The NBA playoff bracket is now set. What are the matchups?
The 2024 NBA regular season wrapped up Sunday, and the postseason picture is set.
The top six teams from each conference head to the playoffs, while team Nos. 7-10 in the standings will enter the play-in tournament (Tuesday-Friday). Two teams in each conference will then emerge to fill out the eight-team field, with the first round of the playoffs starting Saturday.
The Boston Celtics are the top seed in the Eastern Conference. As the finishers with the best overall record, they’ll be guaranteed home-court advantage throughout the postseason. The New York Knicks leapfrogged the struggling Milwaukee Bucks to grab the No. 2 seed, with the Cleveland Cavaliers rounding out the East’s top four teams.
The Orlando Magic (No. 5 seed) and the Indiana Pacers (No. 6 seed) also finalized their playoff spots. The East’s play-in tournament teams will be the Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks.
In the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder clinched the No. 1 seed after ending Sunday in a three-way tie with the Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Nuggets will begin defending their NBA Finals championship as the No. 2 seed, while the Wolves are set for the No. 3 seed.
The LA Clippers and Dallas Mavericks will face off in the No. 4 vs. No. 5 matchup, with the Phoenix Suns clinching the No. 6 spot Sunday with a win over Minnesota.
The West’s play-in tournament will feature some big names and stars. LeBron James and the No. 8 seed Los Angeles Lakers will visit the No. 7 New Orleans Pelicans, while the No. 9 seed Sacramento Kings will host Stephen Curry and the No. 10 seed Golden State Warriors.
Get the updates ahead of the playoffs here as the road to the NBA Finals kicks into full gear.
JUMP TO: East teams | West teams
Eastern Conference bracket
Play-in tournament:
No. 8 Miami Heat at No. 7 Philadelphia 76ers (Wednesday)
No. 10 Atlanta Hawks at No. 9 Chicago Bulls (Wednesday)
Winner 9/10 at loser 7/8 (Friday)
First round:
No. 1 Boston Celtics vs. No. 8 seed (76ers/Heat/Bulls/Hawks)
No. 2 New York Knicks vs. No. 7 seed (76ers/Heat)
No. 3 Milwaukee Bucks vs. No. 6 Indiana Pacers
No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 5 Orlando Magic
Eliminated teams: Brooklyn Nets, Toronto Raptors, Charlotte Hornets, Washington Wizards, Detroit Pistons
Western Conference bracket
Play-in tournament:
No. 8 Los Angeles Lakers at No. 7 New Orleans Pelicans (Tuesday)
No. 10 Golden State Warriors at No. 9 Sacramento Kings (Tuesday)
Winner 9/10 at loser 7/8 (Friday)
First round:
No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 8 seed (Pelicans/Lakers/Kings/Warriors)
No. 2 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 7 seed (Pelicans/Lakers)
No. 3 Minnesota Timberwolves vs. No. 6 Phoenix Suns
No. 4 LA Clippers vs. No. 5 Dallas Mavericks
Eliminated teams: Houston Rockets, Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs
EASTERN CONFERENCE
What they’ve clinched: Best overall record, No. 1 seed in Eastern Conference, Atlantic Division title
Next opponent: Winner of No. 8 seed in the East play-in tournament (Heat-76ers loser vs. Hawks-Bulls winner)
Boston became the first team to secure a postseason spot in 2024 and has clinched the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. And as holders of the overall best record, they’re guaranteed home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.
The Celtics have made the playoffs the previous nine seasons, losing to the Miami Heat in the conference finals last season. The last time they were the top overall seed in the East was after the 2016-17 season, when they lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the conference finals.
What they’ve clinched: No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference
Next opponent: Winner of the East’s 7/8 play-in tournament game (76ers or Heat)
The Knicks have secured the second-best record in the Eastern Conference, and will now wait to see who will emerge from the 7/8 playoff as their first-round opponent.
The Knicks advanced the conference semifinals last season, when they lost to the Miami Heat. It marked just the second playoff appearance for New York in the past 10 seasons, which included a seven-year stretch without postseason play.
