With the NBA regular season entering its final weeks of 2024-25, the playoff picture is becoming clearer. As the regular season approaches its end on Sunday, April 13th, teams and fans are closely monitoring the standings daily.
In the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder have secured the top seed and home-court advantage for at least the first three playoff rounds, surpassing 60 wins. The Cleveland Cavaliers in the East are leading the Boston Celtics by a solid five games for the top spot in their conference. The New York Knicks have also clinched an Eastern Conference playoff berth following a loss by the Atlanta Hawks.
While the Thunder`s position is set, the battle for the second seed in the West is intense. The Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers, and Memphis Grizzlies are all closely competing for that spot. The race for the sixth guaranteed playoff spot in the West is also heating up, with the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, and Minnesota Timberwolves vying for it.
In the Eastern Conference, the ten likely postseason teams are almost set. The Philadelphia 76ers, Toronto Raptors, and Brooklyn Nets appear more focused on the draft lottery than the Play-In Tournament. The Atlanta Hawks, Orlando Magic, Chicago Bulls, and Miami Heat are currently positioned to compete in the East`s play-in games in 2025. In the Western Conference, the Phoenix Suns are aiming for the final postseason spot, needing to overtake either the Dallas Mavericks or Sacramento Kings to reach the playoffs.
Here’s a look at the 2024-25 NBA playoff picture as of Friday, March 28th.
Teams That Have Clinched Playoff Berths
- Oklahoma City Thunder: No. 1 seed in the West
- Cleveland Cavaliers: Playoff spot in the East
- Boston Celtics: Playoff spot in the East
- New York Knicks: Playoff spot in the East
2025 NBA Playoff Standings
Playoff probabilities are based on SportsLine simulations.
Eastern Conference Standings
| Rank | Team | W | L | GB | Playoff Chances |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cleveland – x | 59 | 14 | — | 100% |
| 2 | Boston – x | 54 | 19 | 5.0 | 100% |
| 3 | New York – x | 45 | 27 | 13.5 | 100% |
| 4 | Indiana | 43 | 30 | 16.0 | 99.8% |
| 5 | Detroit | 41 | 32 | 18.0 | 90.5% |
| 6 | Milwaukee | 40 | 32 | 18.5 | 92.0% |
| 7 | Atlanta | 35 | 38 | 24.0 | 86.4% |
| 8 | Orlando | 35 | 39 | 24.5 | 69.4% |
| 9 | Chicago | 33 | 40 | 26.0 | 31.7% |
| 10 | Miami | 32 | 41 | 27.0 | 30.2% |
Western Conference Standings
| Rank | Team | W | L | GB | Playoff Chances |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oklahoma City – x | 61 | 12 | — | 100% |
| 2 | Houston | 48 | 26 | 13.5 | 100% |
| 3 | Denver | 46 | 28 | 15.5 | 100% |
| 4 | L.A. Lakers | 44 | 29 | 17.0 | 97.2% |
| 5 | Memphis | 44 | 29 | 17.0 | 96.6% |
| 6 | L.A. Clippers | 41 | 31 | 19.5 | 85.1% |
| 7 | Golden St. | 41 | 31 | 19.5 | 84.7% |
| 8 | Minnesota | 41 | 32 | 20.0 | 84.5% |
| 9 | Sacramento | 36 | 37 | 25.0 | 27.7% |
| 10 | Dallas | 36 | 38 | 25.5 | 18.6% |
| 11 | Phoenix | 35 | 38 | 26.0 | 4.5% |
x = clinched playoff spot
Reminder: The top six teams from each conference are guaranteed a playoff spot. The final four spots will be decided through the Play-In Tournament between the 7th to 10th ranked teams in each conference. The 7th ranked team will host the 8th ranked team for the 7th seed. The loser of that game will then play against the winner of the game between the 9th and 10th ranked teams for the 8th seed.
The Eastern Conference`s top six is quite defined with the regular season winding down. In the Western Conference, the Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Clippers are looking to overtake the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets.
Key Dates for the 2025 NBA Playoffs
- April 13: Regular Season Final Day
- April 15-18: Play-In Tournament
- April 19: Playoffs Begin
- May 12: NBA Draft Lottery
- June 5: NBA Finals Begin
Jasper Hawthorne