Nightly Playoffs Preview: Nets move back into 8th, Spurs making their move

Every night from now through April 15, the end of the NBA regular season, theScore will bring you potential playoff matchups - and teams still in the mix to qualify - based on the final nightly standings.

Here's where things stand after March 31:

Eastern Conference

• In the ever-changing East playoff race, the Nets leapfrogged the Celtics for the eighth and final spot with a 111-106 win over the Pacers.
• The Hawks lost in Detroit while playing their starters only 24 minutes each, but given their lock on the East's No. 1 seed, it's irrelevant.
• The Heat's loss to the San Antonio Spurs was expected, but it also dropped Miami to 40 losses, which matches the eighth-place Nets. The Heat are only one game clear of ninth-place Boston.

In the Mix

• As noted, the idle Celtics fell out of a playoff spot thanks to Brooklyn's win. Boston will host Indiana on Wednesday, while the Nets will take on the Knicks on the second night of a back-to-back.
• The Pacers' loss in Brooklyn only has them 1.5 games back of eighth, but they're two games back in the loss column and saw the Nets claim the all-important season-series tiebreaker Tuesday.
• The Pistons will likely have to win-out to keep their postseason hopes alive, but beating the resting Hawks was better than the alternative.

Western Conference

• The biggest move in the West playoff picture on Tuesday night was barely noticeable. With the Clippers' loss to the cruising Warriors, L.A. fell a loss behind the Trail Blazers, which means Portland would now have home-court advantage in a potential first-round series.
• The Spurs continued their spring ritual of charging up the West standings, routing the Heat to move within a half-game of Portland and Los Angeles in the aforementioned quest for home-court advantage in the conference quarterfinals. San Antonio has won 14 of 17, seven of eight, and four straight.

• The Pelicans and Suns both had Tuesday off. New Orleans will be back in action on Wednesday against the Lakers, while the Suns will take on the league-leading Warriors on Thursday.