NBA playoff picture, standings: Bracket, tiebreakers with nearly every seed up for grabs entering final week

The final week of the 2023-24 NBA regular season is here, and the postseason gets started next week. The playoff picture is coming into focus, and we know the 20 teams who will qualify for the postseason. Only five teams, however, have clinched a top-six seed and automatic entry into the first round of the playoffs. Plenty will be decided in the regular season’s final week with seeding, home-court advantage and the chance to avoid the Play-In Tournament are all on the line between now and Sunday.

So what’s the latest in the NBA’s playoff picture? The Golden State Warriors clinched at least the No. 10 seed out West after the Rockets’ loss to the Mavericks on Sunday. The Warriors trail the No. 9 Lakers by one loss with one matchup remaining on Tuesday. They trail the No. 8 Kings by two games.

In the East, the Bucks are spiraling and now lead the No. 3 Magic by just one game with two head-to-head matchups remaining. The No. 4 Knicks, also just a game back of Milwaukee after defeating the Bucks on Sunday, are tied with Orlando and can gain ground on both Orlando and the Bucks — whoever loses — when those two face off twice down the stretch. Cleveland fell to No. 5 with its loss to the Clippers, while Indiana held onto the No. 6 seed for now with its win over Miami. 

As a reminder, the NBA’s Play-In Tournament will determine the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds in both conferences. Four teams in each conference (the 7-10 seeds) will enter the Play-In Tournament, while the top six seeds will automatically qualify for playoff spots. The seventh- and eighth-placed teams will face each other for the No. 7 seed. The ninth- and 10th-placed teams will face each other in another game, and then the loser of the No. 7/No. 8 game will face the winner of the No. 9/No. 10 game for the No. 8 seed.

For the remainder of the season, this will be your one-stop shop playoff picture. We’ve got you covered on everything from the current standings to tiebreaker scenarios and magic numbers for both play-in spots and top-six seeds. 

Here’s where we stand entering play on Monday, April 8.

Playoff bracket if the season ended today…

West
(1) Timberwolves vs. (8) Pelicans/Kings/Lakers/Warriors
(2) Nuggets vs. (7) Pelicans/Kings
(3) Thunder vs. (6) Suns
(4) Clippers vs. (5) Mavericks

East
(1) Celtics vs. (8) 76ers/Heat/Bulls/Hawks
(2) Bucks vs. (7) 76ers/Heat
(3) Magic vs. (6) Pacers
(4) Knicks vs. (5) Cavaliers

WESTERN CONFERENCE STANDINGS

1. Minnesota Timberwolves (54-24)

• Clinched: Top-four seed
• Magic number: No. 1 seed in West (4)
• Tiebreaker vs. Nuggets: Wolves clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Thunder: Wolves currently own via division record

2. Denver Nuggets (54-24)

• Clinched: Top-four seed
• Tiebreaker vs. Thunder: Thunder clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Wolves: Wolves clinched

3. Oklahoma City Thunder (53-25)

• Clinched: Top-four seed
• Tiebreaker vs. Nuggets: Thunder clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Wolves: Wolves currently own via division record

4. Los Angeles Clippers (50-28)

• Magic Number: Playoff spot (1)
• Tiebreaker vs. Pelicans: Pelicans clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Suns: Clippers lead 2-0 with two to play

5. Dallas Mavericks (48-30)

• Magic Number: Playoff spot (2)
• Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Dallas currently owns via division win percentage
• Tiebreaker vs. Kings: Mavs lead via conference record
• Tiebreaker vs. Suns: Mavs clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Warriors: Mavs lead 2-0 with two to play
• Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Mavs clinched

6. Phoenix Suns (46-32)

• Magic Number: Playoff spot (4)
• Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Suns clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Kings: Tied 2-2 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs. Dallas: Mavs clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Warriors: Suns clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Lakers clinched

PLAY-IN TOURNAMENT

7. New Orleans Pelicans (46-32)

• Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: Pelicans have clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Kings: Pelicans have clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Suns: Suns have clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Dallas: Dallas currently owns via division win percentage

8. Sacramento Kings (45-33)

• Tiebreaker vs. Mavericks: Mavs lead via conference record
• Tiebreaker vs. Suns: Tied 2-2 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs. Warriors: Kings lead via division record
• Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Kings have clinched

9. Los Angeles Lakers (45-34)

• Tiebreaker vs. Warriors: Warriors lead 2-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs. Suns: Lakers clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Mavs: Mavs clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Kings: Kings clinched

10. Golden State Warriors (43-35)

• Tiebreaker vs. Kings: Kings lead via division record
• Tiebreaker vs. Mavs: Mavs lead 2-0 with two to play
• Tiebreaker vs. Suns: Suns clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Warriors lead 2-1 with one to play

EASTERN CONFERENCE STANDINGS

1. Boston Celtics (61-16)

• Clinched: NBA’s best record

2. Milwaukee Bucks (47-31)

• Clinched: Playoff spot
• Magic Number: Top-four seed (3)
• Tiebreaker vs. Knicks: Bucks clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Cavs: Bucks lead via division leader
• Tiebreaker vs. Magic: Tied 1-1 with two to play

3. Orlando Magic (46-32)

• Magic Number: Playoff spot (2)
• Tiebreaker vs. Cavs: Magic currently own via division leader
• Tiebreaker vs. Knicks: Magic clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Pacers: Magic clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Milwaukee: Tied 1-1 with two to play

4. New York Knicks (46-32)

• Magic Number: Playoff spot (2)
• Tiebreaker vs. Bucks: Bucks clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Cavs: Knicks clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Magic: Magic clinched

5. Cleveland Cavaliers (46-33)

• Clinched: Play-In spot
• Magic Number: Playoff spot (2)
• Tiebreaker vs. Bucks: Bucks lead via division leader
• Tiebreaker vs. Knicks: Knicks clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Magic: Magic currently own via division leader

6. Indiana Pacers (45-34)

• Magic Number: Playoff spot (3)
• Tiebreaker vs. Magic: Magic clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Heat: Tied 1-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs. 76ers: Pacers clinched

PLAY-IN TOURNAMENT

7. Philadelphia 76ers (44-35)

• Tiebreaker vs. Pacers: Pacers clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Heat: Miami leads via conference record

8. Miami Heat (43-35)

• Tiebreaker vs. Pacers: Tied 1-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs. 76ers: Miami leads via conference record

9. Chicago Bulls (37-41)

• Tiebreaker vs. Hawks: Bulls clinched

10. Atlanta Hawks (36-42)

• Tiebreaker vs. Bulls: Bulls clinched