The NBA playoffs are looming large on the horizon. With just over two weeks remaining in the regular season, the postseason action is slated to kick off on April 16 with the Play-In Tournament, followed by the official start of the playoffs on April 20.
While the majority of the playoff-bound teams have already been determined, the final weeks of the regular season promise plenty of drama as teams vie for favorable seeding, home-court advantage, and the opportunity to avoid the Play-In Tournament.
As we take a glance at the current state of the NBA playoff picture, notable victories on a relatively quiet night in the Association saw the Celtics, Bucks, and Magic all emerging victorious.
However, no significant shifts occurred in the standings on Saturday, leaving the Timberwolves and Thunder deadlocked atop the Western Conference, with the Nuggets trailing just one game behind in the loss column. With eight games remaining for Denver and nine for Minnesota and OKC, the race for playoff positioning remains intense.
Meanwhile, the Pelicans suffered a defeat against Milwaukee, leaving them clinging to the fifth seed in the standings. However, they now find themselves tied in the loss column with the sixth-seeded Dallas Mavericks.
As a refresher, the NBA’s Play-In Tournament will determine the seventh and eighth seeds in both conferences. The tournament will feature the four teams occupying the 7th to 10th seeds in each conference.
The seventh and eighth-placed teams will face off for the No. 7 seed, while the ninth and tenth-placed teams will compete in another game. Subsequently, the loser of the No. 7/No. 8 matchup will take on the winner of the No. 9/No. 10 game for the No. 8 seed.
Throughout the remainder of the season, stay tuned here for comprehensive coverage of the playoff picture, including up-to-date standings, tiebreaker scenarios, and the magic numbers determining both Play-In spots and top-six seeds.
