NBA Playoff Picture 2025: East Locked In, West Still Wild

As the 2024–25 NBA regular season draws to a close, the picture is becoming clearer, with the Eastern Conference having finalized its playoff matchups, while the Western Conference remaining a chaotic battleground.

With the final regular-season games set for Sunday, April 13, basketball fans are in for a dramatic finish.

GIANNIS GOES OFF, BUCKS CLINCH 5 SEED 🙌

32 PTS | 11 REB | 15 AST

His 4th triple-double in the last 5 games 🤯 pic.twitter.com/p6m75GAlTU

— NBA (@NBA) April 12, 2025

Eastern Conference: Brackets Set

The Eastern Conference’s top seeds are now locked:

• 1. Cleveland Cavaliers (64–17) vs. Play-in Winner
• 2. Boston Celtics (60–21) vs. Play-in Winner
• 3. New York Knicks (50–31) vs. 6. Detroit Pistons (44–37)
• 4. Indiana Pacers (49–32) vs. 5. Milwaukee Bucks (47–34)

Play-in Matchups:

• No. 7 Orlando Magic (41–40) vs. No. 8 Atlanta Hawks (39–42)
• No. 9 Chicago Bulls (38–43) vs. No. 10 Miami Heat (36–44)

Winners of the play-in games will be slotted against Cleveland and Boston in the first round. Milwaukee locked up the fifth seed with a win over Detroit, fueled by Giannis Antetokounmpo’s triple-double (32 pts, 15 ast, 11 reb).

Western Conference: Still Too Close to Call

The Western standings are far from settled. As of Friday night, only the Oklahoma City Thunder (67–14) and Houston Rockets (52–29) have locked their top spots. The Los Angeles Lakers clinched the No. 3 seed with a dominant win over Houston (140–109), but seeds 4 through 8 remain up for grabs with just one game to go.

Western Standings (as of April 11):

1. Oklahoma City Thunder – 67–14
2. Houston Rockets – 52–29
3. Los Angeles Lakers – 50–31
4. Denver Nuggets – 49–32
5. Los Angeles Clippers – 49–32
6. Minnesota Timberwolves – 48–33
7. Golden State Warriors – 48–33
8. Memphis Grizzlies – 47–34
9. Sacramento Kings – 39–41
10. Dallas Mavericks – 38–42

Key Scenarios to Watch

The Nuggets hold the tiebreaker over the Clippers, and the Timberwolves hold theirs over Golden State. But if Denver defeats Houston (which may rest players) and Minnesota handles the Jazz, all eyes turn to Sunday’s crucial game: Clippers vs. Warriors.

If the Clippers win:

• Clippers finish 5th, face Nuggets in the first round.
• Timberwolves drop to 6th, face Lakers.
• Warriors face Memphis in play-in.

If the Warriors win:

• Warriors jump to 6th, face Lakers.
• Timberwolves slide to 5th, face Nuggets.
• Clippers drop to play-in.

In both scenarios, Sacramento and Dallas will meet in the 9/10 play-in matchup. The winner of that will face the loser of the 7/8 matchup for a chance to make the first round.

Looking Ahead

The NBA play-in tournament begins Tuesday, April 15, with first-round playoff matchups tipping off Friday. With so many variables in the Western Conference, Sunday’s games will be pivotal for seeding, momentum, and matchups.

Stay tuned for updates and expert breakdowns as the postseason begins.

Sources: NBA.com, Yahoo Sports, ESPN Game Recaps

• About
• Latest Posts

Alex Carter

Sports Correspondent at T.H.E - Music Essentials

Alex Carter is an experienced sports journalist with over a decade of covering international and domestic sports events. From the roar of football stadiums to the high-octane energy of F1 tracks, Alex delivers in-depth analysis and exclusive interviews with sports icons. His passion for sports extends to coaching local youth teams on weekends.

Latest posts by Alex Carter (see all)

• Cody Rhodes’ Net Worth in 2025 Proves He’s Wrestling Royalty - April 21, 2025
• How Rich Is Bianca Belair in 2025? Her Net Worth Might Surprise You - April 21, 2025
• Rhea Ripley Is Crushing It – Here’s Her Net Worth in 2025 - April 21, 2025