With one month and change remaining in the 2024-25 regular season, we are officially into the stretch run. Just about every team and fan is paying close attention to the standings at this point, and we’re going to be bringing you the most updated picture of where everything stands, every day, from now until the close of play on April 13.
Though it’s not official, the top seed is pretty much locked in each conference. The Cavaliers own an eight-game lead (in the loss column) over Boston with less than 20 games to play, and, in the West, the Thunder (who clinch a playoff spot with their next win) are up 11 on the Nuggets. The Celtics and Thunder square off Wednesday night, by the way, in a potential Finals preview.
The Celtics are pretty locked into the East’s No. 2 seed with an effective six-game lead over New York with the tiebreaker in hand. After that, pretty much everything is up for grabs as seed jockeying — both above and below the play-in line — figures to go down to the wire.
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Entering play on Wednesday, March 12, here is the 2024-25 NBA playoff picture.
Who’s clinched?
- The Cavaliers have clinched a playoff spot.
NBA playoff picture
Playoff chances are based on SportsLine simulations.
Eastern Conference standings
| Rank | Team | W | L | GB | Playoff chances |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cleveland – x | 55 | 10 | — | 100% |
| 2 | Boston | 47 | 18 | 8.0 | 100% |
| 3 | New York | 41 | 23 | 13.5 | 100% |
| 4 | Milwaukee | 36 | 28 | 18.5 | 87.5% |
| 5 | Indiana | 36 | 28 | 18.5 | 97.3% |
| 6 | Detroit | 37 | 29 | 18.5 | 93.5% |
| — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 7 | Atlanta | 31 | 34 | 24.0 | 91.3% |
| 8 | Orlando | 30 | 36 | 25.5 | 53.6% |
| 9 | Miami | 29 | 35 | 25.5 | 52.2% |
| 10 | Chicago | 27 | 38 | 28.0 | 20.2% |
| — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 11 | Philadelphia | 22 | 42 | 32.5 | 3.0% |
| 12 | Toronto | 22 | 43 | 33.0 | <1.0% |
| 13 | Brooklyn | 22 | 43 | 33.0 | <1.0% |
Western Conference standings
| Rank | Team | W | L | GB | Playoff chances |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oklahoma City | 53 | 12 | — | 100% |
| 2 | Denver | 42 | 23 | 11.0 | 100% |
| 3 | L.A. Lakers | 40 | 23 | 12.0 | 96.5% |
| 4 | Memphis | 41 | 24 | 12.0 | 98.9% |
| 5 | Houston | 40 | 25 | 13.0 | 94.4% |
| 6 | Golden St. | 37 | 28 | 16.0 | 89.8% |
| — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 7 | Minnesota | 37 | 29 | 16.5 | 93.5% |
| 8 | L.A. Clippers | 35 | 30 | 18.0 | 62.0% |
| 9 | Sacramento | 33 | 31 | 19.5 | 44.0% |
| 10 | Dallas | 33 | 33 | 20.5 | 13.7% |
| — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 11 | Phoenix | 30 | 35 | 23.0 | 6.2% |
x = clinched playoff spot
As a reminder: the top six teams in each conference automatically get spots in the 16-team playoff field. The final four playoff spots will be determined by the Play-In Tournament, which will feature Nos. 7-10 in each conference. The seventh-place team hosts the eight-place team to earn the No. 7 seed. The loser of that game will face the winner of a game between the ninth- and 10th-place teams for the No. 8 seed.
The East has developed a clear top six with just a few weeks remaining in the regular season, while the Timberwolves and Clippers will hope to track down the Warriors and Rockets in the West.
2025 NBA playoffs: Key dates
- April 13: Final day of regular season
- April 15-18: Play-In Tournament
- April 19: Playoffs begin
- May 12: NBA Draft Lottery
- June 5: NBA Finals begin
