NBA Clinching Scenarios and Magic Numbers for NBA Playoffs

We’re in the final stretch of the 2021-22 NBA season, which means there are several teams fighting for playoff position, specifically to avoid the league's play-in tournament. 

Before betting on a possible NBA champion at WynnBET Sportsbook, it’s important to know if your team will get a favorable draw in the playoffs. 

Using the data collected at PlayoffStatus.com, we’re going to break down who has clinched a playoff spot, and what each team in the play-in conversation needs to do to make the postseason. 

NBA Teams That Have Clinched a Playoff Spot in 2021-22 Season

Eastern Conference

The Miami Heat are the closest team to clinching a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, as they need just three more wins to be guaranteed at least the No. 6 seed. Miami is also just one win away from guaranteeing that it will be at worst the No. 7 seed this season. 

Here are the rest of the Eastern Conference teams “Magic Numbers” to clinch a playoff spot, which means earning the No. 6 seed or higher and avoiding the league’s play-in tournament:  

• Miami Heat (3 games)
• Boston Celtics (5 games)
• Milwaukee Bucks (7 games)
• Philadelphia 76ers: (7 games)
• Chicago Bulls (8 games)
• Cleveland Cavaliers (9 games)

Each of these six teams would need to win the specified number of games to clinch a playoff spot, provided other teams don’t lose to help them clinch. That will almost certainly happen, so some NBA teams may see their magic number shrink rather quickly over the final few weeks. 

The Toronto Raptors, Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets and Atlanta Hawks do not control their own destiny, meaning they need to win and other teams to lose in order to avoid the play-in tournament this season. 

Western Conference

In the West, the Phoenix Suns have already clinched a top three spot in the conference and will need just two wins to clinch the overall No. 1 seed in the West. 

They are the only team to lock in a playoff spot at this point in the conference, so let’s break down the rest of the field: 

• Memphis Grizzlies (2 games)
• Golden State Warriors (5 games)
• Utah Jazz (6 games)
• Dallas Mavericks (6 games)
• Denver Nuggets (9 games)
• Minnesota Timberwolves (9 games)

The Wolves and Nuggets are separated by just half a game for the No. 6 seed in the West, and only two play-in tournament teams can make the playoffs outright in the conference, as the Los Angeles Clippers don’t control their destiny, but are still in the mix for the No. 6 seed. 

As for the Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans, they cannot finish any higher than the No. 8 seed in the conference. 

NBA Play-In Tournament Clinching Scenarios

Eastern Conference

The Eastern Conference play-in field is a tight one, with 12 teams in the running still entering the final weeks of the season. 

Here is the likelihood according to PlayoffStatus.com, of where each team lands. 

The New York Knicks and Washington Wizards, who are both outside the play-in picture will need some help to get in, as neither team controls its own destiny. 

Here’s what the rest of the teams need to get in:

• Atlanta Hawks (7 games)
• Charlotte Hornets (5 games)
• Brooklyn Nets (4 games)
• Toronto Raptors (1 game)
• Cleveland Cavaliers (1 game)

Western Conference

Right now, the Western Conference has a play-in field that looks like this:

• No. 7: Minnesota Timberwolves
• No. 8: Los Angeles Clippers: 
• No. 9: Los Angeles Lakers
• No. 10: New Orleans Pelicans

Only the Portland Trail Blazers, who are currently 12th, can control their destiny into the play-in tournament from outside the field, but they’d need to win their final 11 games to grab the No. 10 seed. 

The Wolves are guaranteed to finish in the No. 8 spot or higher, while the Clippers need five wins to clinch the No. 8 spot over New Orleans and the Lakers. 

To guarantee play-in spots, the Lakers need seven wins while the Pelicans need eight. Obviously, if teams lose below them, this magic number will change.