NBA Playoffs 2025 Known Schedule, Bracket Picture Before Final Games of Season

The NBA regular season wraps up Sunday and all eyes are on the playoff bracket.

Which teams are ensured of a play-in berth at the very least, which are atop their respective conferences as legitimate title contenders, and which squads will have to wait until next season to get a taste of the postseason?

Find out with this preview of the upcoming NBA Playoffs.

Eastern Conference Standings

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The current Eastern Conference standings are:

1. Cleveland Cavaliers (e) (64-17)
2. Boston Celtics (a) (60-21)
3. New York Knicks (x) (50-31)
4. Indiana Pacers (x) (49-32)
5. Milwaukee Bucks (x) (47-34)
6. Detroit Pistons (x) (44-37)
7. Orlando Magic (se) (41-40)
8. Atlanta Hawks (pi) (39-42)
9. Chicago Bulls (pi) (38-43)
10. Miami Heat (pi) (37-44)
11. Toronto Raptors (o) (30-51)
12. Brooklyn Nets (o) (25-55)
13. Philadelphia 76ers (o) (24-57)
14. Charlotte Hornets (o) (19-62)
15. Washington Wizards (o) (17-64)

e (clinched Eastern Conference); a (clinched Atlantic Division); x (clinched playoffs berth); se (clinched Southeast Division); pi (clinched play-in); o (eliminated from playoff contention)

Western Conference Standings

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The current Western Conference standings are:

1. Oklahoma City Thunder (w) (67-14)
2. Houston Rockets (sw) (52-29)
3. Los Angeles Lakers (p) (50-31)
4. Denver Nuggets (ps) (49-32)
5. Los Angeles Clippers (ps) (49-32)
6. Golden State Warriors (ps) (48-33)
7. Minnesota Timberwolves (ps) (48-33)
8. Memphis Grizzlies (pi) (47-34)
9. Sacramento Kings (pi) (39-42)
10. Dallas Mavericks (pi) (39-42)
11. Phoenix Suns (o) (36-45)
12. Portland Trail Blazers (o) (35-46)
13. San Antonio Spurs (o) (33-48)
14. New Orleans Pelicans (o) (21-60)
15. Utah Jazz (o) (17-64)

w (clinched Western Conference); sw (clinched Southwest Division); p (clinched Pacific Division); ps (clinched postseason); pi (clinched play-in); o (eliminated from playoff contention)

Known Playoff Schedule

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* April 15: Atlanta Hawks (East 8) vs. Orlando Magic (East 7) on TNT (winner advances to playoffs as No. 7 seed)

* April 15: West 8 vs. West 7 on TNT (winner advances to playoffs as No. 7 seed)

* April 16: Miami Heat (East 10) vs. Chicago Bulls (East 9) on ESPN (loser is eliminated)

* April 16: West 10 vs. West 9 on ESPN (loser is eliminated)

* April 18: East 9/10 winner vs. East 7/8 winner on TNT (winner advances to playoffs at No. 8 seed)

* April 18: West 7/8 winner vs. West 9/10 winner on ESPN (winner advances to playoffs as No. 8 seed)

* April 19: NBA Playoffs begin

* May 5 - 6: Conference semifinals begin (possibly move up to May 3-4)

* May 20 - June 2 (if necessary): Eastern and Western Conference Finals on ESPN, TNT, ABC

* June 5 - June 22: NBA Finals on ABC

Knicks a Step Below Eastern Conference Top Seeds

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The New York Knicks are headed to the playoffs as the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference but as the playoffs draw near, they look like a team a step or two below the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics.

The top-seeded Cavs swept the season series against New York, including Friday's victory in Madison Square Garden, in which Cleveland overcame a 23-point deficit to win.

Boston also swept New York in head-to-head game this season, going 4-0 against the Knicks.

The two teams that the Knicks needed to beat head-to-head to prove they were a legitimate contender for the Larry O'Brien Trophy took both series from them and left little doubt who the class of the conference was.

Making matters worse is a first-round match-up against a young, impressive Detroit Pistons team that took three-of-four games against the Knicks this season.

The Knicks have been a team with the talent to win enough games to get to the postseason but their struggles with the top seeds should temper expectations for an NBA title, even with Jalen Brunson putting up 74 points in his last four games.