NBA playoff picture, standings: Current bracket, matchups as Lakers climb to No. 8, Nuggets move atop West

The NBA playoffs are almost here. Barely more than a week remains in the regular season, and the postseason is set to begin April 16 with the Play-In Tournament. The playoffs get started April 20. The playoff picture is coming into focus (13 teams have already clinched postseason spots), but there is still plenty to be decided in the regular season’s closing games. Seeding, home-court advantage and the chance to avoid the Play-In Tournament are all on the line between now and April 14.

So what’s the latest in the NBA’s playoff picture? The Lakers moved ahead of the Kings into the No. 8 seed with their win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday. The Lakers are tied in the loss column with Sacramento and the Kings have already clinched the tiebreaker, but for the moment L.A. has one more victory, which means the Kings still control their destiny to finish above the Lakers. 

Also on Saturday, the Nuggets defeated the Hawks to move back into the No. 1 seed. As is the case with the Lakers and Kings, Denver is tied in the loss column with the Timberwolves, who own the tiebreaker and thus still control their destiny for the West’s top seed. 

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 Sunday, April 7.

Playoff bracket if the season ended today…

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

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

WESTERN CONFERENCE STANDINGS

1. Denver Nuggets (54-24)

• Clinched: Top-four seed
• Magic Number: Top-three seed (1)
• Tiebreaker vs. Thunder: Thunder clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Wolves: Wolves clinched

2. Minnesota Timberwolves (53-24)

• Clinched: Top-four seed
• Magic Number: Top-three seed (1)
• Tiebreaker vs. Nuggets: Wolves clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Thunder: Wolves currently own via division record

3. Oklahoma City Thunder (52-25)

• Clinched: Playoff spot
• Magic Number: Top-four seed (1)
• Tiebreaker vs. Nuggets: Thunder clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Wolves: Wolves currently own via division record

4. Los Angeles Clippers (49-28)

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

5. Dallas Mavericks (47-30)

• Clinched: Play-In spot
• Magic Number: Playoff spot (3)
• 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 (46-31)

• Clinched: Play-In spot
• Magic Number: Playoff spot (4)
• Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Suns have 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 (45-32)

• Clinched: Play-In spot
• 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. Los Angeles Lakers (45-33)

• Clinched: Play-In spot
• 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

9. Sacramento Kings (44-33)

• Clinched: Play-In spot
• 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

10. Golden State Warriors (42-35)

• Magic Number: Play-In spot (1)
• 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
• Tiebreaker vs. Rockets: Warriors clinched

MATHEMATICALLY ALIVE

11. Houston Rockets (38-39)

• Tiebreaker vs. Warriors: Warriors clinched

EASTERN CONFERENCE STANDINGS

1. Boston Celtics (61-16)

• Clinched: NBA’s best record

2. Milwaukee Bucks (47-30)

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

3. Cleveland Cavaliers (46-32)

• 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

4. Orlando Magic (45-32)

• Clinched: Play-In spot
• Magic Number: Playoff spot (3)
• 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

5. New York Knicks (45-32)

• Clinched: Play-In spot
• Magic Number: Playoff spot (3)
• Tiebreaker vs. Bucks: Bucks clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Cavs: Knicks clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Magic: Magic clinched

6. Indiana Pacers (44-34)

• Clinched: Play-In spot
• Magic Number: Playoff spot (4)
• Tiebreaker vs. Magic: Magic clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Heat: Tied 1-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs. 76ers: Pacers clinched

PLAY-IN TOURNAMENT

7. Miami Heat (43-34)

• Clinched: Play-In spot
• Magic number: Playoff spot (5)
• Tiebreaker vs. Pacers: Tied 1-1 with one to play
• Tiebreaker vs. 76ers: Miami leads via conference record

8. Philadelphia 76ers (43-35)

• Clinched: Play-In spot
• Tiebreaker vs. Pacers: Pacers clinched
• Tiebreaker vs. Heat: Miami leads via conference record

9. Chicago Bulls (37-40)

• Clinched: Play-In spot
• Tiebreaker vs. Hawks: Bulls clinched

10. Atlanta Hawks (36-42)

• Magic Number: Play-In spot
• Tiebreaker vs. Bulls: Bulls clinched