Just three days remain in the NBA regular season and only four teams in the Western Conference have clinched playoff berths.
New Orleans, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Minnesota and Denver are all still alive, but one of them will be the odd team out.
The Wolves can clinch a playoff berth for the first time in 14 years on Monday night. Here’s what needs to happen:
- Wolves beat Memphis
- San Antonio beats Sacramento
- Portland beats Denver
Denver is currently in ninth place, trailing the eighth-place Wolves (both 45-35) because Minnesota owns the head-to-head tiebreaker.
If Denver wins tonight, it could set up an elimination game in the season finale Wednesday against the Wolves at Target Center.
The race is so close that any number of seeding scenarios could unfold, too many to even speculate on.
4. Jazz 47-33
- Remaining games: vs. GS (Tue), @POR (Wed)
- Best: 49-33
- Worst: 47-35
5. Pelicans 46-34
- Remaining games: @LAC (Mon), vs. SAS (Wed)
- Best: 48-34
- Worst: 46-36
6. Spurs 46-34
- Remaining games: vs. SAC (Mon), at NO (Wed)
- Best: 48-34
- Worst: 46-36
7. Thunder 46-34
- Remaining games: @MIA (Mon), vs. MEM (Wed)
- Best: 48-34
- Worst: 46-36
8. Wolves 45-35
- Remaining games: vs. MEM (Mon), vs. DEN (Wed)
- Best: 47-35
- Worst: 45-37
