2026 NBA Playoffs: Standings, tiebreakers entering final week of regular season

The NBA regular season is coming to a close, as teams will partake in the final week of the 82-game schedule before the NBA play-in tournament and NBA playoffs begin. In both the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference, 10 teams have already clinched at least a play-in berth, while five teams in each conference have already been eliminated from postseason contention, therefore punching their ticket to the NBA Draft Lottery.

Despite there not being any teams outside the top 10 that can potentially make their way into the postseason field, there is still a lot on the line over the last handful of games. The standings and first-round matchups can change drastically, and fans should be up-to-date on tiebreakers and key games over the last week of play.

NBA standings as of Monday, April 6

Eastern Conference: 

1. Detroit Pistons, 57-21 (Clinched conference)
2. Boston Celtics, 53-25 (Clinched playoff berth)
3. New York Knicks, 50-28 (Clinched playoff berth)
4. Cleveland Cavaliers, 49-29 (Clinched playoff berth)
5. Atlanta Hawks, 45-33
6. Philadelphia 76ers, 43-35
7. Toronto Raptors, 43-35
8. Charlotte Hornets, 43-36
9. Orlando Magic, 42-36
10. Miami Heat, 41-37
11. Milwaukee Bucks, 31-47 (Eliminated)
12. Chicago Bulls, 29-49 (Eliminated)
13. Brooklyn Nets, 19-59 (Eliminated)
14. Indiana Pacers, 18-60 (Eliminated)
15. Washington Wizards, 17-61 (Eliminated)

Western Conference:

1. Oklahoma City Thunder, 62-16 (Clinched division)
2. San Antonio Spurs, 59-19 (Clinched division)
3. Los Angeles Lakers, 50-28 (Clinched division)
4. Denver Nuggets, 50-28 (Clinched playoff berth)
5. Houston Rockets, 49-29 (Clinched playoff berth)
6. Minnesota Timberwolves, 46-32
7. Phoenix Suns, 43-35
8. Los Angeles Clippers, 40-38 (Clinched play-in berth)
9. Portland Trail Blazers, 40-38 (Clinched play-in berth)
10. Golden State Warriors, 36-42 (Clinched play-in berth)
11. Memphis Grizzlies, 25-53 (Eliminated)
12. Dallas Mavericks, 25-53 (Eliminated)
13. New Orleans Pelicans, 25-54 (Eliminated)
14. Sacramento Kings, 21-58 (Eliminated)
15. Utah Jazz, 21-58 (Eliminated)

NBA postseason tiebreakers

Tiebreaker rules for two teams being tied:

1. Better winning percentage in games against each other
2. Division leader wins a tie over a team not leading their division
3. Division win-loss percentage (only if teams are in the same division)
4. Conference win-loss percentage
5. Better winning percentage against teams eligible for the playoffs in own conference (including teams that finished the regular season tied for a playoff position)
6. Better winning percentage against teams eligible for the playoffs in the other conference (including teams that finished the regular season tied for a playoff position)
7. Total point differential

Tiebreaker rules for three or more teams being tied:

1. Division leader wins a tie over the team not leading the division (this criterion is applied regardless of whether the tied teams are in the same division)
2. Better winning percentage in all games among the tied teams
3. Division win-loss percentage (only if all teams are in the same division)
4. Conference win-loss percentage
5. Better winning percentage against teams eligible for the playoffs in own conference (including teams that finished the regular season tied for a playoff position)
6. Total point differential

2025-26 Eastern Conference tiebreakers

Detroit Pistons

• Pistons won tiebreaker over Celtics and already won the conference

Boston Celtics

• Pistons won tiebreaker over Celtics and already won the conference
• Knicks lead the series against the Celtics 2-1 with one game remaining

New York Knicks

• Knicks lead the series against the Celtics 2-1 with one game remaining
• Knicks won tiebreaker over Cavaliers

Cleveland Cavaliers

• Knicks won tiebreaker over Cavaliers

Atlanta Hawks

• Raptors won tiebreaker over Hawks
• Hawks won tiebreaker over 76ers

Philadelphia 76ers

• Hawks won tiebreaker over 76ers
• 76ers won tiebreaker over Raptors via division lead
• 76ers won tiebreaker over Hornets
• 76ers won tiebreaker over Magic
• Heat won tiebreaker over 76ers

Toronto Raptors

• Raptors won tiebreaker over Hawks
• 76ers won tiebreaker over Raptors via division lead
• Raptors won tiebreaker over Hornets via conference record
• Raptors won tiebreaker over Magic
• Raptors lead the series against the Heat 2-0 with two games remaining

Charlotte Hornets

• 76ers won tiebreaker over Hornets
• Raptors won tiebreaker over Hornets via conference record
• Hornets won tiebreaker over Magic
• Heat won tiebreaker over Hornets

Orlando Magic

• 76ers won tiebreaker over Magic
• Raptors won tiebreaker over Magic
• Hornets won tiebreaker over Magic
• Magic won tiebreaker over Heat

Miami Heat

• Heat won tiebreaker over 76ers
• Raptors lead the series against the Heat 2-0 with two games remaining
• Heat won tiebreaker over Hornets
• Magic won tiebreaker over Heat

2025-26 Western Conference tiebreakers

Oklahoma City Thunder

• Spurs won tiebreaker over Thunder

San Antonio Spurs

• Spurs won tiebreaker over Thunder

Los Angeles Lakers

• Lakers won tiebreaker over Nuggets
• Lakers won tiebreaker over Timberwolves
• Lakers won tiebreaker over Rockets

Denver Nuggets

• Lakers won tiebreaker over Nuggets
• Nuggets won tiebreaker over Rockets
• Nuggets won tiebreaker over Timberwolves

Houston Rockets

• Lakers won tiebreaker over Rockets
• Nuggets won tiebreaker over Rockets
• Rockets and Timberwolves are tied with one game remaining

Minnesota Timberwolves

• Lakers won tiebreaker over Timberwolves
• Nuggets won tiebreaker over Timberwolves
• Rockets and Timberwolves are tied with one game remaining

Phoenix Suns

• Suns won tiebreaker over Clippers via division lead

Los Angeles Clippers

• Suns won tiebreaker over Clippers via division lead
• Clippers lead the series against the Trail Blazers 2-1 with one game to play
• Clippers lead the series against the Warriors 2-1 with one game to play

Portland Trail Blazers

• Clippers lead the series against the Trail Blazers 2-1 with one game to play
• Trail Blazers won the tiebreaker over Warriors

Golden State Warriors

• Clippers lead the series against the Warriors 2-1 with one game to play
• Trail Blazers won the tiebreaker over Warriors

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