2024-25 NBA Playoff Race Heating Up
The end of the 2024-25 NBA regular season is set for April 13, leading to an exciting climax as teams vie for playoff positions. The top six teams in each conference are guaranteed a spot, while the 7th to 10th ranks will participate in the play-in tournament scheduled from April 15 to 18.
In the play-in format, the matchup between the 7th and 8th seeds will see the winner advance to face the 2nd seed in the playoffs, while the 9th and 10th seed winner battles the loser of the 7-8 game for the right to face the 1st seed.
Upcoming Play-in Schedule
Eastern Conference
- Tuesday, April 15: No. 8 Atlanta Hawks at No. 7 Orlando Magic (Winner faces No. 2 Boston)
- Wednesday, April 16: No. 10 Miami Heat at No. 9 Chicago Bulls (Winner faces loser of 7-8 game)
- Friday, April 17: Winner of 9/10 vs. Loser of 7/8 (Winner faces No. 1 Cleveland)
Eastern Conference First Round Matchups
- No. 1 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. TBD
- No. 2 Boston Celtics vs. TBD
- No. 3 New York Knicks vs. No. 6 Detroit Pistons
- No. 4 Indiana Pacers vs. No. 5 Milwaukee Bucks
How Teams Stand in the East
All six playoff positions and the four play-in spots in the Eastern Conference are filled. Here’s a summary of the teams and what they have clinched:
- Cleveland Cavaliers: Clinched No. 1 seed and Central Division, a remarkable season highlighted by two winning streaks of 15 games or more.
- Boston Celtics: Clinched No. 2 seed and Atlantic Division, aiming for an NBA-record 19th title.
- New York Knicks: Clinched No. 3 seed, looking for their first conference finals appearance since 2000.
- Indiana Pacers: Clinched No. 4 seed, returning after last season’s success in the conference finals.
- Milwaukee Bucks: Clinched No. 5 seed, aiming for deeper playoff success this year.
- Detroit Pistons: Clinched No. 6 seed, returning to the playoffs after a historically poor last season.
- Orlando Magic: Clinched No. 7 seed, will face the Hawks in the play-in.
- Atlanta Hawks: Clinched No. 8 seed, seeking advancement in the play-in tournament.
- Chicago Bulls: Clinched No. 9 seed, looking for success in the play-in again.
- Miami Heat: Clinched No. 10 seed, determined to make it through the play-in for a postseason run.
Western Conference Overview
In the Western Conference, the playoff landscape is also shaping up with several teams still battling for positioning. The Oklahoma City Thunder secured the No. 1 seed, while the Houston Rockets clinched the No. 2 spot.
Western Conference Teams in Playoff Contention
- Oklahoma City Thunder: Clinched No. 1 seed and Northwest Division.
- Houston Rockets: Clinched No. 2 seed and Southwest Division, marking a return to the playoffs after 2020.
- Los Angeles Lakers: Clinched No. 3 seed and Pacific Division, continuing their strong performance.
Teams Competing for Playoff Spots
Four teams are currently in contention for the remaining playoff places, all within a slim margin in the standings:
- Denver Nuggets
- Golden State Warriors
- LA Clippers
- Minnesota Timberwolves
The battle is intense for playoff positioning as the regular season draws to a close. Keep an eye on the outcomes of the play-in games as teams prepare for the heightened stakes of the postseason starting April 19.