NBA Playoff Picture: Eastern Conference seeds set, West still taking shape

It’s just about NBA playoff time, and the Eastern Conference playoff field is officially set with one game to go.

Following wins by the Orlando Magic, Milwaukee Bucks, Atlanta Hawks, and Chicago Bulls on Friday night, all six playoff seeds and four play-in spots have been locked in.

Here’s how the top 10 teams in the East will finish the regular season:

1. Cleveland Cavaliers
2. Boston Celtics
3. New York Knicks
4. Indiana Pacers
5. Milwaukee Bucks
6. Detroit Pistons
7. Orlando Magic
8. Atlanta Hawks
9. Chicago Bulls
10. Miami Heat

Play-In Tournament Set for Tip-Off

The Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament will begin Tuesday night, when the No. 7 Magic host the No. 8 Hawks. The winner of that game will earn the No. 7 seed in the playoffs and advance to face the second-seeded Celtics in the first round.

The loser will face the winner of Wednesday’s matchup between the No. 9 Bulls and the No. 10 Heat, with that final play-in game scheduled for Friday. The winner of that contest will claim the No. 8 seed and a first-round series with top-seeded Cleveland.

First-Round Matchups Confirmed

The first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs will feature a 3-6 matchup between the Knicks and Pistons, with New York holding home-court advantage. Detroit will be making its first postseason appearance since 2019.

Meanwhile, the No. 4 Pacers will square off against the No. 5 Bucks in a rematch of last season’s opening round. Indiana, which won the season series 3-1, will now host the series after edging out Milwaukee for home-court advantage.

Western Conference Still in Flux

While the East has taken shape, the Western Conference playoff picture remains in flux heading into the final weekend.

The Los Angeles Lakers clinched the No. 3 seed with a win over the Houston Rockets on Friday, while Memphis’ loss to Denver officially locked the Grizzlies into the play-in tournament. The Lakers will open the postseason with home-court advantage in the first round.

However, several key seeds are still up for grabs. The Nuggets, Clippers, Warriors, and Timberwolves remain in contention for the final three guaranteed playoff spots in the West’s top six, with matchups and locations yet to be determined.

The NBA regular season wraps up on Sunday, with all 30 teams in action.