The 2023–24 NBA season has progressed more slowly than many had anticipated, despite expectations that it would be thrilling. There will be ten Eastern Conference clubs and ten Western Conference teams that advance past the regular season.
Only five of the 20 teams are aware of their current situation going into Sunday’s last regular-season match.
The Boston Celtics are the team atop the whole standings totem pole. Homecourt advantage is maintained by Jayson Tatum and company for the duration of the playoffs. The matchup between the No. 9 and 10 seeds will be hosted by the Chicago Bulls and the Atlanta Hawks.
Only the LA Clippers and the Dallas Mavericks have locked up their positions as the No. 4 and 5 seeds in the West.
They could provide the most exciting first-round game in the NBA playoffs overall. It will be exciting to see the Mavericks headed by Luka Doncic take on the Clippers under Kawhi Leonard. With the exception of those five teams, all other teams will be competing on Sunday.
In the NBA Eastern Conference, the Bucks, Knicks, and Cavaliers are vying for the No. 2 spot.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, Milwaukee Bucks, and New York Knicks are vying for the second spot in the Eastern Conference. This is their current situation before Sunday’s pivotal NBA games:
Group Win-Loss Record
- New York Knicks 49 32 3;
- Milwaukee Bucks 49 32 2
- Cavaliers of Cleveland 48-33-4
The three teams stay in their current positions if they all win or lose at the same time. The Knicks need to defeat the Chicago Bulls and hope that Giannis Antetokounmpo’s team is defeated by the Orlando Magic in order to pass the Bucks. Milwaukee holds the tiebreaker, meaning New York will only receive a higher seed if it ultimately finishes with a better record.
If the Cavaliers can hold off the Charlotte Hornets on their home court and the Knicks and Bucks fall short, they will easily defeat both.
The Magic, Pacers, 76ers, and Heat compete in the East for the fifth and sixth seeds.
There are four teams vying for the final two guaranteed NBA playoff spots in the East. Before the games on Sunday, these were their standings:
Group Win-Loss Record
- Orlando Magic 46 35 5
- 46 35 6 Philadelphia 76ers
- Pacers of Indiana 46 35 7
- Miami Heat 45–36–8
The Orlando Magic and Indiana Pacers will secure the coveted fifth and sixth seeds if they defeat the Philadelphia 76ers and Indiana Magic.
Although the Magic won and received a higher seed in the NBA Southeast Division, Philly had swept Orlando in the regular season. In this scenario, Joel Embiid and the 76ers will face off in the play-in tournament.
If the Miami Heat repeats their Friday victory over the Toronto Raptors and the Magic and 76ers fall short, they may still secure the sixth slot.
If Jimmy Butler and his squad win and the other three teams lose, they could possibly pull off the unlikely feat of snagging the fifth seed.
If Philadelphia defeats the Brooklyn Nets, Orlando falls to Milwaukee, and Indiana wins, they still have a chance to secure the No. 5 or 6 seed. Atlanta.
In the West, the race for the top seed is fierce.
The OKC Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves won the Western Conference on Friday as a result of the Denver Nuggets’ shocking 121-120 loss to San Antonio.
For the first time in NBA history, all three teams with a 56-25 card have an equal chance of winning the top slot in their conference.
It’s noteworthy to note that all three are in the same Northwest division, so on Sunday, things will get pretty interesting. The Oklahoma City Thunder, who have a 5-3 tiebreaker over both the Nuggets and the Timberwolves in the division, will receive the top seed whether all teams win or lose.
If the Thunder and the Nuggets win and the Timberwolves lose, Oklahoma will remain in their current position.
If the Nuggets and Thunder both lose, the reigning NBA champions will still be in third place. Oklahoma is going to place second in this scenario. The only way Denver can secure the top seed is if it triumphs and the Thunder and Timberwolves are defeated.
The Suns and Pelicans compete in the West for the sixth spot.
It’s obvious that the Phoenix Suns (48–33) and New Orleans Pelicans (49–32) are vying for the No. 6 spot in the Western Conference. Phoenix is tied and has the opportunity to secure the coveted spot if both clubs emerge victorious.
The No. 8 seed in the Western Conference is within reach for the LA Lakers.
With a record of 46–35, the LA Lakers are in the running for the Western Conference’s eighth seed. If they defeat the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday, they will remain in that position.
It will be devastating for the Lakers if they lose and the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings both win (45-36). In this scenario, LeBron James and company will tumble to 10th place, while the Kings move up to No. 8.
The ninth spot is the maximum the Dubs may rise to. In the event that they triumph and the Kings fall short, they will host an NBA play-in game.
