NBA Playoffs bracket: Final standings, seeding scenarios, breakdown ahead of 2024 Play-In Tournament
The playoffs have arrived.
The 2023-24 NBA season wrapped up on Sunday, solidifying the final list of teams still left with a chance at an NBA Finals title.
Much of the field had already been locked in well before the end of the regular season. The 10 teams in the Eastern Conference have been set in for a long time. The Western Conference followed suit not long after.
But it was the final seeding that wound up being resolved after plenty of uncertainty. That included resolving the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, determining which teams would be forced to fight in the Play-In Tournament for the No. 7 and 8 seeds in the two conferences, and which got to have the pass to the first round.
How did the final standings wind up in 2023-24? Here’s what you need to know.
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Full NBA standings 2024Eastern Conference Rank Team Record Win Pct. 1. Celtics 64-18 .780 2. Knicks 50-32 .610 3. Bucks 49-33 .598 4. Cavaliers 48-34 .585 5. Magic 47-35 .575 6. Pacers 47-35 .573 7. 76ers 47-35 .573 8. Heat 46-36 .561 9. Bulls 39-43 .476 10. Hawks 36-46 .439 11. Nets 32-50 .390 12. Raptors 25-57 .305 13. Hornets 21-61 .256 14. Wizards 15-67 .183 15. Pistons 14-68 .171Western Conference Rank Team Record Win Pct. 1. Thunder 57-25 .695 2. Nuggets 57-25 .695 3. Timberwolves 56-26 .683 4. Clippers 51-31 .622 5. Mavericks 50-32 .610 6. Suns 49-33 .598 7. Pelicans 49-33 .598 8. Lakers 47-35 .573 9. Kings 46-36 .561 10. Warriors 46-36 .561 11. Rockets 41-41 .500 12. Jazz 31-51 .378 13. Grizzlies 27-55 .329 14. Spurs 22-60 .268 15. Trail Blazers 21-61 .256MORE: 76ers vs. Heat prediction: Who will win East Play-In Tournament game?
2024 NBA Playoff bracketEastern Conference(1) Celtics vs. (8) TBD
(4) Cavaliers vs. (5) Magic
(3) Bucks vs. (6) Pacers
(2) Knicks vs. (7) TBD
East Play-In Tournament(7) 76ers vs. (8) Heat
(9) Bulls vs. (10) Hawks
The winner of the matchup between the 76ers and Heat will face the Knicks in the first round of the playoffs. The loser will face the winner of Bulls vs. Hawks for the second game of the Play-In Tournament. The winner of that matchup will face the Celtics.
The loser of Bulls vs. Hawks and the loser of the second Play-In game between 76ers-Heat loser and Bulls-Hawks winner will be eliminated.
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Western Conference(1) Thunder vs. (8) TBD
(4) Clippers vs. (5) Mavericks
(3) Timberwolves vs. (6) Suns
(2) Nuggets vs. (7) TBD
West Play-In Tournament(7) Pelicans vs. (8) Lakers
(9) Kings vs. (10) Warriors
The winner of the matchup between the Pelicans and Lakers will face the Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs. The loser will face the winner of Kings vs. Warriors for the second game of the Play-In Tournament. The winner of that matchup will face the Thunder.
The loser of Kings vs. Warriors and the loser of the second Play-In game between Pelicans-Lakers loser and Kings-Warriors winner will be eliminated.
2024 NBA Play-In Tournament scheduleThe NBA Play-In Tournament will begin on Tuesday, April 16, and run through Friday, 19. The games will be carried by ESPN and TNT. The playoffs will begin on April 20, with games airing on ABC, ESPN, NBA TV and TNT.
Those hoping to live stream Play-In and playoff games can also find the contests on Sling TV.
Here’s the full Play-In Tournament schedule:
Date Matchup Time (ET) TV channel April 16 Lakers at Pelicans 7:30 p.m. TNT Warriors at Kings 10 p.m. TNT April 17 Heat at 76ers 7 p.m. ESPN Hawks at Bulls 9:30 p.m. ESPN April 19 TBD TBD ESPN TBD TBD TNT
