Playoff Race Update: Standings, Schedules And Tiebreakers With One Month To Play

Considering the Portland Trail Blazers will finish off their 2018-19 regular season exactly one month from now, it seems like the right time to kick off our the Western Conference Playoff Update posts, especially with an important three-game road trip starting Tuesday in Los Angeles versus the Clippers.

Though the standings might change by time you read this, the Trail Blazers currently find themselves in a tie with the Thunder for fourth in the Western Conference standings (the Thunder own the tiebreaker, but for our purposes, we go by win percentage at this point) with 16 games to play. Portland is currently five games behind the conference-leading Warriors, 3.5 games behind the second-place Nuggets, and one game behind the third-place Rockets, so while getting the top spot in the West seems rather unlikely, moving up a few spots before the playoffs start is still well within the realm of possibility.

But so too is falling back, as the Blazers only hold a 2.5 game lead over the Jazz, Spurs and Clippers for the six, seven and eight seeds. And while the Kings, Timberwolves, Lakers and Pelicans are all on the outside looking in and seem unlikely to overtake the Trail Blazers in the standings, we're keeping them in the update anyway for the time being.

So here's a breakdown of the current standings, both conference and division, remaining schedules and tiebreakers -- tiebreakers between two teams go 1) head-to-head 2) division winner 3) win percenrtage in-division if tied teams are in the same division 4) conference win percentage 5) winning percentage against playoff teams in the West 6) winning percentage against playoff teams in the East and 7) season point differential -- with 16 games to go...

Overall record: 45-21 | Conference record: 27-13 | Division record: 11-3Home record: 24-10 | Away record: 21-11 | Games back: 0

Remaining home games: 7 (3/21 vs. Pacers, 3/23 vs. Mavericks, 3/24 vs. Pistons, 3/31 vs. Hornets, 4/2 vs. Nuggets, 4/5 vs. Cavaliers, 4/7 vs. Clippers)Remaining road games: 9 (3/13 @ Rockets, 3/16 @ Thunder, 3/18 @ Spurs, 3/19 @ Timberwolves, 3/27 @ Grizzlies, 3/29 @ Timberwolves, 4/4 @ Lakers, 4/9 @ Hornets, 4/10 @ Grizzlies)

Remaining games versus teams over .500: 7 (4 home, 3 away) Remaining games versus teams under .500: 9 (3 home, 6 away)

Tiebreaker: The Trail Blazers and Warriors split their season series 2-2, so the tiebreaker then moves to division winner. The Warriors currently lead the Pacific Division by 7.5 games, while the Trail Blazers are 3.5 games behind the Nuggets for the Northwest Division title. In the event that neither team wins their division, the tiebreaker then moves on to conference record. The Warriors are currently 27-13 in the Western Conference while the Trail Blazers are 21-21. 

Overall record: 43-22 | Conference record: 27-13 | Division record: 8-2Home record: 27-6 | Away record: 16-16 | Games back: 1.5

Remaining home games: 8 (3/12 vs. Timberwolves, 3/14 vs. Mavericks, 3/16 vs. Pacers, 3/26 vs. Pistons, 3/31 vs. Wizards, 4/3 vs. Spurs, 4/5 vs. Trail Blazers, 4/10 vs. Timberwolves)Remaining road games: 9 (3/18 @ Celtics, 3/21 @ Wizards, 3/22 @ Knicks, 3/24 @ Pacers, 3/28 @ Rockets, 3/29 @ Thunder, 4/2 @ Warriors, 4/7 @ Trail Blazers, 4/9 @ Jazz)

Remaining games versus teams over .500: 11 (4 home, 7 away) Remaining games versus teams over .500: 6 (4 home, 2 away)

Tiebreaker: The Nuggets have won the first two games of the season series versus the Trail Blazers with two games left to play.

Overall record: 41-25 | Conference record: 28-14 | Division record: 8-5Home record: 23-9 | Away record: 18-16 | Games back: 4

Remaining home games: 9 (3/11 vs. Hornets, 3/13 vs. Warriors, 3/15 vs. Suns, 3/17 vs. Timberwolves, 3/22 vs. Spurs, 3/28 vs. Nuggets, 3/30 vs. Kings, 4/5 vs. Knicks, 4/7 vs. Suns)Remaining road games: 7 (3/19 @ Hawks, 3/20 @ Grizzlies, 3/24 @ Pelicans, 3/26 @ Bucks, 4/2 @ Kings, 4/3 @ Clippers, 4/9 @ Thunder)

Remaining games versus teams over .500: 8 (4 home, 4 away) Remaining games versus teams under .500: 8 (5 home, 3 away)

Tiebreaker: The Trail Blazers own the tiebreaker versus the Rockets by virtue of winning the season series 2-1.

