The 2025 NBA postseason field is locked in. But the actual playoff bracket is still several days away from being set.
Battles for automatic playoff berths and seeding are still ongoing with just one day of regular-season play left. And the last two playoff berths in each conference will be awarded via next week's play-in tournament.
Some teams are already locked into a playoff seed, like the Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland Cavaliers and Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder. Others, though, know they'll have to go through the play-in to make the playoffs.
So, which squads are play-in or playoff bound? And when does the postseason tip off? Here's what to know:
When does the NBA season end?
The final day of the regular season is Sunday, April 13.
What are the 2025 NBA play-in tournament dates?
The play-in runs from Tuesday, April 15, to Friday, April 18.
When do the 2025 NBA playoffs start?
The playoffs then get underway Saturday, April 19.
How many teams make the NBA playoffs?
There are 16 total playoff spots -- eight from the East and eight from the West.
The top six teams in each conference automatically qualify for the playoffs. Teams that finish seventh through 10th compete in the play-in tournament for the final postseason berths.
How does the NBA play-in tournament work?
The seventh- and eighth-place teams in from conference play one game against each other, hosted by the seventh-place team, to determine the No. 7 playoff seed. To determine the No. 8 seed, the loser of the 7-8 play-in game hosts the winner of a game between the teams that finish ninth and 10th.
How do the NBA playoffs work?
Once the bracket is set, first-round matchups in each conference are No. 1 vs. No. 8, No. 2 vs. No. 7, No. 3 vs. No. 6, and No. 4 vs. No. 5. All postseason series are best of seven where the higher seed has home-court advantage in Games 1, 2, 5 and 7.
Do the NBA playoffs reseed teams?
The playoffs follow a bracket format and don't reseed teams after the first round. That means, for instance, the winner of a 1-8 matchup will meet the winner of a 4-5 matchup in Round 2, regardless of the other first-round results.
What teams are going to the NBA playoffs in 2025?
The six automatic playoff berths in the East have been claimed by the Cavaliers, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks and Detroit Pistons.
Out West, the Thunder, Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers have secured top-six spots so far. In competition for the three remaining automatic playoff berths are the Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves.
What teams are in the 2025 NBA play-in tournament?
The one West team from the above group that finishes outside the top six will meet the Memphis Grizzlies in the 7-8 play-in game. The other play-in matchup will be between the Sacramento Kings and Dallas Mavericks.
The East's play-in tournament will feature the Orlando Magic, Atlanta Hawks, Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls. Orlando will host Atlanta in the 7-8 game, while Miami will visit Chicago in the 9-10 matchup.
What's the 2025 NBA play-in tournament bracket, schedule?
Here's a look at the play-in bracket possibilities, along with the known schedule details, entering the final day of the regular season Sunday, according to Basketball Reference (teams in bold are locked into position):
April 15
- Hawks at Magic, time TBD, TNT (winner gets East No. 7 playoff seed)
- Grizzlies/Timberwolves at Grizzlies/Clippers/Nuggets/Timberwolves/Warriors, time TBD, TNT (winner gets West No. 7 playoff seed)
April 16
- Heat at Bulls, time TBD, ESPN (winner advances to play-in game for East No. 8 playoff seed)
- Kings/Mavericks at Kings/Mavericks, time TBD, ESPN (winner advances to play-in game for West No. 8 playoff seed)
April 18
- East 9-10 winner at East 7-8 loser, time TBD, TV channel TBD (winner gets East No. 8 playoff seed)
- West 9-10 winner at West 7-8 loser, time TBD, TV channel TBD (winner gets West No. 8 playoff seed)
What's the bracket for the 2025 NBA playoffs?
Two East series are already set, with the No. 3 Knicks facing the No. 6 Pistons, and the No. 4 Pacers up against the No. 5 Bucks in a rematch from last year's first round.
Here's a full look at the playoff bracket possibilities entering Sunday, per Basketball Reference (teams in bold are locked into seed):
Eastern Conference
1. Cavaliers
8. Magic/Hawks/Heat/Bulls
4. Pacers
5. Bucks
3. Knicks
6. Pistons
2. Celtics
7. Magic/Hawks
Western Conference
1. Thunder
8. Clippers/Nuggets/Grizzlies/Timberwolves/Warriors/Kings/Mavericks
4. Clippers/Nuggets/Timberwolves
5. Clippers/Nuggets/Timberwolves
3. Lakers
6. Clippers/Nuggets/Timberwolves/Warriors
2. Rockets
7. Clippers/Nuggets/Grizzlies/Timberwolves/Warriors
What's the schedule for the 2025 NBA playoffs?
The league hasn't released any first-round schedule details beyond that the first games take place April 19.
The second round is slated to get underway May 5-6, though those start dates could be moved up to May 3-4. The conference finals will start as early as May 18-19 and as late as May 20-21.
When are the 2025 NBA Finals?
The Finals are scheduled to start Thursday, June 5, with a potential Game 7 slated for Sunday, June 22.
