Playoff basketball is almost here. But first, there’s plenty to be determined over the final two days of the 2024-25 NBA season.
Over in the Eastern Conference, the entire postseason picture is now officially set from the No. 1 seed Cleveland Cavaliers all the way down to the Miami Heat, the final play-in tournament team in 10th place. As for the Western Conference? Not so much.
Entering Friday’s slate of games, the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers were tied for the No. 4 seed with identical 48-32 records, and the Golden State Warriors, Memphis Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves were all tied for the No. 6 spot with 47-33 records.
All of those aforementioned teams in the West won Friday night aside from the Grizzlies, who lost117-109 to Denver at Ball Arena. Memphis is now locked into the play-in tournament—meaning they can only claim the No. 7 seed at best—after losing on back-to-back nights to the Timberwolves and Nuggets.
The Lakers clinched their first Pacific Division title since 2019-20 on Friday with a win over the Houston Rockets and hold a one-game cushion as the No. 3 seed. Right behind Los Angeles are the Nuggets and Clippers, who are tied for the No. 4 seed with 49-32 records. Both teams will wrap up the regular season Sunday, as Denver visits the Rockets and the Clippers battle the Warriors.
The Nuggets can clinch the No. 4 seed with a win over Houston on Sunday. But for now, the No. 4 through No. 8 seeds are up for grabs with the Nuggets, Clippers, Warriors, Timberwolves and Grizzlies all looking to land their official seeding.
The Timberwolves will play the Utah Jazz—albeit without a suspended Anthony Edwards—while the Grizzlies will host the Dallas Mavericks.
Let’s dive in to the current playoff picture (updated after the games Friday night) and projected playoff matchups:
|
SEED |
TEAMS |
RECORD |
GB |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Thunder |
67-14 |
— |
|
2 |
Rockets |
52-29 |
15 |
|
3 |
Lakers |
50-31 |
17 |
|
4 |
Nuggets |
49-32 |
18 |
|
5 |
Clippers |
49-32 |
18 |
|
6 |
Warriors |
48-33 |
19 |
|
— |
PLAY-IN TOURNAMENT |
— |
— |
|
7 |
Timberwolves |
48-33 |
19 |
|
8 |
Grizzlies |
47-34 |
20 |
|
9 |
Kings |
39-42 |
28 |
|
10 |
Mavericks |
38-42 |
28 |
|
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
11 |
Suns |
36-45 |
31 |
|
12 |
Trail Blazers |
35-46 |
32 |
|
13 |
Spurs |
33-48 |
34 |
|
14 |
Pelicans |
21-60 |
46 |
|
15 |
Jazz |
17-64 |
50 |
|
SEED |
TEAMS |
RECORD |
GB |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Cavaliers |
64-17 |
— |
|
2 |
Celtics |
60-21 |
4 |
|
3 |
Knicks |
50-31 |
14 |
|
4 |
Pacers |
49-32 |
15 |
|
5 |
Bucks |
47-34 |
17 |
|
6 |
Pistons |
44-37 |
20 |
|
— |
PLAY-IN TOURNAMENT |
— |
— |
|
7 |
Magic |
41-40 |
23 |
|
8 |
Hawks |
39-42 |
25 |
|
9 |
Bulls |
38-43 |
26 |
|
10 |
Heat |
37-44 |
27 |
|
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
11 |
Raptors |
30-51 |
34 |
|
12 |
Nets |
26-55 |
38 |
|
13 |
76ers |
24-57 |
40 |
|
14 |
Hornets |
19-62 |
45 |
|
15 |
Wizards |
17-64 |
47 |