Overall record: 40-26 | Conference record: 24-20 | Division record: 7-6Home record: 22-9 | Away record: 18-17 | Games back: 5

Remaining home games: 10 (3/13 vs. Nets, 3/16 vs. Warriors, 3/18 vs. Heat, 3/20 vs. Raptors, 3/27 vs. Pacers, 3/29 vs. Nuggets, 3/31 vs. Mavericks, 4/2 vs. Lakers, 4/5 vs. Pistons, 4/9 vs. Rockets)Remaining road games: 6 (3/11 @ Jazz, 3/14 @ Pacers, 3/22 @ Raptors, 3/25 @ Grizzlies, 4/7 @ Timberwolves, 4/10 @ Bucks)

Remaining games versus teams over .500: 11 (7 home, 4 away) Remaining games versus teams under .500: 5 (3 home, 2 away)

Tiebreaker: The Thunder own the tiebreaker versus the Trail Blazers by virtue of sweeping the season series 4-0.

Overall record: 40-26 | Conference record: 21-21 | Division record: 4-9Home record: 25-9 | Away record: 15-17 | Games back: 5

Remaining home games: 7 (3/18 vs. Pacers, 3/20 vs. Mavericks, 3/23 vs. Pistons, 3/25 vs. Nets, 4/3 vs. Grizzlies, 4/7 vs. Nuggets, 4/10 vs. Kings.)Remaining road games: 9 (3/12 @ Clippers, 3/15 @ Pelicans, 3/16 @ Spurs, 3/27 @ Bulls, 3/29 @ Hawks, 3/30 @ Pistons, 4/1 @ Timberwolves, 4/5 @ Nuggets, 4/9 @ Lakers)

Remaining games versus teams under .500: 9 (5 home, 4 away) Remaining games versus teams over .500: 7 (2 home, 5 away)

Overall record: 37-28 | Conference record: 23-19 | Division record: 6-7Home record: 21-11 | Away record: 16-17 | Games back: 7.5

Remaining home games: 9 (3/11 vs. Thunder, 3/14 vs. Timnberwolves, 3/16 vs. Nets, 3/25 vs. Suns, 3/27 vs. Lakers, 3/29 vs. Wizards, 4/1 vs. Hornets, 4/5 vs. Kings, 4/9 vs. Nuggets)Remaining road games: 8 (3/13 @ Suns, 3/18 @ Wizards, 3/20 @ Knicks, 3/21 @ Hawks, 3/23 @ Bulls, 4/3 @ Suns, 4/7 @ Lakers, 4/10 @ Clippers)

Remaining games versus teams over .500: 5 (4 home, 1 away) Remaining games versus teams under .500: 12 (5 home, 7 away)

Tiebreaker: The Trail Blazers and Jazz split their season series 2-2, with the next tiebreaker being division winner. If neither team wins the Northwest Division, the next tiebreaker is winning percentage against division teams. The Jazz (6-7) currently have a better winning percentage in the Northwest Division than the Trail Blazers (4-9). 

Overall record: 38-29 | Conference record: 26-19 | Division record: 8-5 Home record: 26-17 | Away record: 12-22 | Games back: 7.5

Remaining home games: 8 (3/15 vs. Knicks, 3/16 vs. Trail Blazers, 3/18 vs. Warriors, 3/20 vs. Heat, 3/28 vs. Cavaliers, 3/31 vs. Kings, 4/2 vs. Hawks, 4/10 vs. Mavericks)Remaining road games: 7 (3/12 @ Mavericks, 3/22 @ Rockets, 3/24 @ Celtics, 3/26 @ Hornets, 4/3 @ Nuggets, 4/5 @ Wizards, 4/7 @ Cavaliers)

Remaining games versus teams under .500: 6 (3 home, 3 away) Remaining games versus teams over .500: 9 (5 home, 4 away)

Tiebreaker: The Trail Blazers currently lead the season series versus the Spurs 2-1 with one game to play.

