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Phoenix Suns vs. Orlando Magic: Game Highlights (1:14)
Phoenix Suns vs. Orlando Magic: Game Highlights (1:14)
ESPN staffApr 1, 2026, 06:00 AM ET
There are nine games on the NBA schedule Wednesday night, but only three of them feature two teams headed to the postseason. Still, each of those three games is of critical importance as teams look to solidify their positions in the standings.
The Atlanta Hawks host the Orlando Magic (7 p.m. ET) in what ESPN's Basketball Power Index rates as the fourth-most critical game remaining this season. The Hawks are a half-game ahead of the Toronto Raptors for fifth in the East, and BPI gives Atlanta a better than 80% chance of finishing in the top six and avoiding the play-in tournament. However, a loss to the Magic, who enter Wednesday two games back of sixth, could damage those chances.
In the first game of ESPN's doubleheader, the Boston Celtics visit the Miami Heat (7:30 p.m. ET) in what is rated as the ninth-most important remaining game this season. Boston is 2½ games up on the New York Knicks for the 2-seed in the East, and BPI gives the Celtics a better than 70% chance of holding that position.
To finish out the night, the red-hot San Antonio Spurs, winners of 22 of their past 24 games, visit the struggling Golden State Warriors (10 p.m. ET/ESPN). San Antonio is 2½ games back of the Oklahoma City Thunder for the top spot in the West, and BPI gives Victor Wembanyama & Co. a 10% chance of making up that gap.
Here's a look at the current and projected NBA playoff picture, the most important games left in the regular season and how the race for the No. 1 pick in June's draft is shaping up:
Jump to a section:
Current playoff matchups
Today's schedule | Friday's scores
Critical remaining games
Projected standings | Race for No. 1 pick
Current NBA playoff matchups
Eastern Conference playoffs
1. Detroit Pistons vs. 8. Play-in winner TBD
2. Boston Celtics vs. 7. Play-in winner TBD
3. New York Knicks vs. 6. Toronto Raptors
4. Cleveland Cavaliers vs. 5. Atlanta Hawks
Eastern Conference play-in
7. Philadelphia 76ers vs. 8. Orlando Magic
9. Miami Heat vs. 10. Charlotte Hornets
Loser 7/8 vs. Winner 9/10
Western Conference playoffs
1. Oklahoma City Thunder vs. 8. Play-in winner TBD
2. San Antonio Spurs vs. 7. Play-in winner TBD
3. Los Angeles Lakers vs. 6. Houston Rockets
4. Denver Nuggets vs. 5. Minnesota Timberwolves
Western Conference play-in
7. Phoenix Suns vs. 8. LA Clippers
9. Portland Trail Blazers vs. 10. Golden State Warriors
Loser 7/8 vs. Winner 9/10
Wednesday's games
76ers at Wizards, 7 p.m. ET
Magic at Hawks, 7 p.m. ET
Celtics at Heat, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Knicks at Grizzlies, 8 p.m. ET
Kings at Raptors, 8 p.m. ET
Pacers at Bulls, 8 p.m. ET
Bucks at Rockets, 8 p.m. ET
Nuggets at Jazz, 9 p.m. ET
Spurs at Warriors, 10 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Tuesday's scores
Magic 115, Suns 111
Hornets 117 Nets 86
Pistons 127, Raptors 116
Rockets 111, Knicks 94
Bucks 123, Mavericks 99
Lakers 127, Cavaliers 113
Trail Blazers 114, Clippers 104
Most important games left
Projected end-of-season standings
Race for the No. 1 pick
The NBA uses a draft lottery to determine the order of the first four picks. All 14 teams that fail to make the playoffs are eligible to move up to the top four. After the order of the top four picks is set via the draw, the remainder of the first round is set in inverse order of the teams' regular-season records. The three teams with the worst records each have an equal 14% chance of winning the lottery, with the odds for the non-playoff teams decreasing from there.
Among the projected lottery teams, there are multiple trades that could impact picks. The Atlanta Hawks will get the better of the picks from the New Orleans Pelicans and Milwaukee Bucks, with the lesser of the two picks going to Milwaukee. If the Indiana Pacers' pick falls between five and nine, it will go to the LA Clippers. The Utah Jazz will send their pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder if it falls outside the top eight.
The Portland Trail Blazers will send their pick to the Chicago Bulls if it falls outside the lottery (if they make the playoffs through the play-in tournament). The Washington Wizards' pick is top-eight protected, and the probability of their selection ending up ninth or worse is extremely low.
