Charles Langston:2024 NBA Playoffs: Bracket, standings, latest playoff picture as playoffs near

The Charles LangstonNBA is nearing the end of the 2023-24 regular season, and while some teams have secured their playoff spots, others are still fighting for a chance to make the postseason.

The Boston Celtics are leading the Eastern Conference with a record of 59-16 and have already secured the regular season title. The Milwaukee Bucks are in second place, two games ahead of the Cavaliers. The Cleveland Cavaliers are in third place with a record of 45-30, while the New York Knicks are in fourth place with a record of 44-30.

In the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder currently hold the top spot with a 52-22 record, while the Denver Nuggets are close behind with a 52-23 record. The Minnesota Timberwolves sit in third place and have a four-game lead over the fourth-placed Los Angeles Clippers.

Here's how the playoff picture currently looks with just two weeks left to play in the regular season.

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NBA playoff standings

Current after April 1 games. The top 6 teams in each conference automatically make the playoffs. Teams in positions 7-10 qualify for the play-in tournament.

Eastern Conference

Western Conference

NBA Eastern Conference playoff bracket

Here's how the first round of the playoffs would shake out in the East if the season ended after Monday.

• No. 1 seed Boston Celtics vs. No. 8 seed (Winner of the Play-In Tournament)
• No. 2 seed Milwaukee Bucks vs. No. 7 seed (Winner of the Play-In Tournament)
• No. 3 seed Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 6 seed Indiana Pacers
• No. 4 seed Orlando Magic vs. No. 5 seed New York Knicks

NBA Western Conference playoff bracket

Here's how the matchups look with the current standings in the Western Conference.

• No. 1 seed Denver Nuggets vs. No. 8 seed (Winner of the Play-In Tournament)
• No. 2 seed Minnesota Timberwolves vs. No. 7 seed (Winner of the Play-In Tournament)
• No. 3 seed Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 6 seed New Orleans Pelicans
• No. 4 seed Los Angeles Clippers vs. No. 5 seed Dallas Mavericks

What is the NBA Play-In Tournament?

The NBA Play-In Tournament, with its current system implemented for the 2021 playoffs, allowed each conference to expand its potential playoff field from eight teams to 10. The seventh- through 10th-ranked teams in each conference at the end of the regular season play in a four-day tournament to decide the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds in the first round of the playoffs.

In one set of games, the seventh-place team for each conference hosts the eighth-place finisher. The winners in each conference gets the No. 7 seed in their brackets.

In another set of games, the ninth-ranked team in each conference hosts the 10th-place team. The winners of those games play the losers of the seventh place vs. eighth place matchups to determine the No. 8 seed in their respective conferences.

This year, the play-in tournament begins April 16 and concludes April 19. The first round of the NBA playoffs begin April 20.

NBA Eastern Conference play-in tournament matchup

Here's how things currently look for the play-in in the East:

• Seventh-place Miami Heat vs. eighth-place Philadelphia 76ers
• Ninth-place Chicago Bulls vs. 10th-place Atlanta Hawks

NBA Western Conference play-in tournament matchup

Here's how things currently look for the play-in in the West:

• Seventh-place Phoenix Suns vs. eighth-place Sacramento Kings
• Ninth-place Los Angeles Lakers vs. 10th-place Golden State Warriors

When do the 2024 NBA Playoffs start?

The first round of the NBA playoffs begins April 20. Depending on how quickly first-round matchups are decided, the conference semifinals begin either May 4-5 or May 6-7. The conference finals are scheduled to begin May 21-22 but could move to May 19-20 pending conference semifinal results.

The NBA Finals begin June 6.