The final weekend of the 2024-25 NBA regular season is looming, as teams launch their final pushes for playoff seeding.
And while the No. 1 seeds in the respective conferences are locked in — with the Oklahoma City Thunder rolling out West and the Cleveland Cavaliers clinching the East — the standings could otherwise see plenty of movement in the final stretch.
Nowhere is that more evident than in the middle of the Western Conference, where one game separates the No. 3 team from the No. 7 team — and where two games separate the No. 3 from the No. 8.
With each team still having three games left, here are the NBA standings at the end of the regular season and the current projection for this year’s playoff bracket:
Latest NBA playoff standings
The top six teams in each conference automatically make the playoffs. Teams in positions 7-10 qualify for the play-in tournament.
Eastern Conference
(c): Team has clinched conference. (x): Team has clinched playoff spot. (pi): Team has clinched play-in spot. (o): Team eliminated from playoff contention.
Western Conference
(c): Team has clinched conference. (x): Team has clinched playoff spot. (pi): Team has clinched play-in spot. (o): Team eliminated from playoff contention.
NBA Eastern Conference playoff bracket
Here’s how the first round of the playoffs would shake out in the East if the season ended after Thursday.
- No. 1 seed Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 8 seed (winner of the Play-In Tournament)
- No. 2 seed Boston Celtics vs. No. 7 seed (first runner-up of the Play-In Tournament)
- No. 3 seed New York Knicks vs. No. 6 seed Detroit Pistons
- No. 4 seed Indiana Pacers vs. No. 5 seed Milwaukee Bucks
NBA Western Conference playoff bracket
Here’s how the matchups look with the current standings in the Western Conference.
- No. 1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 8 seed (winner of the Play-In Tournament)
- No. 2 seed Houston Rockets vs. No. 7 seed (first runner-up of the Play-In Tournament)
- No. 3 seed Los Angeles Lakers vs. No. 6 seed Memphis Grizzlies
- No. 4 seed Denver Nuggets vs. No. 5 seed Los Angeles Clippers
What is the NBA Play-In Tournament?
The NBA Play-In Tournament was implemented for the 2021 playoffs and allows each conference to expand its potential playoff field from eight teams to 10. The seventh- through 10th-ranked teams in each conference at the end of the regular season compete in a three-day tournament to decide the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds in the first round of the playoffs.
In one set of games, the seventh-place team for each conference hosts the eighth-place finisher. The winners in each conference get the No. 7 seed in their brackets.
On the other side of the respective brackets, the ninth-ranked team in each conference hosts the 10th-place team. The winners of those games play the losers of the seventh place vs. eighth place matchups to determine the No. 8 seed in their respective conferences.
This year, the play-in tournament begins April 15 and concludes April 18. The first round of the NBA playoffs begins April 19.
NBA Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament matchup
If the season ended today, here’s the projected structure of the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament:
- Seventh-place Orlando Magic vs. eighth-place Atlanta Hawks
- Winner faces No. 2 seed Boston Celtics
- Loser will play in second round of Play-In Tournament
- Ninth-place Chicago Bulls vs. 10th-place Miami Heat
- Winner plays in second round of Play-In Tournament
- Loser eliminated
NBA Western Conference Play-In Tournament matchup
If the season ended today, here’s the projected structure of the Western Conference Play-In Tournament:
- Seventh-place Golden State Warriors vs. eighth-place Minnesota Timberwolves
- Winner faces No. 2 seed Houston Rockets
- Loser will play in second round of Play-In Tournament
- Ninth-place Sacramento Kings vs. 10th-place Dallas Mavericks
- Winner plays in second round of Play-In Tournament
- Loser eliminated
When do the 2025 NBA Playoffs start?
The first round of the NBA playoffs begins Saturday, April 19.
Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals is scheduled for Thursday, June 5.
