The NBA 2025/26 regular season is nearing its end, and the teams are already starting to confirm their presence in the after season. In both conferences, the race for a playoff spot remains open, although some of the franchises have solidified their place at the top, much of the league is still caught between hope and the risk of an early exit.
Having a place in the after season means that the team accomplished, at minimum, a spot on the Play-In. The official cut off of the regular season happens on April 12th, the deadline that defines who goes directly to the Playoffs, the Play-In and who’s out of the competition.
Highlights and early classified teams
The Western Conference remains the league ‘s most competitive battlefield. At the top, Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers have been strong and guaranteed their spot at the Playoffs. In the meantime, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns, LA Clippers, Portland Trailblazers and Golden State Warriors are still in the fight.
On the Eastern side, the Detroit Pistons occupied the first position and already guaranteed their spot in the Playoffs. The Boston Celtics and The New York Knicks round out the top of the standings. At the bottom, the Brooklyn Nets, Washington Wizards, and Indiana Pacers have already been eliminated from the competition.
How do the Play-In and the Playoff work?
The Play-In is a short elimination phase that takes place from April 14 to April 17, 2026. This format involves the teams ranked between seventh place and tenth place in each conference, competing in a head-to-head matchup for the final two official spots in the main Playoff bracket.
Under the format, the 7th and 8th place teams face off in a single game, with the winner earning the seventh spot. The loser still has one more chance, going up against the winner from the game between the 9th and 10th place teams. The winner of this final matchup secures the eighth and final Playoff berth.
The Playoff begins after the Play-in, when all the eight teams of each conference are already defined. From the first round through the Finals, all playoff series are played in a best-of-seven format, with the first team to win four games advancing. The team with the better regular season record holds some home court advantage, giving it the right to host the first two games as well as games 5 and 7, if necessary.
Eastern and Western Conference: who got the best shot?
Both conferences have great teams and all of them can be the great champion, but which teams do you think are going to make it to the Playoffs? Here’s what everyone thinks it’s gonna happen:
In the Eastern Conference, the Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics and New York Knicks have already secured their places in the Playoffs, while the Cleveland Cavaliers are widely expected to join them as one of the direct qualifiers. Looking at the Play-In picture, the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers emerge as the most likely teams to claim the final two postseason berths.
In the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets have already punched their tickets to the Playoffs. Meanwhile, the Denver Nuggets and Golden State Warriors are seen as the strongest candidates to advance via the Play-In and complete the conference’s final bracket.
In the final stretch, every game counts
As the regular season enters its closing days, every matchup carries extra weight. For teams already qualified, the focus now shifts to securing the best possible seeding and home-court advantage. For those still fighting for survival, each result can mean the difference between a Playoff run and an early end to the season.
With the Play-In just around the corner and both conferences still full of storylines, the NBA heads into one of its most thrilling moments of the year. The race is far from over, and with title contenders and underdogs still in the mix, the coming days promise high-stakes basketball and plenty of drama before the postseason officially begins.
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The article above was edited by Isabella Messias.
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