Hornets’ playoff scenarios set as Charlotte enters final game of regular season

With one game left in the 2015-16 NBA regular season, the Charlotte Hornets know what it will take to finish as the fifth or sixth seed in the upcoming playoffs.

The Hornets (47-34) can finish no higher than the fifth seed as they face Orlando Wednesday night at Time Warner Cable Arena in the regular season finale. Charlotte will face Atlanta, Boston or Miami in the first round of the playoffs.

If Charlotte beats Orlando and Miami tops Boston, the Hornets will be the fifth seed. The Hornets can also get the fifth seed if they, the Celtics and Hawks all win Wednesday.

A Charlotte loss to Orlando means the Hornets finish in sixth. The Hornets could beat Orlando, but a Boston victory against Miami and an Atlanta loss to Washington would still give the Hornets the sixth seed.

Here are the official scenarios for Eastern Conference seeding. Cleveland, Toronto, Indiana and Detroit have locked up seeds No. 1, 2, 7 and 8, respectively.

Miami (48-33) will be seeded:

▪  No. 3 if Heat win OR if Hawks lose

▪  No. 5 if Hawks win and Heat and Hornets lose

▪  No. 6 if Hawks and Hornets win and Heat loses

Atlanta (48-33) will be seeded:

▪  No. 3 if Hawks win and Heat loses

▪  No. 4 if Heat win or if Hawks lose

Boston (47-34) will be seeded:

▪  No. 4 if Celtics and Hawks win OR if Celtics, Hawks and Hornets win

▪  No. 5 if Celtics and Hornets lose OR if Celtics win and Hawks lose

▪  No. 6 if Hornets win and Celtics lose

Charlotte (47-34) will be seeded:

▪  No. 5 if Heat and Hornets win OR if Hornets, Celtics and Hawks win

▪  No. 6 if Hornets lose OR if Hornets and Celtics win and Hawks lose

This story was originally published April 12, 2016 at 11:48 PM with the headline "Hornets’ playoff scenarios set as Charlotte enters final game of regular season."