As the regular season concludes, the NBA playoffs picture is starting to take shape—but the drama is far from over. The final spots are still on the line, with the Play-In Tournament serving as the ultimate wildcard, adding one last dose of chaos before the battle for the title begins.
Tiebreakers have already shaken up the playoff picture, influencing seedings and creating high-stakes drama. Head-to-head records, division rankings and point differentials have all played a significant role in shaping the current playoffs bracket.
With matchups set and the playoffs schedule now official, fans are eagerly marking key dates and preparing for the drama ahead. From the first tip-off to Game 7 thrillers, here’s your complete guide to who’s in, who’s fighting for a spot and what’s on the horizon.
2025 NBA playoff bracket
The 2025 NBA playoffs bracket is divided into two conferences — East and West — each featuring eight teams battling through three rounds before the NBA Finals. The top six seeds from each conference have already clinched their spots, while the final two seeds (7th and 8th) will be decided through the Play-In Tournament.
Each side of the bracket follows a traditional 1-vs-8, 2-vs-7 format, with matchups progressing to semifinals and conference finals. The winners of each conference will advance to the NBA Finals, scheduled to begin on June 5.
Eastern Conference
- (1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (8) TBD | Awaiting the winner of the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament.
- (2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) TBD | Awaiting the second qualifier from the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament.
- (3) New York Knicks vs. (6) Detroit Pistons
- (4) Indiana Pacers vs. (5) Milwaukee Bucks
Western Conference
- (1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (8) TBD | Awaiting the winner of the Western Conference Play-In Tournament.
- (2) Houston Rockets vs. (7) TBD | Awaiting the second qualifier from the Western Conference Play-In Tournament.
- (3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Minnesota Timberwolves
- (4) Denver Nuggets vs. (5) Los Angeles Clippers
Play-In Tournament schedule
The NBA Play-In Tournament has become one of the league’s most dramatic innovations — a short, high-stakes battle where teams ranked 7th through 10th in each conference fight for the final two playoff spots. Win, and you’re in. Lose twice, and you’re done. Here’s the schedule:
Tuesday, April 15
7:30 PM ET – Atlanta Hawks vs. Orlando Magic (TNT)
10:00 PM ET – Memphis Grizzlies vs. Golden State Warriors (TNT)
Wednesday, April 16
7:00 PM ET – Chicago Bulls vs. Miami Heat (ESPN)
9:30 PM ET – Sacramento Kings vs. Dallas Mavericks (ESPN)
Friday, April 18 | Final Play-In Games
7:00 PM – East Final: Loser of Heat/Hawks vs. Winner of Bulls/Raptors
9:30 PM – West Final: Loser of Warriors/Lakers vs. Winner of Kings/Rockets
Sunday, April 20
Game 1: Cavaliers vs. TBD
Game 1: Celtics vs. Magic/Hawks
Game 1: Thunder vs. TBD
Game 1: Rockets vs. Warriors/Grizzlies
NBA Playoffs key dates
April 15–18: Play-In Tournament
April 19: NBA Playoffs begin
May 12: NBA Draft Lottery
June 5: NBA Finals begin