Hottest NBA Groups Heading into Playoffs: Celtics, Pacers, Clippers
The For the Hoopers crew debates the most well liked NBA groups heading into the playoffs: Celtics, Pacers, Clippers?
Editor’s word: Standings and playoff matchups have been up to date beneath.
The ultimate weekend of the 2024-25 NBA common season is looming, as groups launch their closing pushes for playoff seeding.
And whereas the No. 1 seeds within the respective conferences are locked in – with the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder rolling out West and the Cleveland Cavaliers clinching the East – the standings may in any other case see loads of motion within the closing stretch.
Nowhere is that extra evident than in the midst of the Western Convention, the place one sport separates the No. 4 staff from the No. 7 staff.
With every staff nonetheless having three video games left, listed here are the NBA standings on the finish of the common season and the present projection for this 12 months’s playoff bracket:
The highest six groups in every convention mechanically make the playoffs. Groups in positions 7-10 qualify for the play-in event.
Japanese Convention
(c): Staff has clinched convention. (x): Staff has clinched playoff spot. (pi): Staff has clinched play-in spot. (o): Staff eradicated from playoff rivalry.
Western Convention
(c): Staff has clinched convention. (x): Staff has clinched playoff spot. (pi): Staff has clinched play-in spot. (o): Staff eradicated from playoff rivalry.
NBA Japanese Convention playoff bracket
Here is how the primary spherical of the playoffs would shake out within the East if the season ended after Thursday.
NBA Western Convention playoff bracket
Here is how the matchups look with the present standings within the Western Convention.
What’s the NBA Play-In Match?
The NBA Play-In Match was applied for the 2021 playoffs and permits every convention to broaden its potential playoff subject from eight groups to 10. The seventh- by way of Tenth-ranked groups in every convention on the finish of the common season compete in a three-day event to determine the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds within the first spherical of the playoffs.
In a single set of video games, the seventh-place staff for every convention hosts the eighth-place finisher. The winners in every convention get the No. 7 seed of their brackets.
On the opposite aspect of the respective brackets, the ninth-ranked staff in every convention hosts the Tenth-place staff. The winners of these video games play the losers of the seventh place vs. eighth place matchups to find out the No. 8 seed of their respective conferences.
This 12 months, the play-in event begins April 15 and concludes April 18. The primary spherical of the NBA playoffs begins April 19.
NBA Japanese Convention Play-In Match matchup
If the season ended as we speak, here is the projected construction of the Japanese Convention Play-In Match:
- Seventh-place Orlando Magic vs. eighth-place Atlanta Hawks
- Winner faces No. 2 seed Boston Celtics
- Loser will play in second spherical of Play-In Match
- Ninth-place Chicago Bulls vs. Tenth-place Miami Warmth
- Winner performs in second spherical of Play-In Match
- Loser eradicated
NBA Western Convention Play-In Match matchup
If the season ended as we speak, here is the projected construction of the Western Convention Play-In Match:
- Seventh-place Minnesota Timberwolves vs. eighth-place Memphis Grizzlies
- Winner faces No. 2 seed Houston Rockets
- Loser will play in second spherical of Play-In Match
- Ninth-place Sacramento Kings vs. Tenth-place Dallas Mavericks
- Winner performs in second spherical of Play-In Match
- Loser eradicated
When do the 2025 NBA Playoffs begin?
The primary spherical of the NBA playoffs begins Saturday, April 19.
Recreation 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals is scheduled for Thursday, June 5.
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