The regular season is winding down, which means the race for the 10th seed is heating up.
The final play-in tournament spot will come down to the Oklahoma City Thunder (38-42) and Dallas Mavericks (38-42), who have identical records and two games remaining.
The Thunder play the Utah Jazz on Thursday in their final road game of the season and the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday in their final home game.
Meanwhile, the Mavericks’ final two games are at home: against the Chicago Bulls on Friday and San Antonio Spurs on Sunday.
The Thunder own the tiebreaker over the Mavericks because they won the season series, 2-1. As a result, they will earn the 10th seed should the teams remain tied.
Both teams have struggled recently. The Thunder have gone 4-6 in their last 10 games with a current three-game losing streak. The Mavericks have gone 3-7 in their last 10 games.
Let’s look at all the possible scenarios where the Thunder could clinch the final play-in spot as the regular season nears its conclusion.