NBA Playoff Picture 2025: All the wild West scenarios for the final day of the regular season
NBA Playoff Picture 2025: All the wild West scenarios for the final day of the regular season
The final day of the NBA regular season is here.
Every team is in action, and with so much to be decided in the Western Conference to determine seeds Nos 4-7, the NBA is capitalizing on the drama with seven games scheduled for 1 p.m. ET and eight at 3:30 p.m. ET.
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The Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers and Minnesota Timberwolves play in the West-centric second window — all with a shot at the No. 4 seed and home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
With so much at stake, here are the landscape, relevant tiebreakers and scenarios for the final slate of the regular season.
Click here for the Eastern Conference.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Playoff-bound, seeding locked
1. Oklahoma City Thunder (67-14)
• Clinched No. 1 seed
• First-round opponent: No. 8 seed (DEN, LAC, GSW, MIN, MEM, SAC or DAL)
2. Houston Rockets (52-29)
• Clinched No. 2 seed
• First-round opponent: No. 7 seed (DEN, LAC, GSW, MIN or MEM)
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3. Los Angeles Lakers (50-31)
• Clinched No. 3 seed
• First-round opponent: No. 6 seed (DEN, GSW or MIN)
Battling for guaranteed playoff spot
4. Denver Nuggets (49-32)
• Magic number for top-six seed: 1
• Remaining schedule: @HOU
• Highest possible finish: No. 4 seed
• Lowest possible finish: No. 7 seed
• Tiebreakers won: GSW (2-1)
What's at stake: Home-court advantage in first round; avoiding play-in tournament
5. Los Angeles Clippers (49-32)
• Magic number for top-six seed: 1
• Remaining schedule: @GSW
• Highest possible finish: No. 4 seed
• Lowest possible finish: No. 7 seed
• Tiebreakers won: GSW (3-0), MEM (3-0)
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What's at stake: Home-court advantage in first round; avoiding play-in tournament
6. Golden State Warriors (48-33)
• Magic number for top-six seed: 1
• Remaining schedule: LAC
• Highest possible finish: No. 6 seed
• Lowest possible finish: No. 7 seed
• Tiebreakers won: MIN (3-1), MEM (3-1)
What's at stake: Avoiding play-in tournament
7. Minnesota Timberwolves (48-33)
• Magic number for top-six seed: 1
• Remaining schedule: UTA
• Highest possible finish: No. 4 seed
• Lowest possible finish: No. 8 seed
• Tiebreakers won: LAC (3-0), DEN (4-0)
What's at stake: Home-court advantage in first round; avoiding play-in tournament
Play-in bound, seeding to be determined
8. Memphis Grizzlies (47-34)
• Magic number for No. 7 seed: Do not control own destiny
• Remaining schedule: DAL
• Highest possible finish: No. 7 seed
• Lowest possible finish: No. 8 seed
• Tiebreakers won: MIN (2-1)
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What's at stake: Home-court advantage in 7/8 play-in game
9. Sacramento Kings (39-42)
• Magic number for No. 9 seed: 1
• Remaining schedule: PHX
• Highest possible finish: No. 9 seed
• Lowest possible finish: No. 10 seed
• Tiebreakers won: DAL (3-0)
What's at stake: Home-court advantage in 9/10 play-in game vs. DAL
10. Dallas Mavericks (39-42)
• Magic number for No. 9 seed: Do not control own destiny
• Remaining schedule: @MEM
• Highest possible finish: No. 9 seed
• Lowest possible finish: No. 10 seed
What's at stake: Home-court advantage in 9/10 play-in game vs. SAC
Sunday's games of consequence (all times Eastern)
Nuggets at Rockets (3:30 p.m.)
DEN is No. 4 seed with a win
DEN is No. 5 seed with a loss + MIN loss
DEN is No. 6 seed with a loss + LAC win + MIN win
DEN is No. 7 seed with a loss + LAC loss + MIN win
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Jazz at Timberwolves (3:30 p.m.)
MIN is No. 4 seed with a win + DEN loss + LAC loss
MIN is No. 5 seed with a win + DEN loss + LAC win
MIN is No. 5 seed with a win + DEN win + LAC loss
MIN is No. 6 seed with a win + DEN win + LAC win
MIN is No. 7 seed with a loss + MEM loss
MIN is No. 8 seed with a loss + MEM win
Mavericks at Grizzlies (3:30 p.m.)
DAL is No. 9 seed with a win + SAC loss
DAL is No. 10 seed with a loss or SAC win
MEM is No. 7 seed with a win + MIN loss
MEM is No. 8 seed with a loss or MIN win
Suns at Kings (3:30 p.m.)
SAC is No. 9 seed with a win or DAL loss
SAC is No. 10 seed with a loss + DAL win
Clippers at Warriors (3:30 p.m.)
LAC is the No. 4 seed with a win + DEN loss
LAC is the No. 4 seed with a loss + DEN loss + MIN loss
LAC is the No. 5 seed with a win + DEN win + MIN loss
LAC is the No. 5 seed with a loss + DEN loss + MIN win
LAC is the No. 7 seed with a loss + DEN win + MIN win
GSW is the No. 6 seed with a win or MIN loss
GSW is the No. 6 seed with a loss + DEN loss + MIN loss
GSW is the No. 7 seed with a loss + MIN win
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Playoff-bound, seeding locked
1. Cleveland Cavaliers (64-17)
• Clinched No. 1 seed
• First-round opponent: No. 8 seed (ORL, ATL, CHI or MIA)
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2. Boston Celtics (60-21)
• Clinched No. 2 seed
• First-round opponent: No. 7 seed (ORL or ATL)
3. New York Knicks (50-31)
• Clinched No. 3 seed
• First-round opponent: Pistons
4. Indiana Pacers (49-32)
• Clinched No. 4 seed
• First-round opponent: Bucks
5. Milwaukee Bucks (47-34)
• Clinched No. 5 seed
• First-round opponent: Pacers
6. Detroit Pistons (44-37)
• Clinched No. 6 seed
• First-round opponent: Knicks
Play-in bound, seeding locked
7. Orlando Magic (41-40)
• Clinched No. 7 seed
• Play-in opponent: Hawks
8. Atlanta Hawks (39-42)
• Clinched No. 8 seed
• Play-in opponent: Magic
9. Chicago Bulls (38-43)
• Clinched No. 9 seed
• Play-in opponent: Heat
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10. Miami Heat (37-44)
• Clinched No. 10 seed
• Play-in opponent: Bulls
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