The Chicago Bulls improved their chances of remaining in the top half of the Eastern Conference playoff bracket thanks to an 89-78 road win over the Miami Heat on Thursday.
Chicago moved a half-game ahead of the Toronto Raptors and 1 1/2 games in front of the Washington Wizards in the race for third place in the East. Toronto would win the tiebreaker against either team as a division winner.
The Heat fell into 10th place, a half-game behind the ninth-place Indiana Pacers and 1 1/2 games back of the teams occupying the final two playoff positions, the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets.
After Thursday’s abbreviated NBA schedule, the stretch-run slate heats up again Friday night with a full card.
The marquee game on the Friday docket sees the San Antonio Spurs travel to 200 miles east to face the Houston Rockets. San Antonio starts the day a half-game behind Houston in a four-team race to grab the last two available places in the West’s top four.
The Pacific Division champion Golden State Warriors and the Northwest Division champion Portland Trail Blazers are both assured of home-court advantage in the opening round of the playoffs. The Memphis Grizzlies (who play the Jazz in Utah on Friday) and Houston are tied for the Southwest Division lead, with San Antonio a half-game back. The Los Angeles Clippers have the same record as the Spurs.
The top non-division winner in each conference qualifies as a top-four seed.
Friday’s Eastern Conference schedule includes two matchups of contenders. The Cleveland Cavaliers, who clinched the No. 2 seed on Wednesday, play host to the Celtics. The Wizards travel to the Big Apple to face the Nets.
NBA PLAYOFF PICTURE THROUGH GAMES OF APRIL 9
EASTERN CONFERENCE
1. *Atlanta Hawks (59-19), Southeast Division champions
2. *Cleveland Cavaliers (51-27), Central Division champions
3. *Chicago Bulls (47-32)
4. *Toronto Raptors (46-32), Atlantic Division champions
5. *Washington Wizards (45-33)
6. Milwaukee Bucks (38-40)
T7. Boston Celtics (36-42)
T7. Brooklyn Nets (36-42)
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9. Indiana Pacers (35-43)
10. Miami Heat (35-44)
11. Charlotte Hornets (33-45)
WESTERN CONFERENCE
1. *&Golden State Warriors (63-15), Pacific Division champions
T2. *Memphis Grizzlies (53-25), Southwest Division co-leaders
T2. *Houston Rockets (53-25), Southwest Division co-leaders
4. *&Portland Trail Blazers (51-27), Northwest Division champions
T5. *Los Angeles Clippers (53-26)
T5. *San Antonio Spurs (53-26)
7. *Dallas Mavericks (47-31)
T8. New Orleans Pelicans (42-36)
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T8. Oklahoma City Thunder (42-36)
* — clinched playoff berth
& — late game not included in record