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 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.
Entering play on Tuesday, March 11, 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 54 10 — 100%
2 Boston 47 18 7.5 100%
3 New York 41 23 13.0 100%
4 Milwaukee 36 27 17.5 88.5%
5 Indiana 35 28 18.5 98.0%
6 Detroit 36 29 18.5 88.6%
— — — — — —
7 Atlanta 31 34 23.5 73.4%
8 Orlando 30 36 25.0 60.9%
9 Miami 29 35 25.0 60.6%
10 Chicago 27 38 27.5 3.1%
— — — — — —
11 Brooklyn 22 42 32.0 2.4%
12 Philadelphia 22 42 32.0 23.6%
13 Toronto 22 43 32.5 <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 78.4%
4 Memphis 41 24 12.0 99.8%
5 Houston 40 25 13.0 94.4%
6 Golden St. 37 28 16.0 65.0%
— — — — — —
7 Minnesota 37 29 16.5 78.9%
8 L.A. Clippers 35 29 17.5 85.7%
9 Sacramento 33 31 19.5 31.5%
10 Dallas 33 33 20.5 61.3%
— — — — — —
11 Phoenix 30 35 23.0 3.5%
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