NBA playoff watch: Seeds unsettled entering final weekESPN staffApr 6, 2026, 06:45 AM ETMultiple Authors
tamil yogi
Monday tips off the final week of the NBA season, and as far as the playoff picture is concerned, the only team that knows for certain where it will land is the Detroit Pistons, who’ve clinched the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Detroit visits the Orlando Magic Monday night (7 p.m. ET). Orlando is ninth in the East, but still within striking distance of the Toronto Raptors and Philadelphia 76ers, who are tied for sixth. However, ESPN’s Basketball Power Index gives the Magic a 2% chance of securing the 6-seed and the guaranteed playoff spot that comes with it, meaning Orlando will likely have to survive the play-in tournament to make a third consecutive playoff appearance.
Philadelphia faces its own tall task Monday night, taking on Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs (8 p.m. ET), who are coming off an overtime loss to the Denver Nuggets on Saturday. After the loss, the Spurs’ odds of catching the Oklahoma City Thunder for the top seed in the West fell below 2%. Denver, which is tied with the ailing Los Angeles Lakers for third in the West, hosts the play-in bound Portland Trail Blazers (9 p.m. ET). BPI gives Denver a 38% chance of surpassing LeBron James & Co.
The New York Knicks have fallen three games behind the Boston Celtics for the 2-seed in the East, and visit the Atlanta Hawks (7 p.m. ET, Peacock), who’ve won 18 of their past 20 games to move up to fifth. New York’s lead over the fourth-place Cleveland Cavaliers has shrunk to one game, with Cleveland heading on the road to face the tanking Memphis Grizzlies Monday night (8 p.m. ET).
Here’s a look at the current and projected NBA playoff picture, the most important games left in the regular season and how the race for the No. 1 pick in June’s draft is shaping up:
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Current playoff matchups
Today’s schedule | Friday’s scores
<!– Clinching scenarios | –>Critical remaining games
Projected standings | Race for No. 1 pick
Current NBA playoff matchups
Eastern Conference playoffs
1. Detroit Pistons vs. 8. Play-in winner TBD
2. Boston Celtics vs. 7. Play-in winner TBD
3. New York Knicks vs. 6. Philadelphia 76ers
4. Cleveland Cavaliers vs. 5. Atlanta Hawks
Eastern Conference play-in
7. Toronto Raptors vs. 8. Charlotte Hornets
9. Orlando Magic vs. 10. Miami Heat
Loser 7/8 vs. Winner 9/10
Western Conference playoffs
1. Oklahoma City Thunder vs. 8. Play-in winner TBD
2. San Antonio Spurs vs. 7. Play-in winner TBD
3. Los Angeles Lakers vs. 6. Minnesota Timberwolves
4. Denver Nuggets vs. 5. Houston Rockets
Western Conference play-in
7. Phoenix Suns vs. 8. LA Clippers
9. Portland Trail Blazers vs. 10. Golden State Warriors
Loser 7/8 vs. Winner 9/10
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Full standings and playoff matchups
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Odds to win the NBA Finals
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ESPN BPI’s playoff projections
NBA Playoff Challenge
Pick the winners and crown your NBA champion! Create A Bracket
Monday’s games
Knicks at Hawks, 7 p.m. ET (Peacock)
Pistons at Magic, 7 p.m. ET
Cavaliers at Grizzlies, 8 p.m. ET
76ers at Spurs, 8 p.m. ET
Trail Blazers at Nuggets, 9 p.m. ET
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Full upcoming schedule
Sunday’s scores
Celtics 115, Raptors 101
Nets 121, Wizards 115
Suns 120, Bulls 110
Bucks 131, Grizzlies 115
Cavaliers 117, Pacers 108
Hornets 122, Timberwolves 108
Magic 112, Pelicans 108
Thunder 146, Jazz 111
Mavericks 134, Lakers 128
Clippers 138, Kings 109
Rockets 117, Warriors 116
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Full NBA scoreboard
Most important games left
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Clinching scenarios
The Minnesota Timberwolves clinch a playoff spot with a win and a loss by the Phoenix Suns.
The Suns are locked into the play-in tournament with a loss and a win by the Timberwolves.
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Who has clinched so far?
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Projected end-of-season standings
Projected Eastern Conference StandingsSeedTeamProjected Final Record1Detroit Pistons
Projected Western Conference StandingsSeedTeamProjected Final Record1Oklahoma City Thunder
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Current NBA standings
Race for the No. 1 pick
The NBA uses a draft lottery to determine the order of the first four picks. All 14 teams that fail to make the playoffs are eligible to move up to the top four. After the order of the top four picks is set via the draw, the remainder of the first round is set in inverse order of the teams’ regular-season records. The three teams with the worst records each have an equal 14% chance of winning the lottery, with the odds for the non-playoff teams decreasing from there.
Among the projected lottery teams, there are multiple trades that could impact picks. The Atlanta Hawks will get the better of the picks from the New Orleans Pelicans and Milwaukee Bucks, with the lesser of the two picks going to Milwaukee. If the Indiana Pacers’ pick falls between five and nine, it will go to the LA Clippers. The Clippers’ own pick will go to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Orlando Magic will send their pick to the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Utah Jazz will send their pick to the Thunder if it falls outside the top eight. The Portland Trail Blazers will send their pick to the Chicago Bulls if it falls outside the lottery (if they make the playoffs through the play-in tournament). The Washington Wizards’ pick is top-eight protected, and the probability of their selection ending up ninth or worse is extremely low.
Projected 2026 Lottery OrderNo.TeamCurrent RecordChance ForNo. 1 Pick1Washington Wizards
The Magic’s pick would convey to the Grizzlies.
