2024 NBA playoffs tracker: Teams with postseason spots

The 2024 NBA playoffs will soon be here and teams are beginning to book their postseason spots before the regular season ends April 14.

The top six teams from each conference will be assured playoff spots, while team Nos. 7-10 in the standings will enter the play-in tournament (April 16-19).

Two teams in each conference will then emerge to fill out the eight-team field, with the first round of the playoffs starting April 20.

Get the updates ahead of the playoffs here as the road to the NBA Finals kicks into full gear.

JUMP TO: East teams | West teams

East teams

Playoff spot: Boston Celtics (No. 1 seed)

At least a play-in spot, not yet playoffs: Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers

Only a play-in spot: Chicago Bulls

In contention: Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets

Eliminated: Toronto Raptors, Charlotte Hornets, Washington Wizards, Detroit Pistons

West teams

Playoff spot: Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves

At least a play-in spot, not yet playoffs: LA Clippers

In contention: Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Pelicans, Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets

Eliminated: Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs

What they’ve clinched: No. 1 seed in Eastern Conference, Atlantic Division title

Boston became the first team to clinch a postseason spot in 2024. Even if the Celtics were to lose every remaining game in the regular season, they’d be guaranteed home-court advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs.

The Celtics have made the playoffs the previous nine seasons, losing to the Miami Heat in the conference finals last season. The last time they were the top overall seed in the East was after the 2016-17 season, when they lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the conference finals.

Milwaukee Bucks

What they’ve clinched: At least a play-in spot

The Bucks have locked up at least an Eastern Conference play-in tournament spot even if they were to lose all their remaining regular season games.

Milwaukee has made the playoffs the previous seven seasons. The Bucks were the top seed last year but suffered a first-round exit at the hands of the Miami Heat. In 2022, they were also the top seed in the East, but they lost to the Boston Celtics in the conference finals.

Cleveland Cavaliers

What they’ve clinched: At least a play-in spot

The Cavs are also into the postseason (at least the Eastern Conference play-in tournament) even if they were to drop their remaining regular-season games.

Cleveland made the playoffs last season, losing in the first round to the New York Knicks. It marked the Cavs’ return to the postseason after missing the previous four editions, and their first appearance since winning the 2016-17 NBA Finals, led by LeBron James.

New York Knicks

What they’ve clinched: At least a play-in spot

The Knicks have secured a place in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament as they work toward another playoff appearance.

The Knicks advanced the conference semifinals last season, where they lost to the Miami Heat. It marked just the second playoff appearance for New York in the past 10 seasons, which included a seven-year stretch without postseason play.

Orlando Magic

What they’ve clinched: At least a play-in spot

The Magic will play past the regular season for the first time since 2020, clinching at least a place in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament.

Orlando will next eye a playoff berth, having only appeared twice since the 2012-13 season. The team last advanced past the first round in 2010 when it reached the conference finals.

Miami Heat

What they’ve clinched: At least a play-in spot

The Heat have qualified for at least the play-in tournament in the Eastern Conference.

Last season, Miami became the first team to reach the NBA Finals as a play-in team. After losing first to the Atlanta Hawks, they secured the No. 8 playoffs spot by beating the Chicago Bulls. The Heat then beat the Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, and the Boston Celtics to win the East before losing in the finals to the Denver Nuggets.

Philadelphia 76ers

What they’ve clinched: At least a play-in spot

The 76ers have qualified for at least the play-in tournament in the Eastern Conference.

Philadelphia has made the playoffs each of the previous six seasons, but has not advanced beyond the second round since reaching the NBA Finals in 2001.

Indiana Pacers

What they’ve clinched: At least a play-in spot

The Pacers have qualified for at least the play-in tournament in the Eastern Conference.

Indy is back in the postseason for the first time since 2020, breaking a three-season stretch. Prior to that, the team was bounced in the first round of the playoffs in five consecutive seasons.

Chicago Bulls

What they’ve clinched: A play-in spot; cannot clinch a playoff berth

The Bulls will be playing in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament. They cannot directly qualify for the playoffs.

This is the second straight season that the Bulls will be in the play-in tournament. Last year, they beat the Toronto Raptors in the elimination match before losing to the Miami Heat in No. 8 seed game.

What they’ve clinched: At least a playoff spot

The Thunder remain in contention for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, but they’ve at least clinched a playoff spot.

The team has not been in the playoffs since the 2019-20 season — a three-season hiatus — after previously missing the postseason just twice since moving to OKC in 2008.

Denver Nuggets

What they’ve clinched: At least a playoff spot

The defending NBA Finals champions have clinched a playoff spot amid a tight race for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.

The Nuggets will be making their sixth straight appearance in the playoffs — capped by last season’s run that saw them beat the Miami Heat for the franchise’s first ever NBA Finals trophy.