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 (26-12)	1
Brooklyn Nets (25-12)	2
Milwaukee Bucks (24-13)	3
Cleveland Cavaliers (24-14)	4
Philadelphia 76ers (22-14)	5
Indiana Pacers (21-17)	6

Play-In Round Matchup
#7 Miami Heat (20-18)	#10 Washington Wizards (17-22)
#8 New York Knicks (20-18)	#9 Atlanta Hawks (17-20)

Western Conference

Team	Seed
Denver Nuggets (24-13)	1
Memphis Grizzlies (23-13)	2
New Orleans Pelicans (23-14)	3
Dallas Mavericks (22-16)	4
Sacramento Kings (20-16)	5
Los Angeles Clippers (21-18)	6

Play-In Round Matchup
#7 Portland Trail Blazers (19-17)	#10 Utah Jazz (19-21)
#8 Phoenix Suns (20-18)	#9 Golden State Warriors (20-18)

You can’t find a hotter team in the NBA right now than the Brooklyn Nets. Kevin Durant’s squad is playing at an absurd pace and has now won twelve games in a row en route to the number two seed in the Eastern Conference. Over the last week, they’ve posted victories against the Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, and San Antonio Spurs. Entering action on Wednesday evening, the Nets sit just half a game behind the Boston Celtics for the top spot in the East. Along with the Nets, the Philadelphia 76ers have also continued to play some good basketball, which has included two straight wins over Oklahoma City Thunder and New Orleans Pelicans, contributing to an 8-2 record over their last ten games.

It’s not the same sample size as the Nets in the East, but the Dallas Mavericks also have a streak going in the Western Conference. Luka Doncic and company have now won seven straight games. With their win streak, the Mavs have climbed to the fourth seed in the West, and we’re starting to see some resemblance to the team that played in the Western Conference Finals last season. Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets have continued to sit on top of the West standings and are 7-3 over their last ten games. One team that’s starting to make some noise that had high expectations are the Golden State Warriors, who’ve won five straight games and are looking to get back into the top six in the West after winning the NBA Championship last year.

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.