NBA playoff picture: Updated standings, bracket, and play-in schedule for 2024
The 2023-24 NBA regular season is down to the last few weeks of action before the playoffs begin. Only one team has clinched a playoff spot: the Eastern Conference-leading Boston Celtics. The other 19 playoff spots are up for grabs across both conferences.
In the Eastern Conference, Boston is eight games ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks prior to March 7 games. The No. 2 through No. 8 seeds are separated by just six games. The Western Conference is even closer. Ten games cover the entire 10-team field with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder at the top.
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Here's the latest standings and what to know ahead of the postseason.
NBA playoff standings
Current as of March 6. The top 10 teams in each conference will make the playoffs with seeds 7-10 playing in the play-in tournament.
Eastern Conference
| Seed | Team | Record | Games back |
| 1. | Boston Celtics | 48-13 | -- |
| 2. | Milwaukee Bucks | 41-22 | 8 |
| 3. | Cleveland Cavaliers | 40-22 | 8.5 |
| 4. | Orlando Magic | 37-26 | 12 |
| 5. | New York Knicks | 36-26 | 12.5 |
| 6. | Miami Heat | 35-26 | 13 |
| 7. | Philadelphia 76ers | 35-27 | 13.5 |
| 8. | Indiana Pacers | 35-28 | 14 |
| 9. | Chicago Bulls | 30-32 | 18.5 |
| 10. | Atlanta Hawks | 28-34 | 20.5 |
| 11. | Brooklyn Nets | 25-37 | 23.5 |
| 12. | Toronto Raptors | 23-39 | 25.5 |
| 13. | Charlotte Hornets | 15-47 | 33.5 |
| 14. | Detroit Pistons | 9-52 | 39 |
| 15. | Washington Wizards | 9-53 | 39.5 |
Western Conference
| Seed | Team | Record | Games back |
| 1. | Minnesota Timberwolves | 43-19 | -- |
| 2. | Oklahoma City Thunder | 43-19 | -- |
| 3. | Denver Nuggets | 42-20 | 1 |
| 4. | Los Angeles Clippers | 40-21 | 2.5 |
| 5. | New Orleans Pelicans | 37-25 | 6 |
| 6. | Phoenix Suns | 36-26 | 7 |
| 7. | Sacramento Kings | 35-26 | 7.5 |
| 8. | Dallas Mavericks | 34-28 | 9 |
| 9. | Golden State Warriors | 33-28 | 9.5 |
| 10. | Los Angeles Lakers | 34-30 | 10 |
| 11. | Utah Jazz | 28-35 | 15.5 |
| 12. | Houston Rockets | 27-35 | 16 |
| 13. | Memphis Grizzlies | 22-41 | 21.5 |
| 14. | Portland Trail Blazers | 17-44 | 25.5 |
| 15. | San Antonio Spurs | 13-49 | 30 |
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Current NBA playoff bracket
Eastern Conference
1. Celtics vs. 8. Play-In Winner
2. Bucks vs. 7. Play-In Winner
3. Cavaliers vs. 6. Heat
4. Magic vs. 5. Knicks
Western Conference
1. Timberwolves vs. 8. Play-In Winner
2. Thunder vs. 7. Play-In Winner
3. Nuggets vs. 6. Suns
4. Clippers vs. 5. Pelicans
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NBA Play-in Tournament schedule
The NBA Play-In tournament runs from April 16-19 and has three total games in each conference.
The No. 7 and No. 8 seeds play to decide who takes the No. 7 seed in their respective conference. The loser of that game plays the winner of the No. 9 vs. No. 10 seed game to determine who will be the eighth and final playoff team.
Here's how the current matchups look:
Eastern Conference
7. 76ers vs. 8. Pacers
9. Bulls vs. 10. Hawks
Western Conference
7. Kings vs. 8. Mavericks
9. Warriors vs. 10. Lakers
Once the play-in tournament wraps up on April 19, the NBA playoffs will begin Saturday, April 20.
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