:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/54187955/665977012.0.jpg)
The playoff picture in the Eastern Conference is becoming more clear but it isn’t set just yet. The Atlanta Hawks can lock down the fifth seed in the conference with a win Tuesday night but there is still a battle going on at the bottom of the standings between Indiana, Chicago and Miami for inclusion in the postseason.
Notable scores from Monday night:
Indiana 120, Philadelphia 111
Boston 114, Brooklyn 105
Miami 124, Cleveland 121 (OT)
Chicago 122, Orlando 75
Milwaukee 89, Charlotte 79
Washington 105, Detroit 101
Atlanta can’t fall below the seventh seed and need just one win in either of their two final games to secure the fifth seed. They currently hold a half game lead over the Bucks but also have the tiebreaker by virtue of winning the season series. The Hawks can lose their final two regular season games and still secure the fifth seed if Milwaukee loses in Boston on Wednesday. If Atlanta goes 0-2 and Milwaukee wins, then the Hawks would drop to the seventh seed.
Eastern Conference Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | L10 | Streak |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | L10 | Streak |
| *1. Boston | 52 | 29 | 642 | - | 7-3 | W2 |
| *2. Cleveland | 51 | 30 | .630 | 1 | 4-6 | L3 |
| *3. Toronto | 50 | 31 | .617 | 1.5 | 8-2 | W3 |
| *4. Washington | 49 | 32 | .605 | 3 | 6-4 | W1 |
| *5. Atlanta | 42 | 38 | .525 | 9.5 | 5-5 | W3 |
| *6. Milwaukee | 42 | 39 | .519 | 10 | 6-4 | W2 |
| 7. Indiana | 41 | 40 | .506 | 11 | 5-5 | W4 |
| 8. Chicago | 40 | 41 | .494 | 12 | 7-3 | W1 |
| Miami | 40 | 41 | .494 | 12 | 5-5 | W2 |
| Detroit | 37 | 44 | .457 | 15 | 3-7 | L1 |
| Charlotte | 36 | 45 | .444 | 16 | 4-6 | L4 |
| New York | 30 | 51 | .370 | 22 | 3-7 | L3 |
| Orlando | 28 | 53 | .346 | 24 | 2-8 | L2 |
| Philadelphia | 28 | 53 | .346 | 24 | 2-8 | L7 |
| Brooklyn | 20 | 61 | .247 | 32 | 5-5 | L1 |
Cleveland’s loss to Miami on Monday has given the Celtics the inside track to the No. 1 seed in the East. Indiana leads both Chicago and Miami by one game but have not locked down their spot in the playoffs. That race will go down to the season’s final day on Wednesday.
Atlanta’s remaining Schedule:
Tuesday vs. Charlotte
Wednesday at Indiana
Milwaukee’s remaining schedule:
Wednesday at Boston
Indiana’s remaining schedule:
Wednesday vs. Atlanta