Curry and the Warriors improved to 48-33 with a win over Portland on Friday night. / Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images
Playoff basketball is almost here. But first, there’s plenty to be determined over the final two days of the 2024-25 NBA season.
Over in the Eastern Conference, the entire postseason picture is now officially set from the No. 1 seed Cleveland Cavaliers all the way down to the Miami Heat, the final play-in tournament team in 10th place. As for the Western Conference? Not so much.
Entering Friday’s slate of games, the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers were tied for the No. 4 seed with identical 48-32 records, and the Golden State Warriors, Memphis Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves were all tied for the No. 6 spot with 47-33 records.
All of those aforementioned teams in the West won Friday night aside from the Grizzlies, who lost117-109 to Denver at Ball Arena. Memphis is now locked into the play-in tournament—meaning they can only claim the No. 7 seed at best—after losing on back-to-back nights to the Timberwolves and Nuggets.
The Lakers clinched their first Pacific Division title since 2019-20 on Friday with a win over the Houston Rockets and hold a one-game cushion as the No. 3 seed. Right behind Los Angeles are the Nuggets and Clippers, who are tied for the No. 4 seed with 49-32 records. Both teams will wrap up the regular season Sunday, as Denver visits the Rockets and the Clippers battle the Warriors.
The Nuggets can clinch the No. 4 seed with a win over Houston on Sunday. But for now, the No. 4 through No. 8 seeds are up for grabs with the Nuggets, Clippers, Warriors, Timberwolves and Grizzlies all looking to land their official seeding.
The Timberwolves will play the Utah Jazz—albeit without a suspended Anthony Edwards—while the Grizzlies will host the Dallas Mavericks.
Let’s dive in to the current playoff picture (updated after the games Friday night) and projected playoff matchups:
SEED
TEAMS
RECORD
GB
1
Thunder
67-14
—
2
Rockets
52-29
15
3
Lakers
50-31
17
4
Nuggets
49-32
18
5
Clippers
49-32
18
6
Warriors
48-33
19
—
PLAY-IN TOURNAMENT
—
—
7
Timberwolves
48-33
19
8
Grizzlies
47-34
20
9
Kings
39-42
28
10
Mavericks
38-42
28
—
—
—
—
11
Suns
36-45
31
12
Trail Blazers
35-46
32
13
Spurs
33-48
34
14
Pelicans
21-60
46
15
Jazz
17-64
50
SEED
TEAMS
RECORD
GB
1
Cavaliers
64-17
—
2
Celtics
60-21
4
3
Knicks
50-31
14
4
Pacers
49-32
15
5
Bucks
47-34
17
6
Pistons
44-37
20
—
PLAY-IN TOURNAMENT
—
—
7
Magic
41-40
23
8
Hawks
39-42
25
9
Bulls
38-43
26
10
Heat
37-44
27
—
—
—
—
11
Raptors
30-51
34
12
Nets
26-55
38
13
76ers
24-57
40
14
Hornets
19-62
45
15
Wizards
17-64
47
