NBA Playoff clinching scenarios: How Sunday's games will impact standings, bracket

Jordan Greer

NBA Playoff clinching scenarios: How Sunday's games will impact standings, bracket image

Heading into the final day of the 2022-23 regular season, the Eastern Conference playoff bracket has already been finalized. Each postseason participant knows its seed.

Over in the Western Conference, though, there are still a few things to sort out. The top four playoff teams are locked into their current slots, but the rest of the standings are a bit messy.

What's at stake on Sunday? Here's a breakdown of the current NBA Playoff picture.

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What NBA games are on today?

All 30 NBA teams will play on the final day of the regular season. Eight games will start at 1 p.m. ET, and seven games will tip off at 3:30 p.m. ET.

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Game Time (ET) TV channel Live stream
Hawks vs. Celtics 1 p.m. ESPN Sling TV
76ers vs. Nets 1 p.m. NBA League Pass
Hornets vs. Cavaliers 1 p.m. NBA League Pass
Magic vs. Heat 1 p.m. NBA League Pass
Pacers vs. Knicks 1 p.m. NBA League Pass
Bucks vs. Raptors 1 p.m. NBA League Pass
Rockets vs. Wizards 1 p.m. NBA League Pass
Pistons vs. Bulls 1 p.m. NBA League Pass
Spurs vs. Mavericks 3:30 p.m. NBA League Pass
Pelicans vs. Timberwolves 3:30 p.m. NBA League Pass
Grizzlies vs. Thunder 3:30 p.m. NBA League Pass
Kings vs. Nuggets 3:30 p.m. NBA League Pass
Jazz vs. Lakers 3:30 p.m. ESPN Sling TV
Clippers vs. Suns 3:30 p.m. NBA League Pass
Warriors vs. Trail Blazers 3:30 p.m. NBA League Pass

Today's NBA playoff clinching scenarios

On Friday, the NBA released the Western Conference playoff and Play-In Tournament scenarios. This chart is... yeah, it's a lot.

Here is the basic explanation of what could happen:

  • No. 1 seed: Nuggets
  • No. 2 seed: Grizzlies
  • No. 3 seed: Kings
  • No. 4 seed: Suns
  • No. 5 seed: Clippers, Pelicans or Warriors
  • No. 6 seed: Clippers, Lakers, Pelicans or Warriors
  • No. 7 seed: Clippers, Lakers, Pelicans, Timberwolves or Warriors
  • No. 8 seed: Lakers, Pelicans, Timberwolves or Warriors
  • No. 9 seed: Pelicans or Timberwolves
  • No. 10 seed: Thunder

Updated NBA standings 2023

(Current as of April 8)

Eastern Conference

Seed Team Record Games Back
1. Bucks* 58-23
2. Celtics* 56-25 2
3. 76ers* 53-28 5
4. Cavaliers* 51-30 7
5. Knicks* 47-34 11
6. Nets* 45-36 13
7. Heat** 43-38 15
8. Hawks** 41-40 17
9. Raptors** 40-41 18
10. Bulls** 39-42 19
Wizards 35-46 23
Pacers 34-47 24
Magic 34-47 24
Hornets 26-55 32
Pistons 17-64 41

*clinched NBA Playoff berth

**clinched Play-In Tournament berth

Eliminated from NBA Playoff contention: Hornets, Magic, Pacers, Pistons, Wizards

Western Conference

Seed Team Record Games Back
1. Nuggets* 52-29
2. Grizzlies* 51-30 1
3. Kings* 48-33 4
4. Suns* 45-36 7
5. Clippers 43-38 9
6. Warriors 43-38 9
7. Lakers 42-39 10
8. Pelicans 42-39 10
9. Timberwolves** 41-40 11
10. Thunder** 39-42 13
Mavericks 38-43 14
Jazz 37-44 15
Trail Blazers 33-48 19
Rockets 21-60 31
Spurs 21-60 31

*clinched NBA Playoff berth

**clinched Play-In Tournament berth

Eliminated from NBA Playoff contention: Jazz, Mavericks, Rockets, Spurs, Trail Blazers

NBA Playoffs and Play-In Tournament bracket

The 2022-23 NBA regular season will end on Sunday, April 9. The 2023 NBA Play-In Tournament will begin on Tuesday, April 11.

The first round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs will start four days later on Saturday, April 15.

NBA Playoff bracket 2023
(NBA.com)

How will the 2023 NBA Playoffs work?

  • The NBA Play-In Tournament will be held after the conclusion of the 2022-23 regular season and before the start of the first round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs. The teams that finish Nos. 1-6 in the standings of each conference will be guaranteed playoff spots. Teams Nos. 7-10 will enter the Play-In Tournament.
  • Each conference's Nos. 7 and 8 teams will face off, with the winner earning the No. 7 seed in the playoffs. The loser will still have one more opportunity to reach the playoffs.
  • Each conference's Nos. 9 and 10 teams will face off, with the winner advancing to play the loser of the No. 7-vs.-No. 8 game. The loser of the No. 9-vs.-No. 10 game will be eliminated from playoff contention.
  • The loser of the No. 7-vs.-No. 8 game and the winner of the No. 9-vs.-No. 10 game will then play against each other. The winner of that game will be the No. 8 seed in the playoffs. The loser will be eliminated from playoff contention.
  • Beyond the Play-In Tournament, the 2023 NBA Playoffs will follow the typical format, with full best-of-seven series all the way through the NBA Finals.

Jordan Greer

Jordan Greer Photo

Jordan Greer has been with The Sporting News since 2015. He previously worked for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He is a graduate of Westminster College and Syracuse University.