Western Conference Playoff Race Tightens with Days Left in Season

CLEVELAND, Ohio — With five days left in the 2024-25 NBA regular season, the playoff picture remains uncertain, particularly in the Western Conference where the stakes are high. Currently, the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets have secured their playoff berths, but four other spots are still up for grabs among six contending teams: the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Denver Nuggets, LA Clippers, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Memphis Grizzlies, all separated by just two games.

The playoff excitement will culminate by Sunday evening when the bracket is expected to be finalized. The Cleveland Cavaliers clinched the Eastern Conference’s top seed on Tuesday by recording their 63rd victory of the season, with the rival Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, Indiana Pacers, and Milwaukee Bucks also assured of playoff spots, likely occupying subsequent positions based on their win-loss records.

As it stands, the reigning champions, the Celtics, are the favorites to emerge from the East, holding a current betting line of -155. Meanwhile, four teams — the Orlando Magic, Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls, and Miami Heat — are vying for crucial positions in the upcoming Play-In Tournament.

In the Western Conference, the Lakers are leading as the current No. 3 seed with a razor-thin margin ahead of the Nuggets and Clippers, who recently made headlines with their fluctuating standings. The Clippers surged past the Nuggets after a key win, while the Warriors and Grizzlies aim to maintain their playoff hopes.

The upcoming matchups on Wednesday, April 9, could significantly impact the hierarchy. The current playoff picture is as follows: if the season concluded today, the East’s first-round matchups would see the Cavaliers face off against the Magic, Hawks, Bulls, or Heat, while the Celtics would challenge one of the same teams touring as the seventh seed.

In the West, the first-round matchups would potentially have the Thunder facing the Grizzlies, Timberwolves, Kings, or Mavericks, and the Lakers against the Warriors. The Clippers would meet the Nuggets for what promises to be an intense confrontation.

As playoff positioning fluctuates, here’s a look at the current standings: in the East, the Cavaliers lead with a 63-16 record, followed closely by the Celtics (59-20), Knicks (50-28), Pacers (47-31), and Bucks (44-34). In the West, the Thunder sit first at 64-14, with the Rockets and Lakers not far behind at 52-27 and 48-30, respectively.

In total, the top six teams in each conference automatically earn playoff spots, while positions seven through ten will enter a Play-In Tournament for the chance to qualify for the postseason.

Crucially, if teams finish tied in their standings, the NBA has outlined a series of tiebreaker rules that prioritize head-to-head records, division winners, and conference records. With tensions rising and game outcomes hanging in the balance, the next few matches will be pivotal for many teams’ playoff prospects.