NBA Playoff Picture 2024: Nuggets Reclaim West Lead; Knicks Fall out of East's Top 4

Tuesday was a busy—and eventful—night in the NBA.

The league's nine-game slate featured playoff (or play-in) seeding implications in every contest. It also featured the return of reigning MVP Joel Embiid, an epic duel between Nikola Jokić and Victor Wembanyama and the extension of the Golden State Warriors' masterfully timed and league-best five-game winning streak.

The standings moved throughout the night, which has become the norm given how bunched up things are at nearly every spot. Let's dissect them now, then, before they shift again during Wednesday's nine-game schedule.

Eastern Conference

1. z-Boston Celtics: 59-16

2. Milwaukee Bucks: 47-28

3. Cleveland Cavaliers: 46-30

4. Orlando Magic: 44-31

5. New York Knicks: 44-31

6. Indiana Pacers: 43-33

-----Automatic Playoff Berth Cutoff-----

7. Miami Heat: 42-33

8. Philadelphia 76ers: 41-35

9. pb-Chicago Bulls: 36-40

10. Atlanta Hawks: 35-40

-----Play-In Tournament Cutoff-----

11. Brooklyn Nets: 29-47

12. e-Toronto Raptors: 23-52

13. e-Charlotte Hornets: 18-57

14. e-Washington Wizards: 15-61

15. e-Detroit Pistons: 13-62

Western Conference

1. x-Denver Nuggets: 52-23

2. x-Minnesota Timberwolves: 52-23

3. x-Oklahoma City Thunder: 52-23

4. Los Angeles Clippers: 47-28

5. Dallas Mavericks: 45-30

6. New Orleans Pelicans: 45-30

-----Automatic Playoff Berth Cutoff-----

7. Phoenix Suns: 44-31

8. Sacramento Kings: 44-31

9. Los Angeles Lakers: 43-33

10. Golden State Warriors: 41-34

-----Play-In Tournament Cutoff-----

11. Houston Rockets: 38-37

12. e-Utah Jazz: 29-47

13. e-Memphis Grizzlies: 25-50

14. e-Portland Trail Blazers: 19-56

15. e-San Antonio Spurs: 18-58

*z-clinched conference; x-clinched playoff berth; pb-clinched play-in berth; e-eliminated from playoff contention

While the Celtics have already secured the East's No. 1 spot, little else has been decided in the conference.

The Bucks could have (and should have) taken a step toward changing that by increasing their lead for the No. 2 seed. Instead, they inexplicably lost to a Wizards team that was missing both Kyle Kuzma and Tyus Jones.

Granted, Milwaukee was without Damian Lillard, but his absence alone doesn't excuse the ill-timed misstep.

"We don't bring the necessary professionalism, seriousness, on the road," Bucks coach Doc Rivers told reporters. "That's something that we can fix. That's something that we're going to have to fix."

Since the Bucks' loss came on the same night as a double-digit win by the Cavaliers, Milwaukee's lead for the second spot is down to just a game-and-a-half. And functionally, the lead might be even less, since the Cavs have a chance to claim the tiebreaker over the Bucks by posting the better division record. Both teams have 10 division wins, but Cleveland has two fewer division losses.

Elsewhere in the East, a Knicks team that once appeared as possibly the conference's second-best team has now dipped down to fifth amid a three-game losing skid. The injury-riddled Knicks just couldn't find enough offense to hang with the seventh-seeded Heat, who now find themselves just a half-game back of the No. 6 spot.

Of course, Miami also sits just a game-and-a-half up on a Philadelphia team that immediately felt the impact of Embiid's return. The star center missed two months with a meniscus injury in his left knee, then promptly pumped in 24 points, seven assists, six rebounds and three steals during the Sixers' 109-105 win over the Thunder.

"He looked pretty good for not playing for a couple of months, that's for sure," Sixers coach Nick Nurse said.

Oklahoma City entered that contest with the West's top seed—but without MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (quad) or second-leading scorer Jalen Williams (ankle)—but exited the night in the No. 3 spot after the Nuggets and Timberwolves topped the Spurs and Rockets, respectively.

Just a half-game separates all three teams, so the No. 1 seed is clearly headed toward a photo finish.

Of course, that's true of most races in the West. The Mavericks, who fell to the Warriors, are now knotted up with the Pelicans at No. 5. The Kings, who handled the Clippers, and the Suns both sit just a game back of those two.

One of the few things that feels relatively comfortable, though, is the likelihood of both the Lakers and Warriors landing in the play-in tournament. L.A., which topped Toronto, actually sits the same distance between Nos. 8 and 10 with a one-and-a-half-game gap either direction. Golden State, meanwhile, increased its advantage to three games over Houston for the 10th spot, making Thursday's clash between these teams a must-win for the Rockets, who followed their recent 10-game winning streak with back-to-back losses.

The Warriors overcame an off-night by siblings-in-splash Stephen Curry (5-of-18) and Klay Thompson (5-of-14) thanks to strong support scoring (49 combined points from Andrew Wiggins, Chris Paul and Moses Moody) and down-the-stretch defensive playmaking.

"Draymond is just special," Wiggins raved. "A defensive mastermind. He's everywhere."

The Dubs clearly haven't had the season they wanted, but they have a chance to end it on a high note and have some momentum to carry into the play-in tournament.

They just have to keep that momentum building, though. Slip-up against the Rockets and look bad doing it, and the good vibes could go out the window.