NBA Western Conference playoff picture: Lakers take brutal loss vs. Mavericks; Warriors fall into play-in

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The Los Angeles Lakers blew a four-point lead with 7.2 seconds to play to take a bitter loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Friday. With the win, combined with Golden State’s loss to Atlanta, Dallas moves into the No. 6 seed while the Lakers fall to No. 10, tied in the loss column with the No. 12 Pelicans.

The Warriors, who have now lost 10 straight road games, fall into the play-in at No. 7.

Below is a comprehensive snapshot of where things stand in the Western Conference playoff and play-in races entering play on Saturday. This post will update daily throughout the remainder of the regular season or until all seeds are clinched.

Reminder on how the play-in tournament works: No. 7 plays No. 8 and No. 9 plays No. 10. The winner of the 7-8 game gets the No. 7 seed, while the loser plays the winner of the 9-10 game for the No. 8 seed.

READ: Eastern Conference playoff picture

NOTE: Our SportsLine model, developed by predictive data engineer Stephen Oh, simulates the entire season 10,000 times to produce the most unbiased and precise projections imaginable.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Projected seed: 1
Current first-round matchup: TBD
Tiebreaker vs. Memphis: Nuggets have clinched
Tiebreaker vs. Sacramento: Season series tied 1-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Nuggets lead season series 2-0 with two to play

Projected seed: 3
Current first-round matchup: Winner of Warriors-Timberwolves play-in
Tiebreaker vs. Denver: Tied 1-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Memphis: Kings currently own via conference win percentage
Tiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Suns lead 2-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Golden State: Warriors lead 2-1 with one to play

Projected seed: 2
Current first-round matchup: vs. Mavericks
Tiebreaker vs. Denver: Nuggets have clinched
Tiebreaker vs. Sacramento: Kings currently own via conference record
Tiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Grizzlies own via division leader

4. Phoenix Suns (38-32)

Projected seed: 4
Current first-round matchup: vs. Clippers
Tiebreaker vs. Memphis: Grizzlies own via division leader
Tiebreaker vs. Sacramento: Phoenix leads 2-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Golden State: Suns have clinched
Tiebreaker vs. Timberwolves: Suns lead 2-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Dallas: Suns currently own via conference win percentage
Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: Suns lead 2-1 with one to play

5. Los Angeles Clippers (37-33)

Projected seed: 5
Current first-round matchup: at Suns
Tiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Suns lead 2-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Golden State: Clippers lead via division win percentage
Tiebreaker vs. Timberwolves: Wolves clinched
Tiebreaker vs. Dallas: Mavericks currently own via conference record
Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Pelicans lead 1-0 with two to play
Tiebreaker vs. Utah: Jazz clinched
Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Clippers clinched

6. Dallas Mavericks (36-35)

Projected seed: 7
Current first-round matchup: at Grizzlies
Tiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Suns owns via conference win percentage
Tiebreaker vs. Golden State: Tied 1-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Timberwolves: Wolves clinched
Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: Dallas currently owns via conference record
Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Dallas leads 2-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Utah: Dallas leads 2-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Mavericks clinched

Play-In Tournament

7. Golden State Warriors (36-35)

Projected seed: 6
Current first-round matchup: vs. Timberwolves (Play-in)
Tiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Suns have clinched
Tiebreaker vs. Timberwolves: Warriors lead 2-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Dallas: Tied 1-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: Clippers lead via division win percentage
Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Pelicans lead 2-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Utah: Warriors clinched

7. Minnesota Timberwolves (35-36)

Projected seed: 9
Current first-round matchup: at Warriors (play-in)
Tiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Suns lead 2-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Golden State: Warriors lead 2-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Dallas: Wolves clinched
Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: Wolves clinched
Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Tied 1-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Utah: Wolves currently own via division record
Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Wolves clinched

Projected seed: 10
Current first-round matchup: vs. Lakers (play-in)
Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Pelicans clinched
Tiebreaker vs. Utah: OKC leads 2-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Tied 1-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Portland: OKC clinched

10. Los Angeles Lakers (34-37)

Projected seed: 8
Current first-round matchup: at Thunder (play-in)
Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: Clippers clinched
Tiebreaker vs. Timberwolves: Wolves clinched
Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Lakers clinched
Tiebreaker vs. Utah: Jazz lead 2-0 with two to play
Tiebreaker vs. OKC: Tied 1-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Portland: Blazers currently own via conference win percentage

Outside Looking In

11. Utah Jazz (33-36)

Projected seed: Lottery
Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Jazz Clinched
Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Jazz lead 2-0 with two to play
Tiebreaker vs. OKC: Thunder lead 2-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Portland: Blazers lead 2-1 with one to play

12. New Orleans Pelicans (33-37)

Projected seed: Lottery
Tiebreaker vs. Golden State: Pelicans lead 2-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Timberwolves: Tied 1-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Dallas: Mavericks lead 2-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Utah: Jazz clinched
Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Lakers clinched
Tiebreaker vs. OKC: Pelicans clinched
Tiebreaker vs. Portland: Pelicans clinched

Projected seed: Lottery
Tiebreaker vs. Utah: Blazers lead 2-1 with one to play
Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Blazers currently own via conference win percentage
Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Pelicans clinched
Tiebreaker vs. OKC: Thunder clinched