2024 NBA playoffs: Which teams have clinched postseason spots?
ESPN
Apr 12, 2024, 12:46 AM ET
The 2024 NBA playoffs will soon be here and teams are booking 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
East postseason picture
Clinched a playoff spot: Boston Celtics (No. 1 seed), Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks
At least a play-in spot, not yet playoffs: Orlando Magic, Cleveland Cavaliers, Indiana Pacers, Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat
Only a play-in spot: Chicago Bulls (No. 9 seed), Atlanta Hawks (No. 10 seed)
Eliminated: Brooklyn Nets, Toronto Raptors, Charlotte Hornets, Washington Wizards, Detroit Pistons
West postseason picture
Clinched a playoff spot: Denver Nuggets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves, LA Clippers, Dallas Mavericks
At least a play-in spot, not yet playoffs: New Orleans Pelicans, Phoenix Suns
Only a play-in spot: Sacramento Kings, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers
Eliminated: Houston Rockets, Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs
Eastern Conference projected bracket, as of today:
Play-in tournament:
No. 8 Heat at No. 7 76ers (April 16)
No. 10 Hawks at No. 9 Bulls (April 17)
Winner 9/10 at loser 7/8 (April 19)
First round:
No. 1 Celtics vs. No. 8 seed (76ers/Heat/Bulls/Hawks)
No. 2 Bucks vs. No. 7 seed (76ers/Heat)
No. 3 Knicks vs. No. 6 Pacers
No. 4 Cavaliers vs. No. 5 Magic
Western Conference projected bracket, as of today:
Play-in tournament:
No. 8 Kings at No. 7 Suns (April 16)
No. 10 Lakers at No. 9 Warriors (April 17)
Winner 9/10 at loser 7/8 (April 19)
First round:
No. 1 Timberwolves vs. No. 8 seed (Suns/Kings/Warriors/Lakers)
No. 2 Nuggets vs. No. 7 seed (Suns/Kings)
No. 3 Thunder vs. No. 6 Pelicans
No. 4 Clippers vs. No. 5 Mavericks
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Boston CelticsWhat they’ve clinched: Best overall record, 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.
Milwaukee BucksWhat they’ve clinched: At least a playoff spot
The Bucks have locked up a Eastern Conference playoffs as they try to now lock up a top-four seed for home-court advantage in at least 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 they lost to the Boston Celtics in the conference finals.
New York KnicksWhat they’ve clinched: At least a playoff spot
The Knicks have secured a place in the Eastern Conference playoffs as they aim to secure a top-four spot.
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.
Orlando MagicWhat 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.
Cleveland CavaliersWhat 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.
Indiana PacersWhat 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.
Philadelphia 76ersWhat 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.
Miami HeatWhat 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 seed 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.
Chicago BullsWhat they’ve clinched: No. 9 seed for the play-in tournament; cannot directly clinch a playoff berth
The Bulls will be playing in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament and will host the Atlanta Hawks for the 9/10 game. The winner will advance to play the loser of the 7/8 game for a chance to clinch the last playoff spot.
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 Miami Heat in No. 8 seed game.
Atlanta HawksWhat they’ve clinched: No. 10 seed for the play-in tournament; cannot directly clinch a playoff berth
The Hawks will be playing in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament and will visit the Chicago Bulls for the 9/10 game. The winner will advance to play the loser of the 7/8 game for a chance to clinch the last playoff spot.
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
Denver NuggetsWhat 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.
Oklahoma City ThunderWhat 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.
Minnesota TimberwolvesWhat they’ve clinched: At least a playoff spot
The Timberwolves have locked in a spot in the Western Conference playoffs as they remain in a tough battle for the top seed.
Minnesota has advanced from the play-in tournament 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.
LA ClippersWhat they’ve clinched: At least a playoff spot; Pacific Division title
The Clippers have clinched a playoff spot in the Western Conference and are on the verge of a top-four spot.
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.
Dallas MavericksWhat they’ve clinched: At least a playoff spot; Southwest Division
The Mavericks will return to the postseason, having booked their place in the playoffs in the Western Conference.
Dallas missed out altogether last year after having previously made the playoffs in three straight seasons.
New Orleans PelicansWhat they’ve clinched: At least a play-in spot
The Pelicans have clinched a play-in tournament spot in the Western Conference, although they can still nab a playoff berth.
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.
Phoenix SunsWhat they’ve clinched: At least a play-in spot
The Suns have clinched at least a spot in the Western Conference play-in tournament to continue their streak of postseason appearances.
Phoenix has reached the conference semifinals the last two seasons, but lost to the Denver Nuggets (2023) and the Dallas Mavericks (2022). In 2021, they reached the NBA Finals but fell to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Sacramento KingsWhat they’ve clinched: A play-in spot; cannot clinch a playoff berth
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.
Sacramento made the playoffs last season for the first time since 2006, but lost to the Golden State Warriors in the first round.
Golden State WarriorsWhat they’ve clinched: A play-in spot; cannot clinch a playoff berth
No shot for a top six spot for the Warriors, who will have to first navigate the Western Conference play-in tournament.
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.
Los Angeles LakersWhat they’ve clinched: A play-in spot; cannot clinch a playoff berth
The Lakers’ path to the playoffs will have to go through the Western Conference play-in tournament as they can no longer finish in the top six.
LeBron James and crew made it to the conference finals last season before being swept by eventual NBA Finals champions Denver Nuggets.
