NBA Playoff Picture: Everything at Stake for Every Seed During Friday’s Games

Three days remain in the 2025-26 NBA regular season.

While some teams are locked into their playoff seedings and others have been looking toward the NBA draft since January (cough cough, Wizards, cough cough), a few organizations have plenty on the line heading into the final weekend of the regular season.

Over in the Western Conference, five playoff and play-in tournament teams already know their seeding. In the East, though, only the top-seeded Pistons have secured their exact playoff spot.

Here’s everything that is on the line during a busy Friday slate in which all 30 teams are in action:

Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks can clinch a playoff spot and a Southeast Division title with:

A win over the Cavaliers OR
Losses by the Magic (vs. Bulls) AND the Hornets (vs. Pistons)

Boston Celtics

The Celtics can secure the Atlantic Division title with:

A win vs. the Pelicans OR
A loss by the Knicks (vs. Raptors)

Charlotte Hornets

The Hornets will be locked into the play-in tournament as the No. 7, No. 8 or No. 9 seed in the Eastern Conference with:

A loss vs. the Pistons OR
Wins by the Raptors (vs. Knicks) AND the Hawks (vs. Cavaliers)

Orlando Magic

The Magic will be locked into either the No. 7, No. 8 or No. 9 seed in the Eastern Conference as a play-in tournament team with:

A loss vs. the Bulls OR
Wins by the Raptors (vs. Knicks) AND the Hawks (vs. Cavaliers)

Philadelphia 76ers

The Sixers will be locked into the play-in tournament as the No. 7, No. 8 or No. 9 seed in the Eastern Conference with:

A loss vs. the Pacers OR
A win by the Raptors (vs. Knicks)

Toronto Raptors

The Raptors will clinch a playoff spot (either the No. 5 or No. 6 seed in the East) with:

A win vs. the Knicks OR
Losses by the Magic (vs. Bulls) AND the 76ers (vs. Pacers) AND the Hornets (vs. Pistons)

NBA playoff scenarios for every seed

Here are the list of teams still in the running for each playoff seed.

Western Conference

No. 1 seed: Thunder (clinched)
No. 2 seed: Spurs (clinched)
No. 3 seed: Nuggets, Lakers, Rockets
No. 4 seed: Nuggets, Lakers, Rockets
No. 5 seed: Nuggets, Lakers, Rockets
No. 6 seed: Timberwolves (clinched)
No. 7 seed: Suns (clinched)
No. 8 seed: Clippers, Trail Blazers
No. 9 seed: Clippers, Trail Blazers
No. 10 seed: Warriors (clinched)

Eastern Conference

No. 1 seed: Pistons (clinched)
No. 2 seed: Celtics, Knicks
No. 3 seed: Celtics, Knicks, Cavaliers
No. 4 seed: Knicks, Cavaliers
No. 5 seed: Raptors, Hawks, Magic, Hornets
No. 6 seed: Raptors, Hawks, Magic, 76ers, Hornets
No. 7 seed: Raptors, Hawks, Magic, 76ers, Hornets
No. 8 seed: Raptors, Hawks, Magic, 76ers, Hornets, Heat
No. 9 seed: Magic, 76ers, Hornets, Heat
No. 10 seed: 76ers, Hornets, Heat

Current NBA playoff picture heading into Friday’s slate of games

If the playoffs started Friday morning, here’s how the postseason matchups would look:

Western Conference

Play-in tournament teams: No. 7 Suns vs. No. 8 Clippers; No. 9 Trail Blazers vs. No. 10 Warriors
No. 1 Thunder vs. No. 8 seed (determined by play-in tournament)
No. 2 Spurs vs. No. 7 seed (determined by play-in tournament)
No. 3 Nuggets vs. No. 6 Timberwolves
No. 4 Lakers vs. No. 5 Rockets

Eastern Conference

Play-in tournament teams: No. 7 Magic vs. No. 8 76ers; No. 9 Hornets vs. No. 10 Heat
No. 1 Pistons vs. No. 8 seed (determined by play-in tournament)
No. 2 Celtics vs. No. 7 seed (determined by play-in tournament)
No. 3 Knicks vs. No. 6 Hawks
No. 4 Cavaliers vs. No. 5 Raptors