Examining 2025 NBA Playoff Bracket Picture, Race for Play-in Games and Top Seeds
There isn't a ton of clarity yet with the 2025 NBA playoff picture.
Each night does fill in a little bit more of the image, though.
On Thursday, the Miami Heat learned they were officially locked into the play-in tournament. Elsewhere, the Milwaukee Bucks edged past the Detroit Pistons for the Eastern Conference's No. 5 seed, while the Memphis Grizzlies regained control of the West's No. 6 seed.
Movement figures to keep coming between now and the campaign's April 13 curtain drop, but it's still worthwhile to take a snapshot of where everything sits at the moment.
Updated NBA Standings
1 of 3
Eastern Conference
1. y-Cleveland Cavaliers: 61-15
2. y-Boston Celtics: 56-20
3. x-New York Knicks: 48-28
4. x-Indiana Pacers: 45-31
5. Milwaukee Bucks: 42-34
6. Detroit Pistons: 42-34
7. Orlando Magic: 38-40
8. Atlanta Hawks: 36-40
9. pb-Miami Heat: 35-42
10. pb-Chicago Bulls: 34-42
11. e-Toronto Raptors: 28-49
12. e-Brooklyn Nets: 25-52
13. e-Philadelphia 76ers: 23-54
14. e-Charlotte Hornets: 19-57
15. e-Washington Wizards: 17-60
Western Conference
1. z-Oklahoma City Thunder: 64-12
2. y-Houston Rockets: 50-27
3. Denver Nuggets: 47-30
4. Los Angeles Lakers: 46-30
5. Golden State Warriors: 45-31
6. Memphis Grizzlies: 45-32
7. Minnesota Timberwolves: 45-32
8. Los Angeles Clippers: 44-32
9. Dallas Mavericks: 38-39
10. Sacramento Kings: 36-40
11. Phoenix Suns: 35-41
12. Portland Trail Blazers: 34-43
13. San Antonio Spurs: 32-44
14. e-New Orleans Pelicans: 21-55
15. e-Utah Jazz: 16-61
*z-clinched conference; y-clinched division; x-clinched playoff berth; pb-clinched play-in berth; e-eliminated from playoff contention
Current Playoff Bracket
2 of 3
Western Conference
No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 8 Play-In Winner
No. 2 Houston Rockets vs. No. 7 Play-In Winner
No. 3 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 6 Memphis Grizzlies
No. 4 Los Angeles Lakers vs. No. 5 Golden State Warriors
Eastern Conference
No. 1 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 8 Play-In Winner
No. 2 Boston Celtics vs. No. 7 Play-In Winner
No. 3 New York Knicks vs. No. 6 Detroit Pistons
No. 4 Indiana Pacers vs. No. 5 Milwaukee Bucks
Play-In Tournament
Western Conference
No. 7 Minnesota Timberwolves vs. No. 8 Los Angeles Clippers
No. 9 Dallas Mavericks vs. No. 10 Sacramento Kings
Eastern Conference
No. 7 Orlando Magic vs. No. 8 Atlanta Hawks
No. 9 Miami Heat vs. No. 10 Chicago Bulls
Races to Watch
3 of 3
With so much to be decided with postseason seeds and play-in berths, there's no shortage of nail-biters to put (or, even better, keep) on your radar.
The top-four seeds in the East seem cemented, but everything else is up for grabs. The Bucks and Pistons have identical records and eyes on the No. 5 seed. The Magic are all of one game up on the Hawks for the No. 7 seed. The Heat have just a half-game cushion on the Bulls for No. 10.
There should be plenty of down-the-stretch drama in that conference, but it's nothing like what awaits the hoops world in the always wild West.
The Nuggets are 2.5 games clear of the Clippers. Why spotlight those specific squads? Because the former is seeded No. 3, and the latter holds the No. 8 spot. That's right, there are four other teams wedged within that 2.5-game gap.
The greatest separation at any point of this congested group is the one-game edge the Lakers have on the Warriors, who just gave themselves a fighting chance in that race by winning in L.A. on Thursday night. Golden State must keep pushing, though, with Denver coming to town Friday. Any loss could still spark a spiral, as the Warriors are only a half-game in front of the Grizzlies and Timberwolves and one game ahead of the Clippers, all of whom have easier remaining schedules than Golden State.
Two of these teams will wind up as high-40s-wins play-in participants. Such is life in a conference that somehow stays perpetually deep.
Finally, the Kings, losers of three straight, need to be careful if they want to keep hold of the No. 10 seed. The Suns are still within a game of that spot despite losing four in a row, while the Blazers have used consecutive victories to climb within 2.5 games of Sacramento.
