The NBA’s race to the playoffs is coming down to the wire. The eight teams from the Western Conference heading into the playoffs have been decided, as well as five teams from the Eastern Conference.

With three spots remaining in the East, five teams remain in-play for those remaining spots: the Detroit Pistons (6th), Brooklyn Nets (7th), Miami Heat (8th), Orlando Magic (9th) and Charlotte Hornets (10th).

Here is the breakdown of the likelihood of each potential team making the playoffs.

Charlotte Hornets:

The Hornets are sitting at 35-42 with five games left on their schedule. Every game is a must-win. Charlotte has struggled recently only winning five of their last 10 games.

Being completely honest, it’s not likely the Hornets will make the playoffs. The Heat and the Magic have been hot in their last 10 and would have to lose every single game they have coming up. The Hornets would then have to win at least four of those games in that scenario.

Unfortunately for them, one of their remaining games is against the 55-23 Toronto Raptors, one of the best teams in the NBA. Adding to that, they will face the Pistons in Detroit which will prove to be a problem as the Hornets have a 11-27 away record.

They will also end up facing the Magic, if they were to lose, that would guarantee the Hornets are out of the playoffs, even if they win the other four games.

It may be awhile before we see the Hornets in the playoffs again and their future is uncertain with the possibility of star player Kemba Walker leaving in free agency this summer.

The Hornets will finish 37-45 in the tenth seed and will miss the playoffs.

Orlando Magic:

The Magic are in the midst of their best season since Dwight Howard left for Los Angeles in 2012, but it’s not much to write home about sitting at 38-40 in the ninth seed with four games to go.

Despite the team’s past misfortune, this is the year we will see them return to the playoffs. They have somewhat of an easy schedule coming up, as they face the 15-62 New York Knicks, 28-50 Atlanta Hawks, the Hornets and the inconsistent 46-32 Boston Celtics. Orlando is 2-0 against Boston this season..

Miami and the Magic are tied at 38 wins with the Heat owning the tiebreaker. As long as they finish ahead of the Heat by one win and the Hornets lose two games,including the game against Orlando they’re in.

The Magic will finish 42-40, in the seventh seed and make a trip to the postseason.

Miami Heat:

It’s the last dance for Dwyane Wade, Miami’s all-time greatest player, as he is retiring from basketball at the conclusion of the season.

Wade last appeared in the playoffs in 2017 with the Chicago Bulls and while he’s declined since then, he’s still capable of showing up in big moments. He could be the catalyst for the Heat making the playoffs as a team that lacks a true superstar-caliber player.

The Heat have a tough schedule coming up. They face the Celtics, who they lost to in the previous game, the Raptors, the 49-28 Philadelphia 76ers, and the 39-39 Nets who are also fighting for a spot. They should win their game against the 34-43 Timberwolves, as the team shut down several key players for the season.

All the Heat have to do is stay half a game ahead of the Magic and Hornets, as they hold the tiebreaker over both teams. They will then hold onto the eighth seed.

With a tough schedule down the stretch, the Heat will finish 40-42 in the ninth seed and will miss the playoffs.

Brooklyn Nets:

The Nets have been a surprise this year. They seemed to have finally rebounded from the abomination that was the Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Jason Terry trade with the Celtics in 2013.

The stellar play of rising star D’Angelo Russell, Spencer Dinwiddie, Jarrett Allen, Joe Harris and Caris LeVert has fueled their playoff push. They have remained a constant factor all season. The Nets appear to be one of the most cohesive teams in the league and are fun to watch.

While their last 10 games have been a little shaky, going 4-6, I still expect them to remain in the playoff picture.

They do however, have a tough schedule coming up. They face the Raptors, fifth-seeded Indiana Pacers, who have been surprisingly competitive even after losing star player Victor Oladipo, the Heat, and the league-leading 58-20 Milwaukee Bucks.

Staying ahead of the Heat shouldn’t be too difficult, however the Magic are a concern. The Hornets would have to win all five of their games while the Nets would have to go winless the rest of the season to fall behind them. The Nets could move past the Pistons, who have half a game on them.

The Nets will finish 41-41, in the eighth seed and make a trip to the postseason.

Detroit Pistons:

The Pistons are making the playoffs. Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond should close out the season for Detroit, as they are indisputably the best pair out of any of the other players on the teams competing for a spot.

It also helps that the Pistons’ schedule isn’t too bad. The toughest team they face will be the 45-33 Oklahoma City Thunder. The other teams include the Pacers, Knicks, Hornets, and the 31-46 Memphis Grizzlies.

While the Nets could sneak past them, it is very unlikely that they’ll fall out of the top eight. To miss the playoffs would require the Heat, Magic, and Hornets to play fairly well, with the Pistons essentially losing every game remaining.

The Pistons will finish 42-40 in the sixth seed and make a trip to the postseason.