The 2025-26 NBA regular season is nearing its end, with the final day of games scheduled for Sunday, April 12.
The playoff picture is being updated daily, providing the latest information on standings, magic numbers, tiebreakers and SportsLine projections.
Current Play-In Tournament Matchups
Here’s a look at the current play-in tournament matchups in both conferences as of Monday, March 16:
- East: No. 7 Heat vs. No. 8 76ers, No. 9 Hawks vs. No. 10 Hornets
- West: No. 7 Suns vs. No. 8 Clippers, No. 9 Warriors vs. No. 10 Trail Blazers
Eastern Conference First Round Matchups
Here are the projected first-round matchups in the East:
- No. 1 Pistons vs. No. 8 76ers/Heat/Hawks/Hornets
- No. 2 Celtics vs. No. 7 Heat/76ers
- No. 3 Knicks vs. No. 6 Raptors
- No. 4 Cavaliers vs. No. 5 Magic
Western Conference First Round Matchups
Here’s a look at the projected first-round matchups in the West:
- No. 1 Thunder vs. No. 8 Clippers/Suns/Warriors/Blazers
- No. 2 Spurs vs. No. 7 Suns/Clippers
- No. 3 Lakers vs. No. 6 Timberwolves
- No. 4 Rockets vs. No. 5 Nuggets
Tight Races at the Top
In the West, San Antonio still has a chance to overtake Oklahoma City for the top spot. These two teams are set to be the top two in the conference. A close contest sees five teams competing for seeds 3-7.
Detroit has a firm grip on the top spot in the East, having clinched the tiebreaker over Boston. The Celtics are focused on keeping the Knicks at bay, while the Knicks are trying to hold off the Cavaliers, who are trying to hold off the Magic.
The Eastern Conference is proving to be a tight competition.
With less than a month remaining, the playoff picture will continue to be updated daily.