Playoff clinching scenariosWestern Conference SeedingWestern Conference BracketWill Luka Doncic antics become a problem for the Los Angeles Lakers? | SpeakEastern Conference SeedingEastern Conference BracketNBA Play-In Tournament BracketEastern ConferenceWestern ConferenceHow many teams make the NBA playoffs?2025 NBA Playoffs Schedule & Key Dates
The 2025 NBA Playoffs start next week, and the playoff picture is almost clear.
Seeds 7-10 will compete in the NBA Play-in Tournament to advance to the first round of the NBA playoffs. Here’s what the playoffs would look like if the season ended today:
Playoff clinching scenarios
Western Conference Seeding
- Oklahoma City Thunder*** (66-14)
- Houston Rockets** (52-28) 14 GB
- Los Angeles Lakers* (49-31) 17 GB
- Denver Nuggets (48-32) 18 GB
- LA Clippers (48-32) 18 GB
- Golden State Warriors (47-33) 19 GB
- Memphis Grizzlies (47-33) 19 GB
- Minnesota Timberwolves (47-33) 19 GB
- Sacramento Kings (39-41) 27 GB
- Dallas Mavericks (38-42) 28 GB
Western Conference Bracket
- (1) Thunder vs. (8) Winner of play-in
- (2) Rockets vs. (7) Winner of play-in
- (3) Lakers vs. (6) Golden State Warriors
- (4) Nuggets vs. (5) Clippers
Will Luka Doncic antics become a problem for the Los Angeles Lakers? | Speak
Eastern Conference Seeding
- Cleveland Cavaliers*** (63-17)
- Boston Celtics** (59-21) 4 GB
- New York Knicks* (50-30) 13 GB
- Indiana Pacers* (49-31) 14 GB
- Milwaukee Bucks* (46-34) 17 GB
- Detroit Pistons* (44-36) 19 GB
- Orlando Magic ** (40-40) 23 GB
- Atlanta Hawks (38-42) 25 GB
- Chicago Bulls (37-43) 26 GB
- Miami Heat (36-44) 27 GB
Eastern Conference Bracket
- (1) Cavs vs. (8) Winner of play-in
- (2) Celtics vs. (7) Winner of play-in
- (3) Knicks vs. (6) Pistons
- (4) Pacers vs. (5) Bucks
NBA Play-In Tournament Bracket
Eastern Conference
- (7) Orlando Magic vs. (8) Atlanta Hawks
- (9) Chicago Bulls vs. (10) Miami Heat
Western Conference
- (7) Memphis Grizzlies vs. (8) Minnesota Timberwolves
- (9) Sacramento Kings vs. (10) Dallas Mavericks
* Clinched playoffs
** Clinched division
*** Clinched conference
How many teams make the NBA playoffs?
Sixteen teams in total make the NBA playoffs, eight teams from both the Eastern and Western Conference. The top six seeds in each conference advance based on the regular season record. The final two seeds in each conference are determined by the NBA Play-In Tournament.
2025 NBA Playoffs Schedule & Key Dates
- April 15-18: NBA play-in tournament (ESPN, TNT)
- April 19: NBA playoffs first round begin (ABC, ESPN, TNT, NBA TV)
- May 5-6: NBA conference semifinals begin (ABC, ESPN, TNT)
- May TBD: NBA conference finals begin (ABC, ESPN, TNT)
- June 5: NBA Finals begin (ABC)
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