NBA Playoff Tracker: Who’s clinched so far in both conferences

March 17, 2025

With less than a month remaining in the 2024-25 NBA regular season, the postseason landscape is beginning to crystallize as teams secure their playoff berths. The top six seeds in each conference will earn direct entry into the playoffs, while teams ranked seventh through tenth will compete in the play-in tournament from April 15-18.

The winners of the play-in will claim the final two playoff spots in each conference, setting the stage for the first round to begin on April 19.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

In the East, the Cavaliers hold a firm grip on the No. 1 seed, leading the defending champion Celtics. The Cavs became the first team league-wide to clinch a playoff spot this season.

Behind them, the Celtics and Knicks have also locked in postseason appearances, though the Knicks are currently assured only of a play-in position. Teams eliminated from contention in the East are yet to be determined.

The Cavaliers, who have already secured the Central Division title, are on pace to claim the top seed in the Eastern Conference for the first time since their 2015-16 championship season.

Cleveland’s standout campaign includes two winning streaks of 15 or more games, marking the fifth-best start in NBA history. Last year, as the No. 4 seed, the Cavs needed seven games to dispatch the Magic in the first round before falling to the top-seeded Celtics in five games in the conference semifinals.

The Celtics, aiming to extend their record with a 19th NBA title, have clinched at least a playoff spot but appear likely to settle for the No. 2 seed. Boston, which boasts the league’s longest active playoff streak at 11 seasons, capped last year’s top-seeded run by defeating the Mavericks in the NBA Finals. The Celtics have reached the conference finals in four of the past five seasons.

The Knicks, having secured at least a play-in spot, are building on back-to-back conference semifinal appearances. Last season, they were eliminated by the Indiana Pacers in a seven-game series. The Knicks have not advanced to the conference finals since 2000.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

In the West, the Thunder are poised to lock up the No. 1 seed for the second consecutive season, having already clinched a playoff berth. The race for the No. 2 seed remains tight, with the Lakers, Nuggets, Grizzlies, and Rockets all within two games of each other. The Jazz and Pelicans have been eliminated from postseason contention.

The Thunder have dominated the Western Conference standings for much of the season and hold an impressive 22-1 record against Eastern Conference teams following their March 12 victory over the Celtics. Last year, as the top seed, OKC was ousted in the conference semifinals by the Mavericks, who went on to the NBA Finals.