With the NBA regular season entering its final two weeks in 2024-25, the playoff landscape is solidifying. Teams and fans are closely watching the standings daily as the postseason approaches. We will provide daily updates on the playoff picture until the end of the regular season on Sunday, April 13.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have clinched the Western Conference`s No. 1 seed and home-court advantage for at least the first three playoff rounds. They are nearing 60 wins. In the East, the Cleveland Cavaliers lead the conference despite a recent slump, maintaining a five-game lead over the second-place Boston Celtics as of Sunday.
While the Thunder`s top spot in the West is confirmed, the battle for the No. 2 seed is still competitive. The Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers, and Memphis Grizzlies are all in contention for the second seed, having been closely ranked since early March. The race for the No. 6 seed, the last guaranteed playoff spot in the West, is also intensifying, with the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, and Minnesota Timberwolves all vying for it.
In the Eastern Conference, the ten likely playoff teams are emerging. The Philadelphia 76ers, Toronto Raptors, and Brooklyn Nets seem more focused on the draft lottery than the Play-In Tournament. The Atlanta Hawks, Orlando Magic, Chicago Bulls, and Miami Heat are projected to be the Eastern Conference play-in teams in 2025. In the West, the Phoenix Suns are aiming for the final playoff spot, needing to fend off the Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers to secure a playoff berth.
Who has clinched a playoff spot?
- The Thunder have clinched the No. 1 seed in the West.
- The Cavaliers have clinched a playoff spot in the East.
- The Celtics have clinched a playoff spot in the East.
NBA Playoff Picture
Playoff probabilities are based on SportsLine simulations.
Eastern Conference Standings
| Rank | Team | W | L | GB | Playoff Chances |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cleveland – x | 58 | 14 | — | 100% |
| 2 | Boston – x | 54 | 19 | 4.5 | 100% |
| 3 | New York | 45 | 27 | 13.0 | 100% |
| 4 | Indiana | 42 | 30 | 16.0 | 99.5% |
| 5 | Detroit | 41 | 32 | 17.5 | 90.6% |
| 6 | Milwaukee | 40 | 32 | 18.0 | 91.8% |
| 7 | Atlanta | 35 | 37 | 23.0 | 88.5% |
| 8 | Orlando | 35 | 38 | 23.5 | 76.0% |
| 9 | Chicago | 32 | 40 | 26.0 | 27.0% |
| 10 | Miami | 31 | 41 | 27.0 | 26.6% |
Western Conference Standings
| Rank | Team | W | L | GB | Playoff Chances |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oklahoma City – x | 60 | 12 | — | 100% |
| 2 | Houston | 47 | 26 | 13.5 | 100% |
| 3 | Denver | 46 | 28 | 15.0 | 100% |
| 4 | L.A. Lakers | 44 | 28 | 16.0 | 98.2% |
| 5 | Memphis | 44 | 28 | 16.0 | 96.8% |
| 6 | L.A. Clippers | 41 | 31 | 19.0 | 85.2% |
| 7 | Golden St. | 41 | 31 | 19.0 | 85.1% |
| 8 | Minnesota | 41 | 32 | 19.5 | 83.7% |
| 9 | Sacramento | 35 | 37 | 25.0 | 27.6% |
| 10 | Phoenix | 35 | 38 | 25.5 | 6.2% |
| 11 | Dallas | 35 | 38 | 25.5 | 15.6% |
x = clinched playoff spot
Reminder: the top six teams from each conference automatically qualify for the 16-team playoffs. The remaining four spots will be decided in the Play-In Tournament featuring the 7th to 10th ranked teams in each conference. The 7th-ranked team will host the 8th-ranked team for the 7th seed. The loser of that game will play the winner of the game between the 9th and 10th ranked teams for the 8th seed.
The Eastern Conference`s top six teams are mostly set with the regular season winding down, while in the West, the Timberwolves and Clippers are aiming to overtake the Warriors and Rockets.
Key Dates for the 2025 NBA Playoffs
- April 13: Regular Season Final Day
- April 15-18: Play-In Tournament
- April 19: Playoffs Start
- May 12: NBA Draft Lottery
- June 5: NBA Finals Begin