What they’ve clinched: No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference, Central Division title
Next opponent: No. 6 seed Indiana Pacers
The Bucks have claimed the No. 3 seed and will next face No. 6 seed Indiana in the first round.
Milwaukee has made the playoffs the previous seven seasons. The Bucks were the top seed last year but suffered a first-round exit at the hands of the Miami Heat. In 2022, they were also the top seed in the East but lost to the Boston Celtics in the conference finals.
What they’ve clinched: No. 4 in the Eastern Conference
First round opponent: No. 5 seed Orlando Magic
The Cavs are also in the postseason with a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, and will take on the No. 5 seed Magic in the first round.
Cleveland made the playoffs last season, losing in the first round to the New York Knicks. It marked the Cavs’ return to the postseason after missing the previous four editions and their first appearance since winning the 2016-17 NBA Finals, led by LeBron James.
What they’ve clinched: No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference; Southeast Division
Next opponent: No. 4 seed Cleveland Cavaliers
The Magic will play past the regular season for the first time since 2020, clinching a spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs. They’ll next take on the Cavs in the first round.
Orlando has appeared in the playoffs only twice since the 2012-13 season. The team last advanced past the first round in 2010 when it reached the conference finals.
What they’ve clinched: No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference
Next opponent: No. 3 seed Milwaukee Bucks
The Pacers have qualified for the playoffs in the Eastern Conference as the No. 5 seed and will face the Cavs in the first round.
Indy is back in the postseason for the first time since 2020, breaking a three-season stretch. Prior to that, the team was bounced in the first round of the playoffs in five consecutive seasons.
What they’ve clinched: No. 7 seed for the play-in tournament
Next opponent: vs. No. 8 seed Miami Heat (Wednesday)
The 76ers have qualified for the play-in tournament in the Eastern Conference, and will host the Heat on Wednesday. The winner will advance to the playoffs and take on the No. 2 seed Knicks in the first round.
Philadelphia has made the playoffs each of the previous six seasons but has not advanced beyond the second round since reaching the NBA Finals in 2001.
What they’ve clinched: No. 8 seed for the play-in tournament
Next opponent: at No. 7 seed Philadelphia 76ers (Wednesday)
The Heat have qualified for the play-in tournament in the Eastern Conference and will visit the 76ers on Wednesday. The winner will advance to the playoffs and take on the No. 2 seed Knicks in the first round.
Last season, Miami became the first team to reach the NBA Finals as a play-in team. After losing to the Atlanta Hawks, they secured the No. 8 seed by beating the Chicago Bulls. The Heat then beat the Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks and Boston Celtics to win the East before losing in the Finals to the Denver Nuggets.
What they’ve clinched: No. 9 seed for the play-in tournament
Next opponent: vs. No. 10 Atlanta Hawks (April 17)
The Bulls will be in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament and will host the Hawks for the 9/10 game. The winner will advance to play the loser of the 7/8 game (either the 76ers or the Heat) on Friday for a chance to clinch the No. 8 playoff spot — and a first-round date with the No. 1 seed Celtics.
This is the second straight season that the Bulls will be in the play-in tournament. Last year, they beat the Toronto Raptors in the elimination match before losing to the Heat in the No. 8-seed game.
What they’ve clinched: No. 10 seed for the play-in tournament
Next opponent: at No. 9 seed Chicago Bulls (April 17)
The Hawks will be playing in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament and will visit the Bulls for the 9/10 game. The winner will advance to play the loser of the 7/8 game (either the 76ers or the Heat) on Friday for a chance to clinch the No. 8 playoff spot — and a first-round date with the No. 1 seed Celtics.
This is the third straight season that the Hawks will be in the play-in tournament. They’ve advanced out of it but then been bounced in the first round of the playoffs by the Miami Heat in 2022 and by the Boston Celtics in 2023. In 2021, they lost to the Milwaukee Bucks to the conference finals.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
What they’ve clinched: No. 1 in the Western Conference; Northwest Division
Next opponent: Winner of No. 8 seed in the West play-in tournament (Lakers-Pelicans loser vs. Warriors-Kings winner)
The Thunder clinched the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference on the regular season’s final day. They now await who’ll emerge from the play-in tournament.
