Brace yourselves, basketball fans. The 2021 NBA playoffs are almost here.
There is an added level of intrigue this year with the league implementing a new version of the play-in tournament, which was first seen inside the Florida “bubble” amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of the traditional eight-team fields in each conference, a total of 20 teams will participate in the postseason.
MORE: Latest standings | Daily NBA schedule
With multiple contenders battling for playoff positioning, the final stretch of the regular season should provide plenty of entertainment.
Here’s a snapshot of the current NBA playoff picture, including the full standings for each conference.
NBA standings 2021: Eastern Conference
| Seed | Team | Record | Games back |
| 1. | Nets* | 43-21 | — |
| 2. | 76ers* | 42-21 | 0.5 |
| 3. | Bucks* | 39-24 | 3.5 |
| 4. | Knicks | 35-28 | 7.5 |
| 5. | Hawks | 35-30 | 8.5 |
| 6. | Celtics | 34-30 | 9 |
| 7. | Heat | 34-30 | 9 |
| 8. | Hornets | 31-32 | 11.5 |
| 9. | Pacers | 30-33 | 12.5 |
| 10. | Wizards | 29-35 | 14 |
| — | Bulls | 26-38 | 17 |
| — | Raptors | 26-38 | 17 |
| — | Cavaliers | 21-43 | 22 |
| — | |||
| — |
*clinched playoff berth
Eliminated from playoff contention: Magic, Pistons
NBA standings 2021: Western Conference
| Seed | Team | Record | Games back |
| 1. | Jazz* | 46-18 | — |
| 2. | Suns* | 45-18 | 0.5 |
| 3. | Nuggets | 43-21 | 3 |
| 4. | Clippers | 43-22 | 3.5 |
| 5. | Mavericks | 36-27 | 9.5 |
| 6. | Lakers | 36-27 | 9.5 |
| 7. | Trail Blazers | 35-28 | 10.5 |
| 8. | Grizzlies | 32-31 | 13.5 |
| 9. | Warriors | 32-32 | 14 |
| 10. | Spurs | 31-31 | 14 |
| — | Pelicans | 29-35 | 17 |
| — | Kings | 26-37 | 19.5 |
| — | |||
| — | |||
| — |
*clinched playoff berth
Eliminated from playoff contention: Rockets, Thunder, Timberwolves
How does the NBA play-in tournament work?
- The play-in tournament will be held after the conclusion of the 2020-21 regular season and before the start of the first round of the 2021 NBA playoffs. The teams that finish Nos. 1-6 in the standings of each conference will be guaranteed playoff spots, and teams Nos. 7-10 will enter the play-in tournament.
- The No. 7 team will face the No. 8 team, and the winner will earn the No. 7 seed in the playoffs. The loser will still have one more opportunity to reach the playoffs.
- The No. 9 team will face the No. 10 team, and the winner will advance to play against the loser of the No. 7 vs. No. 8 game. The loser of the No. 9 vs. No. 10 game will be eliminated from playoff contention.
- The loser from the No. 7 vs. No. 8 game and the winner from the No. 9 vs. No. 10 game will then play against each other. The winner of that game will be the No. 8 seed in the playoffs, and the loser will be eliminated from playoff contention.
NBA playoff picture: Seeding breakdowns
(Remaining strength of schedule via Tankathon and playoff probability via FiveThirtyEight)
Eastern Conference
1. Nets
Remaining games: 8
Remaining strength of schedule: .515
Playoff probability: In
2. 76ers
Remaining games: 9
Remaining strength of schedule: .393
Playoff probability: In
3. Bucks
Remaining games: 9
Remaining strength of schedule: .475
Playoff probability: In
4. Knicks
Remaining games: 9
Remaining strength of schedule: .545
Playoff probability: 90 percent
5. Hawks
Remaining games: 7
Remaining strength of schedule: .458
Playoff probability: 99 percent
6. Celtics
Remaining games: 8
Remaining strength of schedule: .440
Playoff probability: 98 percent
7. Heat
Remaining games: 8
Remaining strength of schedule: .501
Playoff probability: 95 percent
8. Hornets
Remaining games: 9
Remaining strength of schedule: .483
Playoff probability: 56 percent
9. Pacers
Remaining games: 9
Remaining strength of schedule: .494
Playoff probability: 41 percent
10. Wizards
Remaining games: 8
Remaining strength of schedule: .484
Playoff probability: 16 percent
Western Conference
1. Jazz
Remaining games: 8
Remaining strength of schedule: .464
Playoff probability: In
2. Suns
Remaining games: 9
Remaining strength of schedule: .486
Playoff probability: In
3. Nuggets
Remaining games: 8
Remaining strength of schedule: .521
Playoff probability: 99 percent
4. Clippers
Remaining games: 7
Remaining strength of schedule: .429
Playoff probability: 99 percent
5. Mavericks
Remaining games: 9
Remaining strength of schedule: .438
Playoff probability: 98 percent
6. Lakers
Remaining games: 9
Remaining strength of schedule: .527
Playoff probability: 99 percent
7. Trail Blazers
Remaining games: 9
Remaining strength of schedule: .536
Playoff probability: 94 percent
8. Grizzlies
Remaining games: 9
Remaining strength of schedule: .435
Playoff probability: 44 percent
9. Warriors
Remaining games: 8
Remaining strength of schedule: .494
Playoff probability: 48 percent
10. Spurs
Remaining games: 10
Remaining strength of schedule: .635
Playoff probability: 10 percent
