NBA playoff bracket: Where teams would stand if the postseason started today
The 2026 NBA Playoffs are less than two weeks away, with the SoFi Play-In tournament starting on April 14 and the first round officially starting on April 18. The playoff picture is quickly taking shape, with 20 teams already locked in and the remaining seeds still up for grabs as the regular season concludes.
With just nine games remaining, each matchup carries playoff implications as teams battle for position in the standings. The Atlanta Hawks face a crucial matchup on Wednesday, April 1 against the Orlando Magic, a must-win if they want to maintain a top-six spot in the Eastern Conference and avoid the Play-In Tournament altogether.
Announcement
The San Antonio Spurs travel to Golden State for their fourth game of the season, riding the wave of Victor Wembanyama’s historic performance, a season-high 41 points and 16 rebounds in a win over the Chicago Bulls that marked the third-fastest double-double recorded since 1997-98. San Antonio is firmly in the hunt for the top seed in the Western Conference, and with the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder at the top of the standings, any win from here on out could prove crucial heading into the postseason.
Here are the current brackets for the playoffs and Play-In tournament, and the NBA standings as of April 1:
NBA Power Rankings: Thunder, Spurs remain strong, but who took first place?
NBA playoffs bracket
(After matches played on March 31)
Announcement
Western Conference
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(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (8) Play-In Winner
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(2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (7) Play-In Winner
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(3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Houston Rockets
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(4) Denver Nuggets vs. (5) Minnesota Timberwolves
Eastern Conference
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(1) Detroit Pistons vs. (8) Play-In Winner
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(2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Play-In Winner
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(3) New York Knicks vs. (6) Toronto Raptors
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(4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks
NBA play-in tournament
(After matches played on March 31)
Western Conference
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(7) Phoenix Suns vs. (8) LA Clippers
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(9) Portland Trail Blazers vs. (10) Golden State Warriors
Eastern Conference
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(7) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (8) Orlando Magic
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(9) Miami Heat vs. (10) Charlotte Hornets
NBA rankings
All 20 teams have been determined – 10 from each conference – that will participate in the postseason. Here are their records as of Wednesday, April 1, and what each of these teams has achieved so far:
Western Conference
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(1) Oklahoma City Thunder: 60-16
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(2) San Antonio Spurs: 57-18
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(3) Los Angeles Lakers: 50-26
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(4) Denver Nuggets: 48-28
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(5) Minnesota Timberwolves: 46-29
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(6) Houston Rockets: 46-29
Eastern Conference
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(1) Detroit Pistons: 55-21
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(2) Boston Celtics: 50-25
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(3) New York Knicks: 48-28
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(4) Cleveland Cavaliers: 47-29
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(6) Toronto Raptors: 42-33
When do the NBA playoffs start?
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The NBA Play-In tournament will begin on Tuesday, April 14 and run through Friday, April 17.
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The NBA playoffs begin Saturday, April 18 and feature eight teams in each conference after teams are eliminated in the play-in tournament.
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Game 1 of the NBA Finals scheduled for Wednesday 3 June.
Which NBA teams were eliminated from the playoffs?
Eastern Conference
Western Conference
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA playoff bracket: Where teams stand in the final stretch of the season