NBA play-in picture: Suns down to 4 potential 1st-round playoff opponents
Apr 8, 2022, 9:32 AM | Updated: Apr 9, 2022, 3:41 pm
Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns during the second half of the NBA game at Footprint Center on March 27, 2022 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the 76ers 114-104. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The Phoenix Suns are that much closer to finding out who will be their first-round opponent in the postseason.
With the Denver Nuggets clinching the No. 6 seed with a win over the Memphis Grizzlies Thursday night, the play-in tournament matchups are nearly locked in outside of who will represent the ninth and 10th seeds between the New Orleans Pelicans and San Antonio Spurs.
Ahead of Saturday’s slate of games, a look at the standings for the four play-in teams:
| TEAM | W | L | WIN% | GB | CONF | DIV | HOME | ROAD | OT | LAST 10 | STREAK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
7 Minnesota Timberwolves
|
46 | 35 | .568 | 17.5 | 32-20 | 12-4 | 26-14 | 20-21 | 2-1 | 5-5 | W 1 |
|
8 LA Clippers
|
40 | 40 | .500 | 23 | 24-26 | 8-7 | 23-16 | 17-24 | 0-4 | 4-6 | W 3 |
|
9 New Orleans Pelicans
|
36 | 44 | .450 | 27 | 25-25 | 6-9 | 19-21 | 17-23 | 1-2 | 7-3 | W 2 |
|
10 San Antonio Spurs
|
34 | 46 | .425 | 29 | 24-26 | 6-9 | 16-24 | 18-22 | 1-3 | 7-3 | L 1 |
A Spurs’ loss to either the Golden State Warriors on Saturday or the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday will lock in the final two seeds, with San Antonio taking the 10th seed and the Pelicans sitting ninth. A Pelicans’ win over the Grizzlies on Saturday or over the Warriors on Sunday will also lock in the 9-10 matchup.
The winner of the Clippers-Timberwolves play-in matchup on Tuesday will go on to face the second-place Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the playoffs.
The loser of that game will take on Wednesday’s winner of the 9-10 play-in matchup for the right to play the Suns in the first round.
The Suns tip off against the Utah Jazz on Friday night at 6:30 p.m. Tune to 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station.
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