The Clippers will need a lot of help if they want to sneak into the eighth playoff spot, but they can start by helping themselves against the Jazz on Wednesday. Otherwise, it looks like Utah has a clear path to the playoffs and could even move up a spot or two and drop someone else to No. 8.

A look, briefly, at some of the teams hovering around the bottom of the top eight in the West.

Portland Trail Blazers
Current West standing: 6th. Record: 44-29. Remaining games: 9.
Remaining opponents' winning percentage*: .438.
Record vs. remaining opponents: 8-9.

Home games	Opponent	Record	Vs. Opp.		Road games	Opponent	Record	Vs. Opp.
April 4	New York	27-45	0-1		April 2	Golden St.	18-55	1-1
April 6	Golden St.	18-55	1-1		April 8	San Antonio	49-24	1-2
April 14	LA Lakers	52-21	1-2		April 9	Dallas	51-22	2-1
April 17	Houston	26-46	1-1		April 11	Memphis	19-53	2-1
					April 12	Houston	26-46	1-1

Skinny: Don't look now, but the team that everyone was hiding from a couple weeks ago has leveled off and has more concerns than the race with Minnesota for No. 5. Dropping to No. 8 is a longshot, especially since that would mean being passed by two teams, but Utah has the tiebreaker over Portland if it comes down to that. The Trail Blazers had lost three of four heading into Tuesday night, with two of the defeats coming to teams below them in the standings, the SuperSonics and Grizzlies.


Seattle SuperSonics
Current West standing: 7th. Record: 43-31. Remaining games: 8.
Remaining opponents' winning percentage*: .507.
Record vs. remaining opponents: 13-9.

Home games	Opponent	Record	Vs. Opp.		Road games	Opponent	Record	Vs. Opp.
April 5	New York	27-45	0-1		April 2	Houston	26-46	2-1
April 8	LA Clippers	37-37	2-1		April 3	San Antonio	49-24	2-1
April 13	Dallas	51-22	1-2		April 9	Phoenix	34-39	2-1
April 17	Memphis	19-53	3-0		April 15	LA Lakers	52-21	1-2

Skinny: The SuperSonics hadn't just won four in a row before Tuesday, but the victories were against Utah (pushing the Jazz back a notch), San Antonio in the final seconds and Portland on the road. Of greater concern to the league, what has been an average defensive team has allowed opponents to shoot 37.5, 41.4, 41.5 and 40.3 percent in those four.


Utah Jazz
Current West standing: 8th. Record: 41-32. Remaining games: 9.
Remaining opponents' winning percentage*: .5559.
Record vs. remaining opponents: 12-11.

Home games	Opponent	Record	Vs. Opp.		Road games	Opponent	Record	Vs. Opp.
April 3	LA Clippers	37-37	3-0		April 2	Denver	22-50	3-0
April 5	Sacramento	53-19	0-3		April 9	LA Lakers	52-21	1-2
April 8	Dallas	51-22	1-1		April 11	Phoenix	34-39	1-2
April 17	San Antonio	49-24	0-3		April 13	Golden St.	18-55	3-0
					April 16	Dallas	51-22	1-1

Skinny: Of course Utah has been winning. The most recent opponents have been the Wizards, Warriors, SuperSonics, Rockets, Cavaliers and Clippers. More importantly, a stretch of seven victories in 10 games has come with big contributions from Scott Padgett, Andrei Kirilenko, Bryon Russell, Jarron Collins and even Greg Ostertag.


Los Angeles Clippers
Current East standing: 9th. Record: 37-37. Remaining games: 8.
Remaining opponents' winning percentage*: .502.
Record vs. remaining opponents: 12-12.

Home games	Opponent	Record	Vs. Opp.		Road games	Opponent	Record	Vs. Opp.
April 7	Denver	22-50	2-1		April 3	Utah	41-32	0-3
April 12	Sacramento	53-19	1-2		April 4	Dallas	51-22	2-1
April 13	Minnesota	45-28	2-1		April 8	Seattle	43-31	1-2
April 16	Memphis	19-53	2-1		April 17	Golden St.	18-55	2-1

Skinny: Michael Olowokandi is producing the best stretch of his career in time to keep the slim playoff hopes alive, playing with a confidence that comes with the big numbers. Elton Brand is playing like most anytime this season: very well. But that hasn't been enough to elude a minefield of a schedule that meant four losses in their past five games.


* -- Multiple games against the same team used in calculating percentage.