Four days remain in the 2024-25 NBA regular season, and there is still plenty of for grabs in terms of playoff seeding — especially in the league’s wild West. The Thunder, Rockets and Lakers have clinched playoff berths in the West, but the three other guaranteed spots remain undecided and there are five teams (the Nuggets, Clippers, Warriors, Timberwolves and Grizzlies) separated by 1.5 games. The Western Conference playoff picture will come down to the wire with the bracket being set Sunday night.
The Lakers guaranteed their playoff spot with a win over the Mavs in Luka Dončić’s emotional return to Dallas on Wednesday night. The Warriors, meanwhile, suffered a crucial loss as the Spurs stunned Golden State on Harrison Barnes’ game-winner.
The Cavaliers clinched the East’s top seed on Tuesday night with their 63rd win of the season. And we know the other five teams with guaranteed playoff spots in the East: the Celtics (who will be the No. 2 seed), Knicks, Pacers, Bucks and Pistons — likely in that order. The reigning champion Celtics remain the favorites to win the East (-155 at FanDuel) despite missing out on the top seed. Four teams (the Magic, Hawks, Bulls and Heat) are also locked into playing in the East’s Play-In Tournament next week.
The Lakers have a slim lead for the West’s No. 3 seed, and it’s about as tight as it can get behind them. The Nuggets, Clippers and Grizzlies all enter play on Thursday with 32 losses.
In return to Dallas, Luka Dončić’s 45-point bombshell was salt in an ever-deepening Mavericks wound
Brad Botkin
Entering play on Thursday, April 10, here is the 2024-25 NBA playoff picture.
Who’s clinched?
- The Thunder have clinched the No. 1 seed, and the Rockets have clinched the No. 2 seed in the West.
- The Cavaliers have clinched the No. 1 seed, and the Celtics have clinched the No. 2 seed in the East.
- The Lakers have clinched a playoff spot in the West.
- The Knicks, Pacers and Pistons have clinched playoff spots in the East.
- The Magic, Hawks, Bulls and Heat are locked into the East’s Play-In Tournament.
- The Kings and Mavericks are locked into the West’s Play-In Tournament.
NBA playoff picture, current bracket
If the season ended today…
East first-round matchups
1. Cavaliers vs. 8. Magic/Hawks/Bulls/Heat
2. Celtics vs. 7. Magic/Hawks
3. Knicks vs. 6. Pistons
4. Pacers vs. 5. Bucks
West first-round matchups
1. Thunder vs. 8. Warriors/Wolves/Kings/Mavericks
2. Rockets vs. 7. Warriors/Wolves
3. Lakers vs. 6. Grizzlies
4. Nuggets vs. 5. Clippers
NBA standings
Playoff chances are based on SportsLine simulations.
Eastern Conference standings
Western Conference standings
| Rank | Team | W | L | GB | Playoff chances |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oklahoma City – x | 66 | 14 | — | 100% |
| 2 | Houston – x | 52 | 28 | 13.0 | 100% |
| 3 | L.A. Lakers – x | 49 | 31 | 17.0 | 100% |
| 4 | Denver | 48 | 32 | 18.0 | 94.8% |
| 5 | L.A. Clippers | 48 | 32 | 18.0 | 92.7% |
| 6 | Memphis | 47 | 32 | 18.5 | 90.9% |
| — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 7 | Golden St. | 47 | 33 | 19.0 | 88.9% |
| 8 | Minnesota | 46 | 33 | 19.5 | 87.7% |
| 9 | Sacramento | 39 | 41 | 27.0 | 26.4% |
| 10 | Dallas | 38 | 42 | 28.0 | 17.9% |
x = clinched playoff spot
As a reminder: the top six teams in each conference automatically get spots in the 16-team playoff field. The final four playoff spots will be determined by the Play-In Tournament, which will feature Nos. 7-10 in each conference. The seventh-place team hosts the eight-place team to earn the No. 7 seed. The loser of that game will face the winner of a game between the ninth- and 10th-place teams for the No. 8 seed.
Tiebreakers
Here’s how NBA playoff tiebreakers work:
In the event of a two-way tie, the team that won the season series gets the higher seed. If they split the season series and one of the teams won its division, the division winner gets the higher seed. If that doesn’t resolve the tie, then the tiebreakers are, in order: division record (if the teams are in the same division), conference record, record against top-10 in-conference teams, record against top-10 teams in both conferences, point differential.
In the event that more than two teams are tied, the tiebreakers are, in order: division winner, record against tied teams, division record (if all tied teams are in the same division), conference record, record against top-10 in-conference teams, record against top-10 teams in both conferences, point differential.
And here’s a breakdown of who holds the key tiebreakers in the West’s wild race:
- The Lakers hold the head-to-head tiebreaker against Nuggets, Clippers, Warriors, Timberwolves and Grizzlies.
- The Nuggets hold the head-to-head tiebreaker against the Warriors.
- The Clippers hold the head-to-head tiebreaker against the Warriors and Grizzlies.
- The Grizzlies hold the head-to-head tiebreaker against the Timberwolves.
- The Warriors hold the head-to-head tiebreaker against the Timberwolves and Grizzlies.
- The Timberwolves hold the head-to-head tiebreaker against the Nuggets and Clippers.
