The final stretch of the 2024-25 NBA regular season is underway, with teams jockeying for playoff seeding positions. The top six teams in each conference are already locked in as playoff locks, but the middle tier is where things get interesting.
In the Western Conference, a single game separates the No. 4 seed from the No. 8 seed. Meanwhile, the Eastern Conference sees movement on the seventh-through-10th-place rankings.
Here’s a rundown of the current NBA standings and projected playoff matchups:
Eastern Conference Standings:
The top six teams in each conference automatically qualify for the playoffs. Teams 7-10 compete in the Play-In Tournament to secure the remaining spots.
Western Conference Standings:
Similar to the East, the top six teams are set. The middle tier sees a tight race between several teams vying for the final two playoff spots.
Playoff Projections:
Eastern Conference:
* No. 1 seed Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 8 seed winner
* No. 2 seed Boston Celtics vs. No. 7 seed winner
* No. 3 seed New York Knicks vs. No. 6 seed Detroit Pistons
* No. 4 seed Indiana Pacers vs. No. 5 seed Milwaukee Bucks
Western Conference:
* No. 1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 8 seed winner
* No. 2 seed Houston Rockets vs. No. 7 seed winner
* No. 3 seed Los Angeles Lakers vs. No. 6 seed Golden State Warriors
* No. 4 seed Denver Nuggets vs. No. 5 seed Los Angeles Clippers
The NBA Play-In Tournament will take place from April 15-18, with the first round of the playoffs beginning on April 19.
Stay tuned for further updates and analysis as the playoff picture continues to unfold.
Source: https://eu.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2025/04/10/nba-playoff-standings-teams-qualified/83012011007