

Net rating: 2.8

Magic number for top-four seed: 5

Remaining schedule: @LAL, @LAC, MEM, IND, CHA

Remaining strength of schedule: .467

Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed (clinched no lower than No. 8)

No relevant tiebreakers

4. Orlando Magic (45-31)

Projected record: 48-34

Net rating: 2.5

Magic number for playoff berth: 3

Remaining schedule: @CHA, CHI, @HOU, @MIL, @PHI, MIL

Remaining strength of schedule: .499

Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed (clinched no lower than No. 8)

Own tiebreakers against: Knicks, Pacers

5. New York Knicks (44-31)

Projected record: 48-34

Net rating: 4.8

Magic number for playoff berth: 5

Remaining schedule: SAC, @CHI, @MIL, @CHI, @BOS, BKN, CHI

Remaining strength of schedule: .543

Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed (clinched no lower than No. 8)

Own tiebreakers against: Bucks, Heat, 76ers

6. Miami Heat (42-33)

Projected record: 46-36

Net rating: 1.6

Magic number for playoff berth: 7

Remaining schedule: PHI, @HOU, @IND, @ATL, DAL, TOR, TOR

Remaining strength of schedule: .469

Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed (clinched no lower than No. 9)

Own tiebreakers against: Cavaliers, Magic, Hawks

7. Indiana Pacers (43-34)

Projected record: 46-36

Net rating: 2.3

Magic numberor No. 7 seed: 4

Remaining schedule: OKC, MIA, @TOR, @CLE, ATL

Remaining strength of schedule: .524

Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed (clinched no lower than No. 8)

Own tiebreakers against: Bucks, Knicks, 76ers

8. Philadelphia 76ers (41-35)

Projected record: 45-37

Net rating: 2.3

Magic number for No. 8 seed: 2

Remaining schedule: @MIA, @MEM, @SAS, DET, ORL, BKN

Remaining strength of schedule: .382 (easiest in the East)

Highest possible finish: No. 3 seed (clinched no lower than No. 10)

Own tiebreakers against: Magic, Hawks

9. Chicago Bulls (36-40)

Clinched play-in berth

Projected record: 39-43

Net rating: -1.9

Magic number for No. 9 seed: 6

Remaining schedule: NYK, @ORL, NYK, @DET, @WAS, @NYK

Remaining strength of schedule: .452 (second-easiest in the East)

Highest possible finish: No. 8 seed

Own tiebreakers against: 76ers, Hawks

10. Atlanta Hawks (36-40)

Clinched play-in berth

Projected record: 38-44

Net rating: -1.0

Magic number for No. 9 seed: Do not control destiny

Remaining schedule: @DAL, @DEN, MIA, CHA, @MIN, @IND

Remaining strength of schedule: .558 (second-hardest in the East)

Highest possible finish: No. 8 seed

No relevant tiebreakers

Thursday's games of consequence (all times Eastern)

76ers at Heat (7:30 p.m.)

MIA clinches a top-eight seed and the tiebreaker against PHI with a win

PHI clinches a top-nine seed with a win or an ATL loss

Kings at Knicks (7:30 p.m., TNT)

NYK clinches a top-seven seed with a win

Hawks at Mavericks (7:30 p.m.)

ATL will be eliminated from contention for the No. 8 seed with a loss or a PHI win