Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Hawks

Eastern Conference Playoff Picture: Hawks reduce magic number to eight

By Chris Vivlamore
March 20, 2016

The Hawks kept their half-game lead over the Heat for third place in the Eastern Conference on Saturday after both teams recorded impressive wins. The Hawks defeated the Rockets at home, 109-97, and the Heat defeated the Cavaliers at home, 122-101. The teams gained a (small) amount of separation over the Celtics and Hornets, as those teams are tied after a Hornets home loss to the Nuggets.

Just to muck things up a little more, the Bulls and Pistons are separated by just .001 for the eighth and final playoff spot after they each won home games.

The Hawks reduced their magic number to clinch a playoff spot to eight with 12 games remaining in the regular season.

Here’s a look at where things stand in the East on Sunday.

* - Clinched playoff spot

**- Eliminated from playoffs

About the Author

Chris Vivlamore is the sports editor at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He has served as reporter and editor at the AJC since 2003.

Follow Chris Vivlamore on twitter
More Stories

Keep Reading

Hawks television analyst Dominique Wilkins (left), along with play-by-play announcer Bob Rathbun, will call all three exhibition games. (David Zalubowski/AP 2021)

Credit: AP

FanDuel Sports to air three Hawks exhibition games

The Atlanta Hawks open their exhibition season on the road against the Houston Rockets on Oct. 6, airing at 8 p.m. EST on FanDuel Sports Network.

Hawks deal former first-round pick to Nets

Kobe Bufkin struggled to find consistent playing time due to several injuries during his first two years in the league.

Former Hawks center Jason Collins undergoing treatment for brain tumor

Jason Collins — a former Atlanta Hawks player and the league’s first openly gay athlete — is being treated for a brain tumor, the NBA said.

The Latest

Hawks television analyst Dominique Wilkins (left), along with play-by-play announcer Bob Rathbun, will call all three exhibition games. (David Zalubowski/AP 2021)

Credit: AP

FanDuel Sports to air three Hawks exhibition games

Hawks deal former first-round pick to Nets

Former Hawks center Jason Collins undergoing treatment for brain tumor

Featured

Fulton DA Fani Willis (center) with Nathan J. Wade (right), the special prosecutor she hired to manage the Trump case and had a romantic relationship with, at a news conference announcing charges against President-elect Donald Trump and others in Atlanta, Aug. 14, 2023. Georgia’s Supreme Court on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, upheld an appeals court's decision to disqualify Willis from the election interference case against Trump and his allies. (Kenny Holston/New York Times)

Credit: NYT

Fani Willis loses last chance to stay at the helm of Trump Georgia election interference case

Georgia's top court declines to hear Fani Willis appeal in Trump case, meaning she can no longer pursue the election interference case.

Investigator: Ex-APD officer raped woman on duty, returned when she called 911

Fulton County Magistrate Judge Todd Ashley ruled there was enough evidence for the case to proceed against former officer Muhammad Muhammad.

Cobb County agency green lights tax break for Home Depot’s $140M project

The Development Authority of Cobb County voted 6-0 to give initial approval for Home Depot's request Tuesday but didn't disclose the property tax savings the company sought.