The NBA playoffs are almost here. Just three weeks remain in the regular season, with the postseason set to begin on April 16 with the Play-In Tournament. The playoffs get started April 20. While it seems likely we know most of the teams that are going to qualify for the postseason, there is plenty to be decided in the regular season's closing weeks. 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 Celtics missed an opportunity to clinch the top seed in the East by losing to the Hawks on Monday -- becoming just the 10th team in history to blow a 30-point lead in the process.
Also on Monday, the Clippers lost for the sixth time in their last nine games to fall out of home-court advantage in the first round, dropping below the now-No. 4 Pelicans. The Kings are the West's latest No. 6 seed after they defeated the 76ers and the Suns, who dropped to No. 8, lost to 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 Monday, March 25.
Playoff bracket if the season ended today...
West
(1) Nuggets vs. (8) Mavericks/Suns/Lakers/Warriors
(2) Thunder vs. (7) Mavericks/Suns
(3) Timberwolves vs. (6) Kings
(4) Pelicans vs. (5) Clippers
East
(1) Celtics vs. (8) Heat/76ers/Bulls/Hawks
(2) Bucks vs. (7) Heat/76ers
(3) Cavaliers vs. (6) Pacers
(4) Knicks vs. (5) Magic
WESTERN CONFERENCE STANDINGS
1. Denver Nuggets (51-21)
- Clinched: Play-in spot
- Magic Number: Playoff spot (2)
- Tiebreaker vs. OKC: OKC has clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Minnesota: Tied 1-1 with two to play
2. Oklahoma City Thunder (49-21)
- Clinched: Play-in spot
- Magic Number: Playoff spot (4)
- Tiebreaker vs. Denver: OKC has clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Minnesota: OKC currently owns as division leader
3. Minnesota Timberwolves (49-22)
- Clinched: Play-in spot
- Magic Number: Playoff spot (4)
- Tiebreaker vs. Denver: Tied 1-1 with two to play
- Tiebreaker vs. OKC: OKC currently owns as division leader
4. New Orleans Pelicans (44-27)
- Magic Number: Play-In spot (4)
- Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: Pelicans have clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Sacramento: Pelicans have clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Suns lead 1-0 with two to play
5. Los Angeles Clippers (44-27)
- Magic Number: Play-In spot (4)
- Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Pelicans have clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Clippers lead 2-0 with two to play
6. Sacramento Kings (42-29)
- Magic Number: Play-In spot (6)
- Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Pelicans have clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Dallas: Kings lead 2-0 with two to play
- Tiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Tied 2-2 with one to play
- Tiebreaker vs. Golden State: Kings lead via division record
- Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Kings have clinched
PLAY-IN TOURNAMENT
7. Dallas Mavericks (42-29)
- Magic Number: Play-In spot (6)
- Tiebreaker vs. Sacramento: Kings lead 2-0 with two to play
- Tiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Mavs clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Golden State: Mavs lead 2-0 with two to play
- Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Mavs clinched
8. Phoenix Suns (42-30)
- Magic Numbers: Play-In spot (6)
- Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Suns lead 1-0 with two to play
- Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: Clippers lead 2-0 with two to play
- Tiebreaker vs. Sacramento: Tied 2-2 with one to play
- Tiebreaker vs. Dallas: Mavs clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Golden State: Suns clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Lakers clinched
9. Los Angeles Lakers (39-32)
- Magic Number: Play-In spot (9)
- Tiebreaker vs. Golden State: Warriors lead 2-1 with one to play
- Tiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Lakers clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Dallas: Mavs clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Sacramento: Kings clinched
10. Golden State Warriors (36-34)
- Magic Number: Play-In spot (12)
- Tiebreaker vs. Sacramento: Kings lead via division record
- Tiebreaker vs. Dallas: Mavs lead 2-0 with two to play
- Tiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Suns clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Warriors lead 2-1 with one to play
- Tiebreaker vs. Rockets: Warriors clinched
IN THE HUNT
11. Houston Rockets (36-35)
- Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Rockets lead via conference record
- Tiebreaker vs. Warriors: Warriors clinched
EASTERN CONFERENCE STANDINGS
1. Boston Celtics (57-15)
- Clinched: Top-two seed
- Magic Number: No. 1 seed (1)
2. Milwaukee Bucks (46-25)
- Clinched: Play-In spot
- Magic Number: Playoff spot (4)
- Tiebreaker vs. Cleveland: Bucks lead via division leader
3. Cleveland Cavaliers (44-28)
- Clinched: Play-In spot
- Magic Number: Playoff spot (6)
- Tiebreaker vs. Milwaukee: Bucks lead via division leader
- Tiebreaker vs. New York: Cavs clinched
4. New York Knicks (43-28)
- Clinched: Play-In spot
- Magic Number: Playoff spot (7)
- Tiebreaker vs. Cleveland: Cavs clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Orlando: Magic clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Miami: Knicks clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Philadelphia: Knicks clinched
5. Orlando Magic (42-29)
- Clinched: Play-In spot
- Magic Number: Playoff spot (8)
- Tiebreaker vs. New York: Magic clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Indiana: Magic clinched
6. Indiana Pacers (41-32)
- Clinched: Play-In spot
- Magic Number: Playoff spot (9)
- Tiebreaker vs. Orlando: Magic clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Miami: Tied 1-1 with one to play
- Tiebreaker vs. Philadelphia: Pacers clinched
PLAY-IN TOURNAMENT
7. Miami Heat (39-32)
- Clinched: Play-In spot
- Tiebreaker vs. Indiana: Tied 1-1 with one to play
- Tiebreaker vs. Philadelphia: Miami leads 2-1 with one to play
8. Philadelphia 76ers (39-33)
- Clinched: Play-in spot
- Tiebreaker vs. Indiana: Pacers clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Miami: Miami leads 2-1 with one to play
9. Chicago Bulls (34-38)
- Magic Number: Play-In spot (4)
- Tiebreaker vs. Atlanta: Bulls clinched
10. Atlanta Hawks (32-39)
- Magic Number: Play-In spot (6)
- Tiebreaker vs. Chicago: Bulls clinched
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