Three days remain in the 2025-26 NBA regular season.
While some teams are locked into their playoff seedings and others have been looking toward the NBA draft since January (cough cough, Wizards, cough cough), a few organizations have plenty on the line heading into the final weekend of the regular season.
Over in the Western Conference, five playoff and play-in tournament teams already know their seeding. In the East, though, only the top-seeded Pistons have secured their exact playoff spot.
Here’s everything that is on the line during a busy Friday slate in which all 30 teams are in action:
Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks can clinch a playoff spot and a Southeast Division title with:
- A win over the Cavaliers OR
- Losses by the Magic (vs. Bulls) AND the Hornets (vs. Pistons)
Boston Celtics
The Celtics can secure the Atlantic Division title with:
- A win vs. the Pelicans OR
- A loss by the Knicks (vs. Raptors)
Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets will be locked into the play-in tournament as the No. 7, No. 8 or No. 9 seed in the Eastern Conference with:
- A loss vs. the Pistons OR
- Wins by the Raptors (vs. Knicks) AND the Hawks (vs. Cavaliers)
Orlando Magic
The Magic will be locked into either the No. 7, No. 8 or No. 9 seed in the Eastern Conference as a play-in tournament team with:
- A loss vs. the Bulls OR
- Wins by the Raptors (vs. Knicks) AND the Hawks (vs. Cavaliers)
Philadelphia 76ers
The Sixers will be locked into the play-in tournament as the No. 7, No. 8 or No. 9 seed in the Eastern Conference with:
- A loss vs. the Pacers OR
- A win by the Raptors (vs. Knicks)
Toronto Raptors
The Raptors will clinch a playoff spot (either the No. 5 or No. 6 seed in the East) with:
- A win vs. the Knicks OR
- Losses by the Magic (vs. Bulls) AND the 76ers (vs. Pacers) AND the Hornets (vs. Pistons)
NBA playoff scenarios for every seed
Here are the list of teams still in the running for each playoff seed.
Western Conference
- No. 1 seed: Thunder (clinched)
- No. 2 seed: Spurs (clinched)
- No. 3 seed: Nuggets, Lakers, Rockets
- No. 4 seed: Nuggets, Lakers, Rockets
- No. 5 seed: Nuggets, Lakers, Rockets
- No. 6 seed: Timberwolves (clinched)
- No. 7 seed: Suns (clinched)
- No. 8 seed: Clippers, Trail Blazers
- No. 9 seed: Clippers, Trail Blazers
- No. 10 seed: Warriors (clinched)
Eastern Conference
- No. 1 seed: Pistons (clinched)
- No. 2 seed: Celtics, Knicks
- No. 3 seed: Celtics, Knicks, Cavaliers
- No. 4 seed: Knicks, Cavaliers
- No. 5 seed: Raptors, Hawks, Magic, Hornets
- No. 6 seed: Raptors, Hawks, Magic, 76ers, Hornets
- No. 7 seed: Raptors, Hawks, Magic, 76ers, Hornets
- No. 8 seed: Raptors, Hawks, Magic, 76ers, Hornets, Heat
- No. 9 seed: Magic, 76ers, Hornets, Heat
- No. 10 seed: 76ers, Hornets, Heat
Current NBA playoff picture heading into Friday’s slate of games
If the playoffs started Friday morning, here’s how the postseason matchups would look:
Western Conference
- Play-in tournament teams: No. 7 Suns vs. No. 8 Clippers; No. 9 Trail Blazers vs. No. 10 Warriors
- No. 1 Thunder vs. No. 8 seed (determined by play-in tournament)
- No. 2 Spurs vs. No. 7 seed (determined by play-in tournament)
- No. 3 Nuggets vs. No. 6 Timberwolves
- No. 4 Lakers vs. No. 5 Rockets
Eastern Conference
- Play-in tournament teams: No. 7 Magic vs. No. 8 76ers; No. 9 Hornets vs. No. 10 Heat
- No. 1 Pistons vs. No. 8 seed (determined by play-in tournament)
- No. 2 Celtics vs. No. 7 seed (determined by play-in tournament)
- No. 3 Knicks vs. No. 6 Hawks
- No. 4 Cavaliers vs. No. 5 Raptors
