With less than three weeks remaining in the NBA regular season, the anticipation for the playoffs is palpable. The postseason is set to kick off on April 16 with the Play-In Tournament, followed by the official start of the playoffs on April 20. While many teams seem poised to secure playoff berths, the battle for seeding, home-court advantage, and avoidance of the Play-In Tournament intensifies as the regular season draws to a close.

In the latest developments, the New Orleans Pelicans’ victory over the Milwaukee Bucks has tightened the race for the Eastern Conference’s No. 2 seed. The Bucks now hold just a one-game lead over the New York Knicks in the loss column, with one head-to-head matchup remaining on April 7. Despite Milwaukee clinching the tiebreaker, the race remains fiercely contested.

As a refresher, the NBA’s Play-In Tournament will determine the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds in both conferences. The top six seeds automatically qualify for the playoffs, while the seventh- through tenth-placed teams compete in the Play-In Tournament for the final spots. The format involves matchups between the seventh and eighth seeds, as well as the ninth and tenth seeds, with the winners securing playoff berths.

Let’s dive into the current playoff picture as of Friday, March 29:

 

Western Conference Standings:

  1. Denver Nuggets (51-22) – Clinched Play-In spot
  2. Minnesota Timberwolves (50-22) – Clinched Play-In spot
  3. Oklahoma City Thunder (50-22) – Clinched Play-In spot
  4. Los Angeles Clippers (45-27) – Magic Number for Play-In spot: 3
  5. New Orleans Pelicans (45-28) – Magic Number for Play-In spot: 3
  6. Dallas Mavericks (43-29) – Magic Number for Play-In spot: 5
  7. Phoenix Suns (43-30) – Magic Numbers for Play-In spot: 6
  8. Sacramento Kings (42-30) – Magic Number for Play-In spot: 6
  9. Los Angeles Lakers (41-32) – Magic Number for Play-In spot: 7
  10. Golden State Warriors (38-34) – Magic Number for Play-In spot: 10

 

Eastern Conference Standings:

  1. Boston Celtics (57-16) – Clinched No. 1 seed
  2. Milwaukee Bucks (46-27) – Clinched Play-In spot
  3. New York Knicks (44-28) – Clinched Play-In spot
  4. Cleveland Cavaliers (44-29) – Clinched Play-In spot
  5. Orlando Magic (42-30) – Clinched Play-In spot
  6. Indiana Pacers (41-33) – Clinched Play-In spot
  7. Miami Heat (39-33) – Clinched Play-In spot
  8. Philadelphia 76ers (39-34) – Clinched Play-In spot
  9. Chicago Bulls (35-38) – Magic Number for Play-In spot: 3
  10. Atlanta Hawks (34-39) – Magic Number for Play-In spot: 5

As the regular season winds down, every game becomes crucial for teams vying for playoff positions. With seeding, home-court advantage, and the Play-In Tournament at stake, the race to the playoffs promises to deliver thrilling matchups and intense competition until the final buzzer sounds. Stay tuned for more updates as the NBA postseason picture continues to take shape.

TOPICS: NBA Standings