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NBA playoff picture: Updated standings, bracket, and play-in schedule for 2024 – USA TODAY
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.
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.
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1. Celtics vs. 8. Play-In Winner
2. Bucks vs. 7. Play-In Winner
3. Cavaliers vs. 6. 76ers
4. Knicks vs. 5. Magic
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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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:
7. Pacers vs. 8. Heat
9. Bulls vs. 10. Hawks
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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