Overall record: 38-29 | Conference record: 25-20 | Division record: 11-3Home record: 19-12 | Away record: 19-17 | Games back: 7.5

Remaining home games: 10 (3/11 vs. Celtics, 3/12 vs. Trail Blazers, 3/15 vs. Bulls, 3/17 vs. Nets, 3/19 vs. Pacers, 3/30 vs. Cavaliers, 3/31 vs. Grizzlies, 4.3 vs. Rockets, 4/5 vs. Lakers, 4/10 vs. Jazz)Remaining road games: 5 (3/22 @ Cavaliers, 3/24 @ Knicks, 3/26 @ Timberwolves, 3/28 @ Bucks, 4/7 @ Warriors)

Remaining games versus teams over .500: 8 (6 home, 2 away) Remaining games versus teams under .500: 7 (4 home, 3 away)

Tiebreaker: The Trail Blazers currently lead the season series 2-1 versus the Clippers with one game to play. 

Overall record: 33-32 | Conference record: 17-24 | Division record: 3-11Home record: 20-14 | Away record: 13-18 | Games back: 11.5

Remaining home games: 7 (3/17 Chicago, 3/19 Nets, 3/21 Mavericks, 3/23 Suns, 4/2 Rockets, 4/4 Cavaliers, 4/7 Pelicans)Remaining road games: 10 (3/11 @ Wizards, 3/14 @ Celtics, 3.15 @ 76ers, 3/24 @ Lkaers, 3/26 @ Mavericks, 3/28 @ Pelicans, 3/30 @ Rockets, 3/31 @ Spurs, 4/5 @ Jazz, 4/10 @ Trail Blazers)

Remaining games versus teams over .500: 8 (2 home, 6 away) Remaining games versus teams under .500: 9 (5 home, 4 away)

Tiebreaker: The season series between the Trail Blazers and Kings is tied at 1-1 with one game left to play.

Overall record: 32-35 | Conference record: 19-22 | Division record: 5-6Home record: 23-10 | Away record: 9-25 | Games back: 13.5

Remaining home games: 8 (3/19 vs. Warriors, 3.26 vs. Clippers, 3/29 vs. Warriors, 3/30 vs. 76ers, 4/1 vs. Trail Blazers, 4/5 vs. Heat, 4/7 vs. Thunder, 4/9 vs. Raptors)Remaining road games: 7 (3/12 @ Nuggets, 3/14 @ Jazz, 3/17 @ Rockets, 3/21 @ Hornets, 3/23 @ Grizzlies, 4/3 @ Mavericks, 4/10 @ Nuggets)

Remaining games versus teams over .500: 11 (7 home, 4 away) Remaining games versus teams under .500: 4 (1 home, 3 away)

Tiebreaker: The Trail Blazers lead the season series versus the Timberwolves 2-1 with one game left to play.

Overall record: 30-36 | Conference record: 21-23 | Division record: 7-6Home record: 18-16 | Away record: 12-20 | Games back: 15

Remaining home games: 7 (3/22 vs. Nets, 3/24 vs. Kings, 3/26 vs. Wizards, 3/29 vs. Hornets, 4/4 vs. Warriors, 4/7 vs. Jazz, 4/9 vs. Trail Blazers)Remaining road games: 9 (3/12 @ Bulls, 3/14 @ Raptors, 3/15 @ Pistons, 3/17 @ Knicks, 3/19 @ Bucks, 3/27 @ Jazz, 3/31 @ Pelicans, 4/2 @ Thunder, 4/5 @ Clippers)

Remaining games versus teams over .500: 11 (5 home, 6 away) Remaining games versus teams under .500: 5 (2 home, 3 away)

Tiebreaker: The Lakers currently lead the season series versus the Trail Blazers 2-1 with one game to play. 

Overall record: 30-29 | Conference record: 20-23 | Division record: 7-7Home record: 18-14 | Away record: 12-25 | Games back: 16.5

Remaining home games: 9 (3/12 vs. Buckets, 3/15 vs. Trail Blazers, 3/16 vs. Suns, 3/24 vs. Rockets, 3/26 vs. Hawks, 3/28 vs. Kings, 3/31 vs. Lakers, 4/3 vs. Hornets, 4/9 vs. Warriors)Remaining road games: 4 (3/18 @ Mavericks, 3/20 @ Magic, 4/5 @ Suns, 4/7 @ Kings)

Remaining games versus teams over .500: 6 (5 home, 1 away) Remaining games versus teams under .500: 7 (4 home, 3 away)

Tiebreaker: The Trail Blazers have won the three-game season series versus the Pelicans by virtue of winning the first two meetings this season.