NBA Western Conference playoff photo: Pelicans threaten to climb out of play-in

Below is a comprehensive snapshot of the state of play in the Western Conference playoffs and play-in races starting Friday. This post will be updated daily for the rest of the regular season or until all seeds have sounded.

Reminder about how the warm-up 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. seed.

READ: Photo from the Eastern Conference playoffs

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

WESTERN CONFERENCE

• Grabs top-three seed
• Projected Seed: 1
• Current first round match: To be determined
• Tiebreak against Memphis: Nuggets have sounded
• Tiebreak against Sacramento: Season series tied 1-1 with one to play
• Tiebreak against Phoenix: Nuggets lead season series 2-0 with two to play

• Grabs top-three seed
• Projected Seed: 2
• Current first round match: vs. Pelicans-Timberwolves play-in winner
• Tiebreak against Denver: Nuggets have sounded
• Tiebreak against Sacramento: Kings currently owns via conference record
• Tiebreak against Phoenix: Grizzlies own through division leader

• Clinched top-four seed
• Projected Seed: 3
• Current first round match: against warriors
• Tiebreak against Denver: Draw 1-1 with one more to play
• Tiebreak against Memphis: Kings currently own via conference win percentage
• Tiebreak against Phoenix: Kings possess through division leader
• Tiebreak against Golden State: Warriors lead 2-1 with one to play

• Projected seed: 4
• Current first round match: against clippers
• Tiebreak against Memphis: Grizzlies own through division leader
• Tiebreak against Sacramento: Kings possess through division leader
• Tiebreak against Golden State: Suns joined
• Tiebreak vs Timberwolves: Suns joined
• Tiebreak against Dallas: Suns currently owns the conference win percentage
• tiebreaker vs. clippers: Suns lead 2-1 with one to play

5. Los Angeles Clippers (41-36)

• Projected Seed: 6
• Current first round match: at Zonnen
• Tiebreak against Phoenix: Suns lead 2-1 with one to play
• Tiebreak against Golden State: Clippers lead by division win percentage
• Tiebreak vs Timberwolves: Wolves locked up
• Tiebreak against Dallas: Mavericks currently holds via conference record
• Tiebreak against New Orleans: Pelicans lead 1-0 with two to play
• Tiebreak against Utah: Jazz took
• tiebreak vs. Lakers: Clippers won prizes

6. Golden State Warriors (40-37)

• Projected seed: 5
• Current first round match: at Kings
• Tiebreak against Phoenix: The suns have sounded
• Tiebreak vs Timberwolves: Wolves are currently leading via conference win rate
• Tiebreak against Dallas: Warriors have sounded
• tiebreaker vs. clippers: Clippers lead by division win percentage
• Tiebreak vs Thunder: Warriors lead 2-1 with one to play
• tiebreak vs. Lakers: Lakers have sounded
• Tiebreak against New Orleans: Warriors lead via conference win percentage
• Tiebreak against Utah: Warriors have sounded

PLAY-IN TOURNAMENT

7. New Orleans Pelicans (39-38)

• Projected Seed: 9
• Current first round match: against Timberwolves (play-in)
• Tiebreak against Golden State: Warriors lead via conference win percentage
• Tiebreak vs Timberwolves: Draw 1-1 with one more to play
• Tiebreak against Dallas: Mavericks lead 2-1 with one to play
• Tiebreak against Utah: Jazz took
• tiebreak vs. Lakers: Lakers have sounded
• Tiebreak vs OKC: Pelicans locked up
• Tiebreak against Portland: Pelicans locked up

8.Minnesota Timberwolves (39-38)

• Projected Seed: 7
• Current first round match: at Pelicans (playing in)
• Tiebreak against Phoenix: Suns joined
• Tiebreak against Golden State: Wolves are currently leading via conference win rate
• Tiebreak against Dallas: Wolves locked up
• tiebreaker vs. clippers: Wolves locked up
• Tiebreak against New Orleans: Draw 1-1 with one more to play
• Tiebreak against Utah: Wolves currently hold a division record
• tiebreak vs. Lakers: Wolves locked up

9.Los Angeles Lakers (38-38)

• Projected Seed: 8
• Current first round match: versus Thunder (play-in)
• tiebreaker vs. clippers: Clippers won prizes
• Tiebreak against warriors: Lakers have sounded
• Tiebreak vs Timberwolves: Wolves locked up
• Tiebreak against New Orleans: Lakers have sounded
• Tiebreak against Utah: Jazz led 2-0 with two to play
• Tiebreak vs OKC: Lakers have sounded
• Tiebreak against Portland: Blazers currently own via conference winning percentage

• Projected seed: 10
• Current first round match: at Lakers (warming up)
• Tiebreak against warriors: Golden State leads 2-1 with one more to play
• Tiebreak against Dallas: OKC took
• Tiebreak against New Orleans: Pelicans locked up
• Tiebreak against Utah: OKC leads 2-1 with one more to play
• tiebreak vs. Lakers: Lakers have sounded
• Tiebreak against Portland: OKC took

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN

11.Dallas Mavericks (37-40)

• Projected seed: Lottery
• Tiebreaker against Oklahoma City: OKC took
• Tiebreak against Phoenix: Suns owns the conference win rate
• Tiebreak against Golden State: Warriors have sounded
• Tiebreak vs Timberwolves: Wolves locked up
• tiebreaker vs. clippers: Dallas currently holds via conference record
• Tiebreak against New Orleans: Dallas leads 2-1 with one to play
• Tiebreak against Utah: Dallas leads 2-1 with one to play
• tiebreak vs. Lakers: Mavericks has sounded

12.Utah Jazz (36-40)

• Projected seed: Lottery
• Tiebreak against New Orleans: Jazz took
• tiebreak vs. Lakers: Jazz led 2-0 with two to play
• Tiebreak vs OKC: Thunder led 2-1 with one to play
• Tiebreak against Portland: Blazers lead 2-1 with one to play