2025 NBA Playoff Picture: Complete Breakdown of Who’s In and Who’s Out

April 14, 2025

As the 2024-25 NBA regular season comes to a dramatic finish, the race for playoff positioning is finally settling. Here’s a full breakdown of who has clinched playoff spots, who is locked into the play-in tournament, and which teams have been eliminated.

NBA Playoffs and Play-In Tournament Format

• Top six seeds in each conference clinch direct playoff berths.

• Teams ranked 7th through 10th enter the Play-In Tournament (April 15–18).

• The first round of the NBA Playoffs tips off on April 19.

Eastern Conference Playoff Race

Clinched Playoff Teams:

• Cleveland Cavaliers (No. 1 seed, Central Division champions)

• Boston Celtics (No. 2 seed, Atlantic Division champions)

• New York Knicks

• Indiana Pacers

• Milwaukee Bucks

• Detroit Pistons

Play-In Tournament Teams:

• Orlando Magic (No. 7 seed, Southeast Division champions)

• Atlanta Hawks

• Miami Heat

• Chicago Bulls

Eliminated Teams:

• Brooklyn Nets

• Charlotte Hornets

• Philadelphia 76ers

• Toronto Raptors

• Washington Wizards

Key Storylines:

• Cleveland Cavaliers make history by clinching their first No. 1 seed since 2016, highlighted by two separate 15-game winning streaks.

• The Boston Celtics secure the No. 2 seed, marking their 11th straight playoff appearance as they aim to defend their title.

Western Conference Playoff Race

Clinched Playoff Teams:

• Oklahoma City Thunder (No. 1 seed, Northwest Division champions)

• Houston Rockets (Southwest Division champions)

• Los Angeles Lakers

Teams Still Fighting for Seeding:

• Denver Nuggets

• LA Clippers

• Golden State Warriors

• Minnesota Timberwolves

• Memphis Grizzlies

Locked Into Play-In Tournament:

• Dallas Mavericks

• Sacramento Kings

Eliminated Teams:

• New Orleans Pelicans

• Phoenix Suns

• Portland Trail Blazers

• San Antonio Spurs

• Utah Jazz

Key Storylines:

• Oklahoma City Thunder dominate the West with a 28-1 home record, locking home-court advantage through the NBA Finals.

• Houston Rockets return to the playoffs for the first time in five years under head coach Ime Udoka.

• Los Angeles Lakers clinch a playoff berth behind the star power of LeBron James and Luka Doncic, in JJ Redick’s impressive first season as head coach.

Key Dates for NBA Playoffs

• Play-In Tournament: April 15–18

• NBA Playoffs Round 1: Starts April 19

Stay tuned for live updates, clinch scenarios, and final seedings as the playoff drama continues to unfold.