With no games in the NBA Monday, April 8, it’s a good time to take a look at how the playoff picture is shaping up in the Eastern Conference. All 10 teams that will compete in the playoffs and play-in bracket have been decided, but the seeds are still to be determined. As a reminder, teams seven through 10 in the standings will be part of the play-in tournament to determine the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds in the postseason. Here’s a look a the Eastern Conference playoff picture with one week of games left in the 2023-24 regular season.
Eastern Conference standings
Boston Celtics (62-16) – clinched No. 1 overall seed
Milwaukee Bucks (47-31), 15 GB – clinched playoff spot
Orlando Magic (46-32), 16 GB
New York Knicks (46-32), 16 GB
Cleveland Cavaliers (46-33), 16.5 GB
Indiana Pacers (45-34), 17.5 GB
Philadelphia 76ers (44-35), 18.5 GB
Miami Heat (43-35), 19 GB
Chicago Bulls (37-41), 25 GB – locked into 9-10 play-in
Atlanta Hawks (36-42), 26 GB – locked into 9-10 play-in
There’s still plenty to be sorted out in the middle of the conference, along with the seventh and eighth spots for the first play-in game. Just three games separate the Magic in third from the Heat in eighth, so a lot can change with every passing day. The Bulls and Hawks will play in the 9-10 play-in game but the home team is still to be determined since only one game separates Chicago and Atlanta. Here’s a look at the postseason matchups if the regular season was ending Monday.
Matchups if season ended April 8
First round
Celtics vs. Loser of 76ers/Heat or winner of Bulls/Hawks
Bucks vs. winner of 76ers-Heat
Magic vs. Pacers
Knicks vs. Cavaliers
Play-in tournament
76ers vs. Heat (winner becomes No. 7 seed, loser goes to second play-in game)
Bulls vs. Hawks (winner meets loser of 76ers-Heat, loser eliminated)
Loser of 76ers/Heat vs. winner of Bulls/Hawks (winner becomes No. 8 seed, loser eliminated)