The 2024 NBA playoffs will soon be here and teams are beginning to book their postseason spots before the regular season ends April 14.
The top six teams from each conference will be assured playoff spots, while team Nos. 7-10 in the standings will enter the play-in tournament (April 16-19).
Two teams in each conference will then emerge to fill out the eight-team field, with the first round of the playoffs starting April 20.
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
Who’s clinched in the East: Boston Celtics (No. 1 seed), Milwaukee Bucks*, Cleveland Cavaliers*, New York Knicks*, Orlando Magic*, Indiana Pacers*, Miami Heat*, Philadelphia 76ers*
Who’s clinched in the West: Denver Nuggets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves*, LA Clippers*
Who’s eliminated in the East: Toronto Raptors, Charlotte Hornets, Washington Wizards, Detroit Pistons
Who’s eliminated in the West: Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs
*at least a play-in tournament berth, but not yet the playoffs
EASTERN CONFERENCE
What they’ve clinched: No. 1 seed in Eastern Conference, Atlantic Division title
Boston became the first team to clinch a postseason spot in 2024. Even if the Celtics were to lose every remaining game in the regular season, they’d be guaranteed home-court advantage throughout the Eastern Conference 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: At least a play-in spot
The Bucks have locked up at least an Eastern Conference play-in tournament spot even if they were to lose all their remaining regular season games.
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 they lost to the Boston Celtics in the conference finals.
What they’ve clinched: At least a play-in spot
The Cavs are also into the postseason (at least the Eastern Conference play-in tournament) even if they were to drop their remaining regular-season games.
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: At least a play-in spot
The Knicks have secured a place in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament as they work toward another playoff appearance.
The Knicks advanced the conference semifinals last season, where 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: At least a play-in spot
The Magic will play past the regular season for the first time since 2020, clinching at least a place in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament.
Orlando will next eye a playoff berth, having only appeared 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: At least a play-in spot
The Heat have qualified for at least the play-in tournament in the Eastern Conference.
Last season, Miami became the first team to reach the NBA Finals as a play-in team. After losing first to the Atlanta Hawks, they secured the No. 8 playoffs spot by beating the Chicago Bulls. The Heat then beat the Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, and the Boston Celtics to win the East before losing in the finals to the Denver Nuggets.
What they’ve clinched: At least a play-in spot
The 76ers have qualified for at least the play-in tournament in the Eastern Conference.
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: At least a play-in spot
The Pacers have qualified for at least the play-in tournament in the Eastern Conference.
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.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
What they’ve clinched: At least a playoff spot
The defending NBA Finals champions have clinched a playoff spot amid a tight race for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.
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: At least a playoff spot
The Thunder remain in contention for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, but they’ve at least clinched a playoff spot.
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: At least a play-in spot
The Timberwolves are guaranteed a spot in the Western Conference play-in tournament for the third straight season, but their sights are set on bigger goals this time.
Minnesota has advanced from the play-in the last two seasons, only to bow out in the first round of the playoffs. Last year, it was to the eventual champions Denver Nuggets.
What they’ve clinched: At least a play-in spot
The Clippers have clinched at least a play-in tournament spot in the Western Conference.
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 play-in match to the New Orleans Pelicans.