The team has not been in the playoffs since the 2019-20 season — a three-season hiatus — after previously missing the postseason just twice since moving to OKC in 2008.
What they’ve clinched: No. 2 seed in the Western Conference
Next opponent: Winner of No. 7 seed in the West play-in tournament (Lakers-Pelicans)
The defending NBA Finals champions have clinched the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. Their first round opponent will be the winner of the 7/8 game in the play-tournament — either Lakers or the Pelicans.
The Nuggets will be making their sixth straight appearance in the playoffs, capped by last season’s run that saw them beat the Miami Heat for the franchise’s first-ever NBA Finals trophy.
What they’ve clinched: No. 3 seed in the Western Conference
Next opponent: No. 6 seed Phoenix Suns
The Timberwolves are into the Western Conference playoffs as the No. 3 seed and will take on the Suns in the first round.
Minnesota has advanced from the play-in tournament the past two seasons, only to bow out in the first round of the playoffs. Last year, it was to the eventual champion, the Denver Nuggets.
What they’ve clinched: No. 4 seed in the Western Conference; Pacific Division title
The Clippers have clinched the fourth seed in the Western Conference and will host the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the playoffs.
The team was bounced from the first round of the playoffs last season by the Phoenix Suns. The year before, they finished ninth in the West but lost the elimination match to the New Orleans Pelicans.
What they’ve clinched: No. 5 seed in the Western Conference; Southwest Division
The Mavericks will return to the postseason, having booked the fifth seed in the playoffs in the Western Conference. They’ll face the LA Clippers in the first round.
Dallas missed out altogether last year after having previously made the playoffs in three straight seasons, which included two eliminations by the Clippers.
What they’ve clinched: No. 6 seed in the Western Conference
Next opponent: No. 3 seed Minnesota Timberwolves
The Suns clinched at a spot in the playoffs on the final day of the regular season to continue their streak of postseason appearances. Their reward? A matchup with the Timberwolves.
Phoenix has reached the conference semifinals the past two seasons, but it lost to the Nuggets (2023) and the Dallas Mavericks (2022). In 2021, the Suns reached the NBA Finals but fell to the Milwaukee Bucks.
What they’ve clinched: No. 7 seed for the play-in tournament
Next opponent: vs. No. 8 seed Los Angeles Lakers (Tuesday)
The Pelicans could have clinched an outright playoff berth on the regular season’s final day, but a loss at home to the Lakers saw them slip into the play-in bracket. It also means a rematch with the Lakers in the 7/8 game.
Last season, New Orleans lost the 9/10 elimination match in the play-in tournament to Oklahoma City. The year prior, they made the playoffs via the play-in but lost in the first round to the Phoenix Suns.
What they’ve clinched: No. 8 seed for the play-in tournament
Next opponent: at No. 7 seed New Orleans Pelicans (Tuesday)
The Lakers’ path to the playoffs will have to go through the Western Conference play-in tournament. They’ll visit the Pelicans in a rematch of the last game of the regular season.
LeBron James and crew made it to the conference finals last season before being swept by the eventual champion Denver Nuggets.
What they’ve clinched: No. 9 seed for the play-in tournament
Next opponent: vs. No. 10 seed Golden State Warriors (Tuesday)
After having been in the mix for a playoff spot for most of the season, the Kings will now have to settle for a spot in the play-in tournament in the Western Conference. Their opponent? The Warriors in the 9/10 game.
Sacramento made the playoffs last season for the first time since 2006, but lost to the Warriors in the first round.
What they’ve clinched: No. 10 seed for the play-in tournament
Next opponent: at No. 9 seed Sacramento Kings (Tuesday)
The Warriors will have to first navigate the Western Conference play-in tournament. They’ll make the short drive to visit the Kings in the 9/10 game.
Last season, Golden State reached the conference semifinals before losing to the Lakers. In 2022, the Warriors won the NBA Finals over the Boston Celtics. In 2021, they finished eighth in the standings but lost two straight play-in games (to the Lakers and the Memphis Grizzlies) to end that season.
