The races at the bottom of the Eastern Conference playoff pack and the middle of the Western Conference postseason group heated up Wednesday.
Four teams are separated by one game in the battle for the final two playoff spots in the East. Four teams are separated by a half-game in the race to gain home-court advantage in the opening round of the West playoffs.
The Celtics dumped the Pistons 113-103, eliminating Detroit and moving Boston into a tie for seventh place in the East with Brooklyn. The Nets fell 114-111 to the visiting Atlanta Hawks.
Just behind Brooklyn and Boston are the Indiana Pacers and the Miami Heat, both one game back. Indiana cruised to a 102-86 road win over the New York Knicks. The Heat were idle.
In the West, the San Antonio Spurs’ 110-98 home win over the Houston Rockets and the Memphis Grizzlies’ 110-74 home rout of the New Orleans Pelicans created a logjam in the middle of the West standings.
Memphis and Houston are tied for second place, with San Antonio and the Los Angeles Clippers both a half-game back. All four teams have 53 wins. Only two of the four will end up with home court for the opening playoff series, as the Northwest Division champion Portland Trail Blazers are assured of no worse than the No. 4 seed.
The Pelicans dropped into a tie with the idle Oklahoma City Thunder in the battle for the last Western Conference playoff spot.
The Cleveland Cavaliers wrapped up the Central Division championship with a 104-99 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. While the Chicago Bulls saw their bid to win the division end, they received some good news in their 105-103 loss to the Orlando Magic: Guard Derrick Rose returned to action after missing 20 games following right knee surgery.
The Thursday NBA schedule includes just two games. The Bulls travel to Miami to face the Heat, and the Trail Blazers head to Oakland to square off with the NBA-leading Golden State Warriors, who are riding a two-game losing streak.
NBA PLAYOFF PICTURE THROUGH GAMES OF APRIL 8
EASTERN CONFERENCE
1. *Atlanta Hawks (59-19), Southeast Division champions
2. *Cleveland Cavaliers (51-27), Central Division champions
T3. *Toronto Raptors (46-32), Atlantic Division champions
T3. *Chicago Bulls (46-32)
5. *Washington Wizards (45-33)
6. Milwaukee Bucks (38-40)
T7. Boston Celtics (36-42)
T7. Brooklyn Nets (36-42)
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T9. Indiana Pacers (35-43)
T9. Miami Heat (35-43)
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