Though the standings are far from set with about 18 games left for each team, it is reasonable to start extrapolating who will advance and who they'll match up with.
In the East, there is a one game difference between eighth place Indiana and ninth place Charlotte, but the Top Seven are a certainty.
The West is a different story.
Teams five through 11 are separated by a total of five games. Denver, Portland, New Orleans and Memphis are currently in with Phoenix, Utah and Houston all chasing one game behind each other.
It's obviously impossible to figure out exactly where each team will end up, but it is reasonable to conclude that, at the three-quarter pole of the season, teams are who they are. This is to say that the teams that are currently in the playoff bracket are probably more likely to end up there than a team who hasn't earned it thus far.
Here's a breakdown of each playoff round with teams placed as they would be if the season ended today.
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Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
