Today’s NBA playoff clinching scenarios: Seeding, matchups in question on final day of regular season
On the final day of the 2021-22 regular season, there is still plenty to be determined in the standings.
After 81 regular-season games, we still don’t know the final matchups and seeding for the Play-In Tournament in the Eastern Conference, while no playoff matchups have been set in either conference.
With all 30 teams in action on the final day of the season, the majority of games on today’s schedule will have some bearing on determining playoff matchups.
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In the Eastern Conference, seeds two through four have yet to be determined, but the Heat have already clinched the top seed, securing home court throughout the East playoffs.
Click to jump down and view the latest seeding possibilities, scenarios and potential match-ups, plus an updated look at the standings in the East and West and a full schedule of today’s games.
NBA Playoffs 2022: Seeding possibilities for Sunday, April 10
Eastern Conference
1. Heat
2. Bucks OR Celtics
3. Bucks OR Celtics OR 76ers
4. Celtics OR 76ers
5. Raptors
6. Bulls
Play-In Tournament
7. Nets OR Hornets OR Cavaliers
8. Hawks OR Nets OR Hornets OR Cavaliers
9. Hawks OR Nets OR Hornets OR Cavaliers
10. Hawks OR Hornets OR Cavaliers
The full list of Eastern Conference seeding scenarios can be found here.
Western Conference
1. Suns
2. Grizzlies
3. Mavericks OR Warriors
4. Mavericks OR Warriors
5. Nuggets OR Jazz
6. Nuggets OR Jazz
Play-In Tournament
7. Timberwolves
8. Clippers
9. Pelicans
10. Spurs
The full list of Western Conference seeding scenarios can be found here.
NBA Playoffs 2022: Clinching scenarios for Sunday, April 10
Pacers vs. Nets (3:30 p.m. ET)
- The Nets clinch the No. 7 seed with a win. With a loss, the Nets can finish as low as ninth if the Cavaliers and Hornets win.
Wizards vs. Hornets (3:30 p.m. ET)
- The Hornets can finish as high as seventh and as low as 10th. With a win over the Wizards, the Hornets would finish seventh if the Nets, Cavaliers and Hawks lose.
Bucks vs. Cavaliers (3:30 p.m. ET)
- The Bucks clinch the No. 2 seed with a win. The Bucks can also guarantee the No. 2 seed with a Celtics loss. The Bucks will fall to No. 3 with a loss and a Celtics win.
- The Cavaliers can move to seventh with a win and a Nets loss. If the Cavaliers lose and both the Hawks and Hornets win, they would fall to 10th.
Celtics vs. Grizzlies (7 p.m. ET)
- The Celtics can clinch the No. 2 seed with a win and a Bucks loss. The Celtics would drop to fourth with a loss and a 76ers win.
Pistons vs. 76ers (7 p.m. ET)
- The 76ers will finish no lower than fourth place. The 76ers can move into third with a win and a Celtics loss.
Spurs vs. Mavericks (9:30 p.m. ET)
- The Mavericks can move into third with a win and a Warriors loss. In any other circumstance, the Mavericks will finish fourth.
Lakers vs. Nuggets (9:30 p.m. ET)
- The Nuggets can move into fifth with a win and a Jazz loss. All other scenarios result in the Nuggets finishing sixth.
Warriors vs. Pelicans (9:30 p.m. ET)
- The Warriors can clinch the West’s No. 3 seed with a win or a Mavericks loss. If the Warriors lose and the Mavericks win, the Warriors would be the No. 4 seed.
Jazz vs. Trail Blazers (9:30 p.m. ET)
- The Jazz clinch the West’s No. 5 seed with a win. If the Jazz lose and the Nuggets win, the Jazz would fall to the West’s No. 6 seed.
NBA standings 2022: Eastern Conference
(Current through April 9 games)
Seed | Team | Record | Games back |
1. | Heat* | 53-28 | — |
2. | Bucks* | 51-30 | 2 |
3. | Celtics* | 50-31 | 3 |
4. | 76ers* | 50-31 | 3 |
5. | Raptors* | 48-33 | 5 |
6. | Bulls* | 45-36 | 8 |
7. | Nets** | 43-38 | 10 |
8. | Cavaliers** | 43-38 | 10 |
9. | Hawks** | 42-39 | 11 |
10. | Hornets** | 42-39 | 11 |
— | |||
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*clinched NBA Playoff berth
**clinched NBA Play-In berth
Eliminated from NBA Playoff contention: Knicks, Magic, Pacers, Pistons, Wizards
NBA standings 2022: Western Conference
(Current through April 9 games)
Seed | Team | Record | Games back |
1. | Suns* | 64-17 | — |
2. | Grizzlies* | 56-25 | 8 |
3. | Warriors* | 52-29 | 12 |
4. | Mavericks* | 51-30 | 13 |
5. | Jazz* | 48-33 | 16 |
6. | Nuggets | 48-33 | 16 |
7. | Timberwolves | 46-35 | 18 |
8. | Clippers** | 41-40 | 23 |
9. | Pelicans** | 36-45 | 28 |
10. | Spurs** | 34-47 | 30 |
— | |||
— | |||
*clinched NBA Playoff berth
**clinched NBA Play-In berth
Eliminated from NBA Playoff contention: Kings, Lakers, Rockets, Thunder, Trail Blazers
NBA schedule: Full list of games for Sunday, April 10
Game | Time (ET) | National TV |
Nets vs. Pacers | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN |
Hornets vs. Wizards | 3:30 p.m. | — |
Cavaliers vs. Bucks | 3:30 p.m. | — |
Rockets vs. Hawks | 3:30 p.m. | — |
Grizzlies vs. Celtics | 7:00 p.m. | TNT |
Knicks vs. Raptors | 7:00 p.m. | — |
Magic vs. Heat | 7:00 p.m. | — |
76ers vs. Pistons | 7:00 p.m. | — |
Timberwolves vs. Bulls | 8:30 p.m. | — |
Mavericks vs. Spurs | 9:30 p.m. | — |
Nuggets vs. Lakers | 9:30 p.m. | — |
Clippers vs. Thunder | 9:30 p.m. | — |
Pelicans vs. Warriors | 9:30 p.m. | TNT |
Suns vs. Kings | 9:30 p.m. | — |
Trail Blazers vs. Jazz | 9:30 p.m. | — |