The NBA Playoffs are fast approaching, but almost nothing is settled with fewer than 20 games remaining on each team’s regular-season schedule.
It feels safe to say the Suns will be the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference bracket, but the rest of the West is up in the air. The Eastern Conference, meanwhile, could see shifts in seedings every day, as multiple teams are bunched together in the standings.
NBA LEAGUE PASS: Sign up to unlock live out-of-market games (7-day free trial)
The one thing we do know? 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 2022: Eastern Conference
(Current through games of March 15)
| Seed | Team | Record | Games back |
| 1. | Heat | 46-24 | — |
| 2. | Bucks | 43-26 | 2.5 |
| 3. | 76ers | 41-26 | 3.5 |
| 4. | Bulls | 41-27 | 4 |
| 5. | Celtics | 41-28 | 4.5 |
| 6. | Cavaliers | 39-29 | 6 |
| 7. | Raptors | 38-30 | 7 |
| 8. | Nets | 36-33 | 9.5 |
| 9. | Hawks | 34-34 | 11 |
| 10. | Hornets | 34-35 | 11.5 |
| — | Wizards | 29-38 | 15.5 |
| — | Knicks | 28-40 | 17 |
| — | Pacers | 23-47 | 23 |
| — | |||
*clinched NBA Playoff berth
**clinched NBA Play-In berth
Eliminated from NBA Playoff contention: Magic, Pistons
NBA standings 2022: Western Conference
(Current through games of March 15)
| Seed | Team | Record | Games back |
| 1. | Suns* | 55-14 | — |
| 2. | Grizzlies | 48-22 | 7.5 |
| 3. | Warriors | 47-22 | 8 |
| 4. | Jazz | 42-26 | 12.5 |
| 5. | Mavericks | 42-26 | 12.5 |
| 6. | Nuggets | 41-28 | 14 |
| 7. | Timberwolves | 40-30 | 15.5 |
| 8. | Clippers | 36-35 | 20 |
| 9. | Lakers | 29-39 | 25.5 |
| 10. | Pelicans | 28-41 | 27 |
| — | Trail Blazers | 26-41 | 28 |
| — | Spurs | 26-43 | 29 |
| — | Kings | 25-45 | 30.5 |
| — | Thunder | 20-48 | 34.5 |
| — | Rockets | 17-51 | 37.5 |
*clinched NBA Playoff berth
**clinched NBA Play-In berth
Eliminated from NBA Playoff contention: None
NBA Playoff matchups 2022
Here’s what the NBA Playoff matchups would be if the regular season ended today:
Eastern Conference
(1) Heat vs. (8) Play-In Winner
(2) Bucks vs. (7) Play-In Winner
(3) 76ers vs. (6) Cavaliers
(4) Bulls vs. (5) Celtics
Western Conference
(1) Suns vs. (8) Play-In Winner
(2) Grizzlies vs. (7) Play-In Winner
(3) Warriors vs. (6) Nuggets
(4) Jazz vs. (5) Mavericks
NBA Play-In Tournament matchups 2022
Here’s what the NBA Play-In Tournament matchups would be if the regular season ended today:
Eastern Conference
(7) Raptors vs. (8) Nets
(9) Hawks vs. (10) Hornets
Western Conference
(7) Timberwolves vs. (8) Clippers
(9) Lakers vs. (10) Pelicans
How does the NBA Play-In Tournament work?
- The NBA Play-In Tournament will be held after the conclusion of the 2021-22 regular season and before the start of the first round of the 2022 NBA Playoffs. The teams that finish Nos. 1-6 in the standings of each conference will be guaranteed playoff spots. Teams Nos. 7-10 will enter the Play-In Tournament.
- Each conference’s Nos. 7 and 8 teams will face off, with the winner earning the No. 7 seed in the playoffs. The loser will still have one more opportunity to reach the playoffs.
- Each conference’s Nos. 9 and 10 teams will face off, with the winner advancing to play 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 of the No. 7-vs.-No. 8 game and the winner of 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. The loser will be eliminated from playoff contention.
- Beyond the Play-In Tournament, the 2022 NBA Playoffs will follow the typical format, with full best-of-seven series all the way through the NBA Finals.