NBA playoff picture, standings, bracket, matchups: Knicks clinch top six, Nuggets jump Wolves for No. 1 seed

The final week of the 2023-24 NBA regular season is here, and the postseason gets started next week. We know the 20 teams who have qualified for the postseason, but plenty of seeding is still up for grabs. Eight teams have clinched a top-six seed so far. 

On Wednesday, the New York Knicks joined that list via Miami’s loss to the Mavericks, who have also sealed their top-six spot in the West. The Warriors and Lakers are officially locked into the Play-in tourney with Phoenix’s win over the Clippers, though their seeds are still TBD. 

Also on Wednesday, the Denver Nuggets took over the West’s No. 1 seed with their win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, who turn their attention to holding off the Thunder for the No. 2 seed. Currently, the Wolves own that spot via a better conference record than OKC. Denver’s magic number for the No. 1 seed is two with two games remaining against Memphis and San Antonio. 

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 Tuesday, April 9.

Playoff bracket if the season ended today…

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

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

WESTERN CONFERENCE STANDINGS

1. Denver Nuggets (56-24)

• Clinched: Top-three seed
• Magic number: No. 1 seed (2)
• Tiebreaker vs. Thunder: Thunder clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Wolves: Wolves clinched

2. Minnesota Timberwolves (55-25)

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

3. Oklahoma City Thunder (55-25)

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

4. Los Angeles Clippers (51-29)

• Clinched: Playoff spot
• Tiebreaker vs. Mavericks: Clippers clinched

5. Dallas Mavericks (50-30)

• Clinched: Playoff spot
• Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: Clippers clinched

6. New Orleans Pelicans (47-32)

• Magic Number: Playoff spot (3)
• Tiebreaker vs. Kings: Pelicans have clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Suns: Suns have clinched

PLAY-IN TOURNAMENT

7. Phoenix Suns (47-33)

• 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

8. Sacramento Kings (45-34)

• 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 (45-35)

• Tiebreaker vs. Warriors: Warriors clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Suns: Lakers clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Kings: Kings clinched

10. Golden State Warriors (44-35)

• Tiebreaker vs. Kings: Kings lead via division record
• Tiebreaker vs. Suns: Suns clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Warriors clinched

EASTERN CONFERENCE STANDINGS

1. Boston Celtics (62-17)

• Clinched: NBA’s best record

2. Milwaukee Bucks (49-31)

• Clinched: Playoff spot
• Tiebreaker vs. Knicks: Bucks clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Cavs: Bucks lead via division leader
• Tiebreaker vs. Magic: Tied 1-1 with two to play

3. New York Knicks (47-32)

• Clinched: Playoff spot
• Tiebreaker vs. Bucks: Bucks clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Cavs: Knicks clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Magic: Magic clinched

4. Cleveland Cavaliers (47-33)

• Clinched: Play-In spot
• Magic Number: Playoff spot (1)
• Tiebreaker vs. Bucks: Bucks lead via division leader
• Tiebreaker vs. Knicks: Knicks clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Magic: Magic currently own via division leader

5. Orlando Magic (46-34)

• 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

6. Indiana Pacers (46-34)

• Magic Number: Playoff spot (1)
• 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 (45-35)

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

8. Miami Heat (44-36)

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

9. Chicago Bulls (37-42)

• Tiebreaker vs. Hawks: Bulls clinched

10. Atlanta Hawks (36-44)

• Tiebreaker vs. Bulls: Bulls clinched