With just one week left in the 2024-25 NBA regular season, the playoff bracket is starting to solidify, and the competition for seeding is intensifying. Fans and teams are closely monitoring the standings daily as the season approaches its climax on Sunday, April 13.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have already locked in the top seed in the Western Conference, guaranteeing home-court advantage for at least the first three playoff rounds. However, the remaining seeds in the West are highly contested. The Houston Rockets secured their playoff berth earlier this week. Following them, the Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, and Minnesota Timberwolves currently hold the top six positions heading into Saturday`s games. The Los Angeles Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies are tied with Minnesota in terms of record.
Golden State`s recent victory over Denver, their fifth consecutive win, combined with the Lakers` win, propelled Los Angeles to the No. 3 spot in the West. The Warriors are now within striking distance, just half a game behind both the No. 3 Lakers and No. 4 Nuggets.
The Eastern Conference picture is somewhat clearer. The Detroit Pistons have become the fifth team to secure a playoff spot. The Cleveland Cavaliers maintain a comfortable five-game lead over the No. 2 Boston Celtics, who are on an impressive 9-1 run in their last 10 games and achieved a new NBA record on Friday. The New York Knicks appear likely to claim the No. 3 seed in the East, holding a 2.5-game advantage over the Indiana Pacers, who are also playoff-bound and currently sit at No. 4.
One of the most notable stories in the East is the Detroit Pistons` resurgence. They clinched their playoff berth on Friday with a 117-105 victory over the Toronto Raptors. This marks a significant turnaround for a team that had the league`s worst record last season, winning only 14 games.
As of Saturday, April 5th, here`s a look at the 2024-25 NBA playoff picture.
Playoff Teams Confirmed
- In the West: Oklahoma City Thunder (No. 1 seed), Houston Rockets (Playoff spot).
- In the East: Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, Indiana Pacers, Detroit Pistons (Playoff spots).
Projected NBA Playoff Matchups
Based on current standings:
Eastern Conference First Round
- Cavaliers vs. 8th seed (Magic/Hawks/Heat/Bulls play-in)
- Celtics vs. 7th seed (Magic/Hawks play-in)
- Knicks vs. 6th seed (Bucks)
- Pacers vs. 5th seed (Pistons)
Western Conference First Round
- Thunder vs. 8th seed (Timberwolves/Clippers/Mavericks/Kings play-in)
- Rockets vs. 7th seed (Timberwolves/Clippers play-in)
- Lakers vs. 6th seed (Timberwolves)
- Nuggets vs. 5th seed (Warriors)
NBA Standings
Playoff probabilities are based on SportsLine simulations.
Eastern Conference Standings
| Rank | Team | W | L | GB | Playoff Chances |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cleveland – x | 62 | 15 | — | 100% |
| 2 | Boston – x | 57 | 20 | 5.0 | 100% |
| 3 | New York – x | 48 | 28 | 13.5 | 100% |
| 4 | Indiana – x | 46 | 31 | 16.0 | 100% |
| 5 | Detroit – x | 43 | 34 | 19.0 | 100% |
| 6 | Milwaukee | 42 | 34 | 19.5 | 89.7% |
| 7 | Orlando | 38 | 40 | 24.5 | 79.2% |
| 8 | Atlanta | 36 | 40 | 25.5 | 79.8% |
| 9 | Miami | 35 | 42 | 27.0 | 23.9% |
| 10 | Chicago | 35 | 42 | 27.0 | 36.1% |
Western Conference Standings
| Rank | Team | W | L | GB | Playoff Chances |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oklahoma City – x | 64 | 13 | — | 100% |
| 2 | Houston – x | 51 | 27 | 13.5 | 100% |
| 3 | L.A. Lakers | 46 | 29 | 17.0 | 98.2% |
| 4 | Denver | 47 | 30 | 17.5 | 98.5% |
| 5 | Golden St. | 44 | 31 | 18.0 | 95.9% |
| 6 | Minnesota | 44 | 32 | 19.0 | 91.8% |
| 7 | L.A. Clippers | 44 | 32 | 19.0 | 89.4% |
| 8 | Memphis | 44 | 32 | 19.0 | 79.2% |
| 9 | Dallas | 38 | 39 | 26.5 | 17.9% |
| 10 | Sacramento | 36 | 40 | 27.0 | 27.2% |
| 11 | Phoenix | 35 | 41 | 29.0 | 1.8% |
x = clinched playoff spot
Play-In Tournament Details: The top six teams in each conference are guaranteed a playoff spot. The final four spots are determined by a Play-In Tournament featuring teams ranked 7th to 10th in each conference. The 7th-ranked team hosts the 8th-ranked team for the 7th seed. The loser of that game will compete against the winner of the game between the 9th and 10th ranked teams for the 8th seed.
Key Dates for the 2025 NBA Playoffs
- April 13: Regular Season Ends
- April 15-18: Play-In Tournament
- April 19: Playoffs Begin
- May 12: NBA Draft Lottery
- June 5: NBA Finals Begin
Jasper Hawthorne