NBA playoff picture: Updated standings, bracket, and play-in schedule for 2024
The 2023-24 NBA regular season is down to the last few weeks of action before the playoffs begin. Only one team has clinched a playoff spot: the Eastern Conference-leading Boston Celtics. The other 19 playoff spots are up for grabs across both conferences.
In the Eastern Conference, Boston is eight games ahead of the Cleveland Cavaliers prior to March 10 games. The No. 2 through No. 8 seeds are separated by just 6.5 games. The Western Conference is even closer. Eleven games cover the entire 10-team field with the Oklahoma City Thunder at the top.
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Here's the latest standings and what to know ahead of the postseason.
NBA playoff standings
Current as of March 11. The top 10 teams in each conference will make the playoffs with seeds 7-10 playing in the play-in tournament.
Eastern Conference
Seed | Team | Record | Games back |
1. | Boston Celtics | 49-14 | -- |
2. | 42-23 | 8 | |
3. | 41-23 | 8.5 | |
4. | 37-27 | 12.5 | |
5. | 37-28 | 13 | |
6. | 36-28 | 13.5 | |
7. | 36-29 | 14 | |
8. | 35-29 | 14.5 | |
9. | 31-33 | 18.5 | |
10. | 29-35 | 20.5 | |
11. | 26-39 | 24 | |
12. | 23-41 | 26.5 | |
13. | 16-48 | 33.5 | |
14. | 11-53 | 38.5 | |
15. | 10-53 | 39 |
Western Conference
Seed | Team | Record | Games back |
1. | 45-19 | -- | |
2. | 44-20 | 1 | |
3. | 44-21 | 1.5 | |
4. | 41-22 | 3.5 | |
5. | 39-25 | 6 | |
6. | 37-27 | 8 | |
7. | 36-27 | 8.5 | |
8. | 36-28 | 9 | |
9. | 36-30 | 10 | |
10. | 33-30 | 11.5 | |
11. | 29-35 | 16 | |
12. | 28-36 | 17 | |
13. | 22-43 | 23.5 | |
14. | 18-45 | 26.5 | |
15. | 14-50 | 31 |
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Current NBA playoff bracket
Eastern Conference
1. Celtics vs. 8. Play-In Winner
2. Bucks vs. 7. Play-In Winner
3. Cavaliers vs. 6. 76ers
4. Knicks vs. 5. Magic
Western Conference
1. Thunder vs. 8. Play-In Winner
2. Nuggets vs. 7. Play-In Winner
3. Timberwolves vs. 6. Suns
4. Clippers vs. 5. Pelicans
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NBA Play-in Tournament schedule
The NBA Play-In tournament runs from April 16-19 and has three total games in each conference.
The No. 7 and No. 8 seeds play to decide who takes the No. 7 seed in their respective conference. The loser of that game plays the winner of the No. 9 vs. No. 10 seed game to determine who will be the eighth and final playoff team.
Here's how the current matchups look:
Eastern Conference
7. Pacers vs. 8. Heat
9. Bulls vs. 10. Hawks
Western Conference
7. Kings vs. 8. Mavericks
9. Lakers vs. 10. Warriors
Once the play-in tournament wraps up on April 19, the NBA playoffs will begin Saturday, April 20.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA playoff picture: Latest standings, bracket, and play-in matchups
