The Phoenix Suns, Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat all picked up vital wins on Friday to help their respective cases in the playoff standings. Phoenix gained a bit of distance from the play-in places in the Western Conference with a home win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Suns got some help from the San Antonio Spurs, who knocked off the New Orleans Pelicans. The Suns and Pelicans square off on Sunday, just like the Pacers and Heat. Both Indiana and Miami need a victory in that contest to avoid losing ground to the Philadelphia 76ers, who have the most favorable remaining schedule of the trio. Updated Standings Eastern Conference 1. Boston (61-16) 2. Milwaukee (47-30) 3. Cleveland (46-31) 4. Orlando (45-32) 5.
New York (45-32) 6. Indiana (44-34) Play-In Race 7. Miami (43-34) 8. Philadelphia (42-35) 9.
Chicago (37-40) 10. Atlanta (36-41) The Pacers and Heat were the only teams from second to eighth in the East to win on Friday. Indiana took care of the Oklahoma City Thunder, who are still without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, at home, while Miami rebounded from its loss to Philadelphia with a double-digit victory over the Houston Rockets. The Heat and Pacers square off on Sunday in Indianapolis in a game that the Pacers need to create separation in the standings. Indiana only has four games left. Miami and Philadelphia have five contests each remaining. The 76ers visit the Memphis Grizzlies and San Antonio Spurs this weekend and they will be expected to win their final three games at home. Philadelphia's easy remaining schedule leaves little margin for error for both the Heat and Pacers. The No. 6 seed looks even more intriguing by the day since a lot of the teams in contention for the No. 3 seed look vulnerable. Milwaukee is on a three-game losing streak that got worse on Friday with a loss to
Toronto, Cleveland is in bad shape right now and Orlando lacks the playoff experience in a potential matchup with Miami or Philadelphia. If Philadelphia takes advantage of its schedule and Joel Embiid rounds into his regular form, it could win five straight and leap both the Pacers and Heat. Play-In Prediction: 7. Indiana, 8. Miami, 9. Chicago, 10. Atlanta Western Conference 1. Minnesota (53-23) 2. Denver (53-24) 3. Oklahoma City (52-25) 4.
Los Angeles Clippers (49-28) 5. Dallas (47-30) 6. Phoenix (46-31) Play-In Race 7. New Orleans (45-32) 8. Sacramento (44-33) 9.
Los Angeles Lakers (44-33) 10. Golden State (42-35) 11. Houston (38-39) Phoenix's win over Minnesota combined with New Orleans' loss to San Antonio put the Suns ahead by a full game for the No. 6 seed. The Suns can create even more separation over the Pelicans with a head-to-head victory on Sunday. Phoenix needs that head-to-head victory because it finishes with two games against the Clippers and one against the Kings and Wolves. New Orleans' No. 7 spot could be in danger in the next week because it plays four of its final five games on the road. The Pelicans wasted a six-game home stand that concluded on Friday with a 1-5 record. Sacramento and Golden State catch New Orleans on the final two games of that road trip and that could damage the Pelicans' spot in the standings. The Kings, Warriors, Pelicans and Los Angeles Lakers should feel safe about at least making the play-in round since the Houston Rockets are now four full games back of Golden State after their loss to the Heat. Play-In Prediction: 7. Sacramento, 8. Los Angeles Lakers, 9. New Orleans, 10. Golden State