How NBA Playoff Picture Looks After Busy Friday Slate of Games

The Eastern Conference bracket is set, while the Western Conference still has plenty to sort out.

Curry and the Warriors improved to 48-33 with a win over Portland on Friday night. / Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Playoff basketball is almost here. But first, there's plenty to be determined over the final two days of the 2024-25 NBA season.

Over in the Eastern Conference, the entire postseason picture is now officially set from the No. 1 seed Cleveland Cavaliers all the way down to the Miami Heat, the final play-in tournament team in 10th place. As for the Western Conference? Not so much.

Entering Friday's slate of games, the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers were tied for the No. 4 seed with identical 48-32 records, and the Golden State Warriors, Memphis Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves were all tied for the No. 6 spot with 47-33 records.

All of those aforementioned teams in the West won Friday night aside from the Grizzlies, who lost117-109 to Denver at Ball Arena. Memphis is now locked into the play-in tournament—meaning they can only claim the No. 7 seed at best—after losing on back-to-back nights to the Timberwolves and Nuggets.

The Lakers clinched their first Pacific Division title since 2019-20 on Friday with a win over the Houston Rockets and hold a one-game cushion as the No. 3 seed. Right behind Los Angeles are the Nuggets and Clippers, who are tied for the No. 4 seed with 49-32 records. Both teams will wrap up the regular season Sunday, as Denver visits the Rockets and the Clippers battle the Warriors.

The Nuggets can clinch the No. 4 seed with a win over Houston on Sunday. But for now, the No. 4 through No. 8 seeds are up for grabs with the Nuggets, Clippers, Warriors, Timberwolves and Grizzlies all looking to land their official seeding.

The Timberwolves will play the Utah Jazz—albeit without a suspended Anthony Edwards—while the Grizzlies will host the Dallas Mavericks.

Let's dive in to the current playoff picture (updated after the games Friday night) and projected playoff matchups:

NBA playoff picture: Western Conference (through games Friday, April 11)

SEED	TEAMS	RECORD	GB
1	Thunder	67-14	--
2	Rockets	52-29	15
3	Lakers	50-31	17
4	Nuggets	49-32	18
5	Clippers	49-32	18
6	Warriors	48-33	19
--	PLAY-IN TOURNAMENT	--	--
7	Timberwolves	48-33	19
8	Grizzlies	47-34	20
9	Kings	39-42	28
10	Mavericks	38-42	28
--	--	--	--
11	Suns	36-45	31
12	Trail Blazers	35-46	32
13	Spurs	33-48	34
14	Pelicans	21-60	46
15	Jazz	17-64	50

NBA playoff picture: Eastern Conference (through games Friday, April 11)

SEED	TEAMS	RECORD	GB
1	Cavaliers	64-17	--
2	Celtics	60-21	4
3	Knicks	50-31	14
4	Pacers	49-32	15
5	Bucks	47-34	17
6	Pistons	44-37	20
--	PLAY-IN TOURNAMENT	--	--
7	Magic	41-40	23
8	Hawks	39-42	25
9	Bulls	38-43	26
10	Heat	37-44	27
--	--	--	--
11	Raptors	30-51	34
12	Nets	26-55	38
13	76ers	24-57	40
14	Hornets	19-62	45
15	Wizards	17-64	47

Projected NBA playoff matchups (through games Friday, April 11)

Western Conference

• Play-in tournament: No. 7 Timberwolves, No. 8 Grizzlies, No. 9 Kings, No. 10 Mavericks
• No. 1 Thunder vs. No. 8 TBD
• No. 2 Rockets vs. No. 7 TBD
• No. 3 Lakers vs. No. 6 Warriors
• No. 4 Nuggets vs. No. 5 Clippers

Eastern Conference (officially set)

• Play-in tournament: No. 7 Magic, No. 8 Hawks, No. 9 Bulls, No. 10 Heat
• No. 1 Cavaliers vs. No. 8 TBD
• No. 2 Celtics vs. No. 7 TBD
• No. 3 Knicks vs. No. 6 Pistons
• No. 4 Pacers vs. No. 5 Bucks

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