It’s the final week of the NBA regular season, meaning it’s crunch time for teams battling for playoff positioning. And there are big battles across both conferences, with just a handful of games left before the postseason begins with the NBA Play-In Tournament on April 14.
Only one thing is certain at this point: the Detroit Pistons have locked up the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. But there are a few games on the Monday, April 6 slate that could play a key role in determining who lands where on the playoff bracket.
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The night begins with a crucial matchup in Atlanta, pitting the New York Knicks, the current No. 3 seed in the East, against the red-hot Hawks, who currently hold the No. 5 seed. One hour later, the San Antonio Spurs, who still have a chance to catch the Oklahoma City Thunder for the top seed in the West, host the Philadelphia 76ers, who are trying to hang on to the sixth seed in the East. The night concludes with a Northest division matchup between the Denver Nuggets, the current No. 4 seed, and the Portland Trail Blazers, who sit in the No. 9 seed.
Here are the current brackets for the playoffs and the Play-In Tournament, the NBA standings and the schedule for Monday, April 6:
NBA schedule for Monday, April 6
All time Eastern
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New York Knicks at Atlanta Hawks, 7 p.m.
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Detroit Pistons at Orlando Magic, 7 p.m.
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Cleveland Cavaliers at Memphis Grizzlies, 8 p.m.
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Philadelphia 76ers at San Antonio Spurs, 8 p.m.
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Portland Trail Blazers at Denver Nuggets, 9 p.m.
NBA standings
All 20 teams – 10 in each conference – that will participate in the postseason have been determined. Here are their records through games Sunday, April 5, and what each of those teams has clinched so far (x-clinched playoff berth; d-clinched division; y-clinched conference):
Eastern Conference
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(1) y-Detroit Pistons: 57-21
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(2) x-Boston Celtics: 53-25 (4 GB)
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(3) x-New York Knicks: 50-28 (7 GB)
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(4) x-Cleveland Cavaliers: 49-29 (8 GB)
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(5) Atlanta Hawks: 45-33 (12 GB)
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(6) Philadelphia 76ers: 43-35 (14 GB)
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(7) Toronto Raptors: 43-35 (14 GB)
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(8) Charlotte Hornets: 43-36 (14.5 GB)
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(9) Orlando Magic: 42-36 (15 GB)
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(10) Miami Heat: 41-37 (16 GB)
Western Conference
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(1) d-Oklahoma City Thunder: 62-16
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(2) d-San Antonio Spurs: 59-19 (3 GB)
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(3) d-Los Angeles Lakers: 50-28 (12 GB)
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(4) x-Denver Nuggets: 50-28 (12 GB)
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(5) x-Houston Rockets: 49-29 (13 GB)
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(6) Minnesota Timberwolves: 46-32 (16 GB)
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(7) Phoenix Suns: 43-35 (19 GB)
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(8) Los Angeles Clippers: 40-38 (22 GB)
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(9) Portland Trail Blazers: 40-38 (22 GB)
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(10) Golden State Warriors: 36-42 (26 GB)
JAtlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) drives past New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) during a game at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 2, 2026
NBA playoffs bracket
(Through Sunday, April 5)
Eastern Conference
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(1) Detroit Pistons vs. (8) Play-In Winner
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(4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks
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(3) New York Knicks vs. (6) Philadelphia 76ers
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(2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Play-In Winner
Western Conference
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(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (8) Play-In Winner
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(4) Denver Nuggets vs. (5) Houston Rockets
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(3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Minnesota Timberwolves
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(2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (7) Play-In Winner
NBA Play-In Tournament
(Through Sunday, April 5)
Eastern Conference
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(7) Toronto Raptors vs. (8) Charlotte Hornets
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(9) Orlando Magic vs. (10) Miami Heat
Western Conference
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(7) Phoenix Suns vs. (8) LA Clippers
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(9) Portland Trail Blazers vs. (10) Golden State Warriors
When do the NBA playoffs begin?
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The NBA Play-In Tournament begins on Tuesday, April 14 and runs through Friday, April 17.
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The NBA playoffs start Saturday, April 18 and feature eight teams in each conference after teams are eliminated in the Play-In Tournament.
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Game 1 of the NBA Finals is scheduled for Wednesday, June 3.
Which NBA teams have been eliminated from the playoffs?
Eastern Conference
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Western Conference
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA playoff bracket projections today: Monday’s schedule, standings
