Seven of eight series are set, OKC Thunder will play Houston Rockets

Seven series were decided on Wednesday as the OKC Thunder confirms they’ll play the Houston Rockets in round one.

Seven teams had established their playoff berth heading into gameplay on Wednesday. The majority of teams still jockeying for ladder positions were in the Western Conference with six seeds undecided. The OKC Thunder were one of eight teams playing on a day featuring a slight four-game itinerary.

Yet, by the time the last game was completed 15 of the 16 confirmed playoff teams know who their first-round opponent is.

The four-five series is set in both conferences but the teams could swap positions depending on what happens in the final games. Additionally, the four teams still alive in the West chase group will play Thursday (today) to determine who’ll vie for that final open ladder rung in the West.

OKC Thunder join 13 peers establishing their first-round opponents

Eastern Conference series set:

• #1 Milwaukee Bucks – #8 Orlando Magic
• #2 Toronto Raptors*  – #7 Brooklyn Nets
• #3 Boston Celtics – #6 Philadelphia 76ers
• #4 Miami Heat – #5 Indiana Pacers **

*The Raptors ranks second in the East and third overall. However, if the Lakers lose their final game to the Kings and the Raptors win their final game versus the Nuggets they’ll overtake LA for second overall; not that it matters much in the grand scheme of things given there aren’t major home/road team advantages.

**The Heat and Pacers play Friday and if the Pacers win the teams will swap positions but still play each other

Western Conference series:

• #1 Los Angeles Lakers – #8 (to be determined via play-in tournament)****
• #2 LA Clippers – #7 Dallas Mavericks
• #3 Denver Nuggets – #6 Utah Jazz
• #4 OKC Thunder** – #5 Houston Rockets ***

**Although the comeback versus the 76ers was great for the team morale and to get the club back in the win column it also means the OKC Thunder won’t finish below 10th overall. That means their first-round draft pick will be conveyed to the 76ers. OKC still has a first-round pick via the trade of Jerami Grant to the Nuggets.

*** of note, if the Rockets win their final match and the Thunder lose theirs the teams will swap positions but still play each other.

****Despite grabbing the top seed in the West, by virtue of the play-in tournament the Lakers will be the last team to learn their opponent. After gameplay Thursday the odds will be narrowed to two teams. Yet, if the ninth seed wins on Saturday, LA won’t learn their opponent until Sunday.

Play-in Tournament notes:

The four teams actively eligible to finish eighth and ninth in the West all play on Thursday and by night’s end, we’ll know who has grabbed those seeds and will play on the weekend for the eighth and final playoff berth. The team who claims the eighth seed only needs to win once while the ninth seed will have to win twice in a row.

The Blazers (8th) and Grizzlies (9th) can be the master of their own fates by winning their matches against the Nets and Bucks respectively. If they both win they’ll enter seeded in the same position. If the Grizzlies win and the Blazers lose Memphis will climb back up to the eighth seed.

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• 3 OKC Thunder players who can step up in Aleksej Pokusevski’s absence
• Aleksej Pokusevski sidelined approximately 6 weeks with ankle injury
• Damian Lillard does not fit with the OKC Thunder

Phoenix who’ll play the Mavericks can finish the tournament unbeaten, but won’t get a shot at the play-in tournament unless one of the Grizzlies or Blazers loses as well.

Pops Spurs crew needs the most help from the other three teams. San Antonio has to beat the Jazz and also need two of the three teams above to lose. That’s a lot to hope for — but stranger things have happened.

If the Spurs do get eliminated it will mark the end of a 22-year run of consecutive postseason appearances. Hat tip to a classy, quality organization that serves as the template all others measure themselves by.

Over the coming days, we’ll learn the dates, times, venues, and television coverage for each series including the OKC Thunder and Houston Rockets. We’ll also dive deeper into what is sure to be an intriguing series with two former players who cut their teeth in this organization.

We pined for the Utah Jazz matchup and now that you’ve seen them play to a 2-5 record perhaps it makes more sense.

However in a season that has witnessed overachieving and magical moments arguably this series that features the point guards who were traded for each other this past offseason was always fated to be.

Post-game the comments were limited with Chris Paul seeming to downplay the matchup for now. They’ll be more to come undoubtedly, if not in the press conferences than on the hardcourt.