2024 NBA Playoffs: Bracket, standings and latest playoff picture after All-Star break

The NBA All-Star break is over and teams are now back to their quest for the No.1 seed. The break provided an opportunity for players to rest and recharge themselves for the final stretch of the season. This period is crucial in determining the outcome for their playoff campaigns.

Game 1 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs is scheduled to start on April 20th, following the NBA Play-In Tournament, which takes place from April 16th to 19th.

For the fifth-consecutive season, the NBA Play-In Tournament will give the seventh and eighth seeds in each conference two chances to win a game and secure their spot in the playoffs. However, the ninth and tenth seeds in each conference will need to win two consecutive games to earn a place in the playoffs.

If we were to assume that the current standings of teams would determine the 2024 NBA playoff picture, then the playoff matchups would look like this.

It's important to note that this is only a hypothetical scenario, as the NBA Play-in Tournament is still two months away.

2024 NBA All-Star Game weekend: Live stream, TV, dunk contest, 3-point contest, rosters

Eastern Conference standings

1. Boston Celtics

2. Cleveland Cavaliers

3. Milwaukee Bucks

4. New York Knicks

5. Philadelphia 76ers

6. Indiana Pacers

7. Miami Heat

8. Orlando Magic

9. Chicago Bulls

10. Atlanta Hawks

Eastern Conference Bracket

This is how the Eastern conference bracket would look if it was off today's standings.

• No. 1 seed Boston Celtics vs. No. 8 seed (Winner of the Play-In Tournament)

• No. 2 seed Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 7 seed (Winner of the Play-In Tournament)

• No. 3 seed Milwaukee Bucks vs. No. 6 seed Indiana Pacers

• No. 4 seed New York Knicks vs. No. 5 seed Philadelphia 76ers

Western Conference standings

1. Minnesota Timberwolves

2. Oklahoma City Thunder

3. LA Clippers

4. Denver Nuggets

5. Phoenix Suns

6. New Orleans Pelicans

7. Dallas Mavericks

8. Sacramento Kings

9. Los Angeles Lakers

10. Golden State Warriors

Western Conference Bracket

This is how the Western conference bracket would look if it was off today's standings.

• No. 1 seed Minnesota Timberwolves vs. No. 8 seed (Winner of the Play-In Tournament)

• No. 2 seed Denver Nuggets vs. No. 7 seed (Winner of the Play-In Tournament)

• No. 3 seed Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. six seed New Orleans Pelicans

• No. 4 seed LA Clippers vs. No. five seed Phoenix Suns

What is the NBA Play-In Tournament

The NBA Play-In Tournament offers an opportunity for teams ranked 7th and 8th in each conference to secure a spot in the playoffs by winning just one game. The format is simple: the 7th seed team will host the 8th seed team in their respective conferences, and the winner will earn the 7th seed in the NBA Playoffs.

However, teams ranked 9th and 10th in each conference must win two consecutive games to qualify for the playoffs. The format is as follows: the winner of the matchup between the 9th and 10th seed teams will then play against the losing team of the 7th and 8th seed matchup. The winner of this second matchup will secure the final seed in the NBA Playoffs.

When do the 2024 NBA Playoffs start?

The first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs will begin on April 20 and is expected to continue until the first weekend of May.

The start dates for the first round and NBA Finals are set and are not subject to change, but the start dates for the second round and conference finals will depend on the length of the previous round's series.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2024 NBA playoff picture: Bracket, standings and play-in updates