As the NBA regular season approaches its conclusion, the playoff picture is becoming increasingly clear. Following the Indiana Pacers' recent loss to the Orlando Magic and the Milwaukee Bucks' victory over the Pistons on Friday night, all ten playoff and play-in seeds in the Eastern Conference have been established. The upcoming matchups are as follows:
In contrast, the Western Conference playoff landscape remains uncertain, with only the Oklahoma City Thunder (No. 1) and Houston Rockets (No. 2) having secured their playoff spots. The Los Angeles Lakers can clinch the No. 3 seed with a win over the Rockets on Friday night. If the Lakers do secure the No. 3 position, the remaining three playoff spots will still be up for grabs among five teams: the Nuggets, Clippers, Warriors, Timberwolves, and Grizzlies, all separated by just one game.
The Lakers solidified their top-six spot with a recent victory over the Mavericks in Luka Dončić's emotional return to Dallas. Meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors have regained control of their playoff destiny. Despite a surprising loss to the Spurs, the Warriors benefited from the Timberwolves' win over the Grizzlies. As the season approaches its final weekend, the Warriors face the Blazers on Friday and the Clippers on Sunday.
Entering Friday, April 10, here’s a snapshot of the current NBA playoff picture:
Note that the 'x' indicates that a team has clinched a playoff spot. The top six teams in each conference automatically qualify for the playoffs, while the final four spots will be determined by the Play-In Tournament, featuring teams ranked from 7th to 10th in each conference.
In the event of a tie, the NBA has established a series of tiebreakers to determine playoff seeding. For two teams tied in the standings, the team with the better head-to-head record takes precedence. If the teams split their matchups, the division winner is favored. Should further tiebreakers be necessary, they are resolved in the following order:
Division record (if applicable) Conference record Record against top-10 teams in the conference Record against top-10 teams in both conferences Point differentialFor ties involving more than two teams, the tiebreakers are applied in this order:
Division winner Record against tied teams Division record (if applicable) Conference record Record against top-10 teams in the conference Record against top-10 teams in both conferences Point differentialAs of now, the Lakers hold the head-to-head tiebreaker against the Nuggets, Clippers, Warriors, Timberwolves, and Grizzlies. Each of these teams has critical matchups ahead, which could influence their playoff positions significantly.
As the playoffs approach, fans can expect an exhilarating conclusion to the regular season, with teams vying for every win to secure their playoff fate. Keep an eye on the NBA standings as we move closer to the postseason!
