NBA Playoff Picture: NBA Playoff Bracket if Season Ended Today

Zachary Cook

Multiple NBA teams are looking to contend for the championship, while others are just looking to qualify for the postseason.

Whether it’s the Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns, or Milwaukee Bucks, the playoffs aren’t the end goal, while others, such as the Sacramento Kings or Indiana Pacers, are hoping to sneak in and do damage.

NBA Playoff Picture: NBA Playoff Bracket if Season Ended Today

Eastern Conference

Team	Seed
Boston Celtics (33-12)	1
Milwaukee Bucks (29-16)	2
Philadelphia 76ers (28-16)	3
Brooklyn Nets (27-16)	4
Cleveland Cavaliers (28-17)	5
New York Knicks (25-20)	6

Play-In Round Matchup
#7 Miami Heat (24-21)	#10 Chicago Bulls (20-24)
#8 Indiana Pacers (23-22)	#9 Atlanta Hawks (22-22)

Western Conference

Team	Seed
Denver Nuggets (31-13)	1
Memphis Grizzlies (30-13)	2
New Orleans Pelicans (26-18)	3
Sacramento Kings (24-18)	4
Dallas Mavericks (24-21)	5
Golden State Warriors (22-22)	6

Play-In Round Matchup
#7 Los Angeles Clippers (23-23)	#10 Oklahoma City Thunder (21-23)
#8 Utah Jazz (23-24)	#9 Minnesota Timberwolves (22-23)

The Boston Celtics have done a really nice job pulling away atop the Eastern Conference as the midway point of the NBA season has now passed. The C’s have a four-game buffer on the Milwaukee Bucks entering action on Wednesday night and have now won seven straight games, including recent victories over the New Orleans Pelicans, Brooklyn Nets, and Charlotte Hornets twice. After making the NBA Finals and falling short last season, the Celtics appear to be on a mission to end up again in a similar spot.

Making a charge up the standings in January has been the Philadelphia 76ers, who’ve won three straight games and sit comfortably with an 8-2 record over their past ten. Joel Embiid and company appear ready to make the jump as real contenders for the NBA Championship.

Out West, the conference’s two top teams have continued to make the most noise. The Denver Nuggets have now won eight straight games and lead the West by a half-game over the Memphis Grizzlies, who’ve won 11 straight. With those recent win streaks, the Nuggets and Grizzlies have done a nice job separating themselves and continuing to enter the class of the NBA’s elite.

One team that was considered in that class entering the season was the Phoenix Suns, but a 1-9 stretch has them outside the playoff picture looking in, which is a cause for concern when you consider what they’ve accomplished in recent memory.

When are the 2023 NBA Playoffs?

The NBA regular season concludes on April 9, 2023, while the play-in round kicks off on April 11 and runs until April 14. The NBA playoffs will begin on April 15, with the Finals concluding on June 18, 2023, if necessary.