NBA Playoff Picture: New Orleans Pelicans Tiebreakers
The 2022-23 NBA regular season is set to end on April 9 and the New Orleans Pelicans find themselves in the middle of the pack, battling for a playoff spot in the Western Conference standings.
There is very little room for error for Brandon Ingram and the Pelicans, which is why the final week of the season is very important for this group.
Currently in the Play-In Tournament region of the standings, New Orleans still has a chance to move up and down the standings.
Avoiding the Play-In Tournament is definitely something every team would like to do at this point in the season and all the Pelicans need to do at this point to have a chance at making the postseason is win.
Here is the tiebreaker criteria the NBA will use to determine playoff seeding in the event two or more teams tie:
NBA Tiebreaker Rules for 2 Teams Tied:
(1) Better winning percentage in games against each other
(2) Division leader wins a tie over a team not leading a division
(3) Division won-lost percentage (only if teams are in same division)
(4) Conference won-lost percentage
(5) Better winning percentage against teams eligible for the playoffs in own conference (including teams that finished the regular season tied for a playoff position)
(6) Better winning percentage against teams eligible for the playoffs in other conference (including teams that finished the regular season tied for a playoff position)
(7) Better net result of total points scored less total points allowed against all opponents (“point differential”)
NBA Tiebreaker Rules for 3 or More Teams Tied:
(1) Division leader wins tie from team not leading a division (this criterion is applied regardless of whether the tied teams are in the same division)
(2) Better winning percentage in all games among the tied teams
(3) Division won-lost percentage (only if all teams are in same division)
(4) Conference won-lost percentage
(5) Better winning percentage against teams eligible for the playoffs in own conference (including teams that finished the regular season tied for a playoff position)
(6) Better net result of total points scored less total points allowed against all opponents (“point differential”)
Some tiebreakers will be determined over the final week of the regular season, but based on the league’s criteria outlined above, here is a team-by-team breakdown of what tiebreakers the New Orleans Pelicans do and do not own over teams close to them in the Western Conference standings:
Team-By-Team Tiebreakers for New Orleans Pelicans (42-40):
(UPDATED 4/9/23 at 6:00 p.m. ET.)
Los Angeles Clippers - Currently 5-seed in Western Conference, Record: 44-38
[Tiebreaker Favors New Orleans Pelicans] - Tiebreaker is OFFICIAL
- New Orleans Pelicans defeated Los Angeles Clippers 3-0 in 2022-23 regular season meetings.
Golden State Warriors - Currently 6-seed in Western Conference, Record: 44-38
[Tiebreaker Favors New Orleans Pelicans] - Tiebreaker is OFFICIAL
- New Orleans Pelicans tied Golden State Warriors 2-2 in 2022-23 regular season meetings
- Pelicans Conference Record: 29-23, Warriors Conference Record: 30-22
Los Angeles Lakers - Currently 7-seed in Western Conference, Record: 43-39
[Tiebreaker Favors Los Angeles Lakers] - Tiebreaker is OFFICIAL
- Los Angeles Lakers defeated New Orleans Pelicans 3-1 in 2022-23 regular season meetings
Minnesota Timberwolves - Currently 8-seed in Western Conference, Record: 41-40
[Tiebreaker Favors Minnesota Timberwolves] - Tiebreaker is OFFICIAL
- Minnesota Timberwolves defeated New Orleans Pelicans 2-1 in 2022-23 regular season meetings
Oklahoma City Thunder - Currently 10-seed in Western Conference, Record: 40-42
[Tiebreaker Favors New Orleans Pelicans] - Tiebreaker is OFFICIAL
- New Orleans Pelicans defeated Oklahoma City Thunder 3-1 in 2022-23 regular season meetings
Current Western Conference Standings
Updated at 6:00 p.m. ET. on 4/9/23
- Denver Nuggets (53-29) [Clinched Playoff Spot] - 0.0 GB
- Memphis Grizzlies (51-31) [Clinched Playoff Spot] - 2.0 GB
- Sacramento Kings (48-34) [Clinched Playoff Spot]- 5.0 GB
- Phoenix Suns (45-37) [Clinched Playoff Spot] - 8.0 GB
- Los Angeles Clippers (44-38) - 9.0 GB
- Golden State Warriors (44-38) - 9.0 GB
- Los Angeles Lakers (43-39) - 10.0 GB
- Minnesota Timberwolves (42-40) - 11.0 GB
- New Orleans Pelicans (42-40) - 11.0 GB
- Oklahoma City Thunder (40-42) - 13.0 GB
- Dallas Mavericks (38-44) - 15.0 GB [ELIMINATED]
- Utah Jazz (37-45) - 16.0 GB [ELIMINATED]
- Portland Trail Blazers (33-49) [ELIMINATED] - 20.0 GB
- Houston Rockets (22-60) [ELIMINATED] - 31.0 GB
- San Antonio Spurs (22-60) [ELIMINATED] - 31.0 GB
Be sure to catch up on the newest episode of The Fast Break Podcast hosted by Fastbreak's own Brett Siegel!
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