2026 NBA playoff picture: Standings, tiebreakers as Lakers and Rockets jostle in West

We are less than a month out from the close of the 2025-26 NBA regular season. The final day of games will be on Sunday, April 12. Between now and then, we will be updating this playoff picture each day to keep you up to date on the standings, important magic numbers, all relevant tiebreakers, and our SportsLine projections. 

Here is where we stand entering play on Monday, March 16.

2026 NBA Playoff Picture

If the season ended today…

Play-In Tournament
East: No. 7 Heat vs. No. 8 76ers, No. 9 Hawks vs. No. 10 Hornets
West: No. 7 Suns vs. No. 8 Clippers, No. 9 Warriors vs. No. 10 Trail Blazers

East first round
No. 1 Pistons vs. No. 8 76ers/Heat/Hawks/Hornets
No. 2 Celtics vs. No. 7 Heat/76ers
No. 3 Knicks vs. No. 6 Raptors
No. 4 Cavaliers vs. No. 5 Magic

West first round
No. 1 Thunder vs. No. 8 Clippers/Suns/Warriors/Blazers
No. 2 Spurs vs. No. 7 Suns/Clippers
No. 3 Lakers vs. No. 6 Timberwolves
No. 4 Rockets vs. No. 5 Nuggets

Western Conference standings

At the top of the West, No. 2 San Antonio still has an outside shot to catch the No. 1 Thunder, but one way or another those are going to be the top two teams. After that, five teams are battling for the 3-7 seeds.

1. Oklahoma City Thunder (53-15)

• Tiebreaker vs. Spurs: Spurs clinched
• SportsLine record projection: 63-19, 100% chance of making playoffs

2. San Antonio Spurs (49-18)

• Tiebreaker vs. Thunder: Spurs clinched
• SportsLine record projection: 60-22, 100% chance of making playoffs

3. Los Angeles Lakers (42-25)

• Tiebreaker vs. Rockets: Rockets lead 1-0
• SportsLine record projection: 50-32, 98.1% chance of making playoffs

4. Houston Rockets (41-25)

• Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Rockets lead 1-0
• SportsLine projections: 51-31, 99.6% chance of making playoffs

5. Denver Nuggets (41-27)

• Tiebreaker vs. Timberwolves: Nuggets own
• Tiebreaker vs. Suns: Nuggets own
• SportsLine projections: 49-33, 97.8% chance of making playoffs

6. Minnesota Timberwolves (41-27)

• Tiebreaker vs. Nuggets: Nuggets own
• Tiebreaker vs. Suns: Suns own
• SportsLine projections: 50-32, 98.1% chance of making playoffs

7. Phoenix Suns (39-28)

• Tiebreaker vs. Nuggets: Nuggets own
• Tiebreaker vs. Timberwolves: Suns own
• SportsLine projections: 47-35, 85.4% chance of making playoffs

8. L.A. Clippers (34-33)

• Tiebreaker vs. Warriors: Clippers lead 2-1
• Tiebreaker vs. Blazers: Clippers lead 2-0
• SportsLine projections: 43-39, 48.1% chance of making playoffs

9. Golden State Warriors (32-35)

• Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: L.A. leads 2-1
• Tiebreaker vs. Blazers: Portland owns
• SportsLine projections: 41-41, 48.2% chance of making playoffs

10. Portland Trail Blazers (32-36)

• Tiebreaker vs. Warriors: Portland owns
• Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: L.A. leads 2-0
• SportsLine projections: 39-43, 24.7% chance of making playoffs

Eastern Conference standings

In the East, Detroit has a firm hold on the top spot over Boston and the tiebreaker already clinched. The Celtics are focused on holding off the No. 3 Knicks, who are trying to hold off the No. 4 Cavs, who are trying to hold off the No. 5 Magic. So yeah, it’s tight. 

1. Detroit Pistons (48-19)

• Tiebreaker vs. Celtics: Pistons own
• SportsLine projections: 58-24, 100% chance of making playoffs

2. Boston Celtics (44-23)

• Tiebreaker vs. Pistons: Pistons own
• Tiebreaker vs. Knicks: Knicks lead 2-1
• SportsLine projections: 54-28, 100% chance of making playoffs

3. New York Knicks (44-25)

• Tiebreaker vs. Celtics: Knicks lead 2-1
• Tiebreaker vs. Cavaliers: Knicks own
• SportsLine projections: 54-28, 100% chance of making playoffs

4. Cleveland Cavaliers (41-27)

• Tiebreaker vs. Knicks: Knicks own
• Tiebreaker vs. Magic: Cavs lead 2-1
• SportsLine projections: 51-31, 100% chance of making playoffs

5. Orlando Magic (38-28)

• Tiebreaker vs. Cavs: Cavs lead 2-1
• Tiebreaker vs. Raptors: Series tied 1-1
• Tiebreaker vs. Heat: Miami owns
• SportsLine projections: 45-37, 68.5% chance of making playoffs

6. Toronto Raptors (38-29)

• Tiebreaker vs. Cavs: Cavs lead 2-1
• Tiebreaker vs. Magic: Series tied 1-1
• Tiebreaker vs. Heat: Raptors lead 2-0
• Tiebreaker vs. Sixers: Philly leads via division record
• Tiebreaker vs. Hawks: Raptors own
• SportsLine projections: 47-35, 97.8% chance of making playoffs

7. Miami Heat (38-30)

• Tiebreaker vs. Magic: Miami owns
• Tiebreaker vs. Raptors: Raptors lead 2-0
• Tiebreaker vs. Sixers: Series tied 1-1
• Tiebreaker vs. Hawks: Heat lead 2-1
• SportsLine projections: 45-37, 79% chance of making playoffs

8. Philadelphia 76ers (37-31)

• Tiebreaker vs. Raptors: Philly leads via division record
• Tiebreaker vs. Heat: Series tied 1-1
• Tiebreaker vs. Hawks: 76ers own
• SportsLine projections: 43-39, 53.1% chance of making playoffs

9. Atlanta Hawks (36-31)

• Tiebreaker vs. Raptors: Raptors own
• Tiebreaker vs. Heat: Heat lead 2-1
• Tiebreaker vs. Sixers: 76ers own
• SportsLine projections: 43-39, 48.9% chance of making playoffs

10. Charlotte Hornets (34-34)

• Tiebreaker vs. Hawks: Hornets own
• Tiebreaker vs. Sixers: Series tied 1-1
• SportsLine projections: 42-40, 49.1% chance of making playoffs

Notable magic numbers

• Thunder’s magic number to clinch West’s No. 1 seed: 12
• Pistons’ magic number to clinch East’s No. 1 seed: 11