NBA playoff bracket, standings if postseason started today: Who can clinch?

The top six playoff teams in the NBA Western Conference – though not the order – were determined Tuesday, April 7.

The Minnesota Timberwolves clinched a playoff berth – joining the Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets – following their win over the Indiana Pacers coupled with the Phoenix Suns' loss to the Rockets. Those results also relegate Phoenix to the play-in tournament. Also in the West, the Nuggets solidified their current position as the No. 3 seed with the Lakers loss to the Thunder.

Meanwhile, the Eastern Conference remains jumbled in the middle, with just 2½ games separate the current No. 5 seed Atlanta Hawks from the Charlotte Hornets in 9th. On Tuesday, the Toronto Raptors, who are clinging to the No. 6 seed in the East, beat Miami, officially locking the Heat into the NBA Play-In Tournament.

Here are the current brackets for the playoffs and the play-in tournament, the NBA standings and the games for Tuesday, April 7:

NBA schedule for Tuesday, April 7

All time Eastern

• Chicago Bulls 129, Washington Wizards 98
• Minnesota Timberwolves 124, Indiana Pacers 104
• Brooklyn Nets 96, Milwaukee Bucks 90
• Miami Heat 121, Toronto Raptors 95
• Boston Celtics 113, Charlotte Hornets 102
• New Orleans Pelicans 156, Utah Jazz 137
• Golden State Warriors 110, Sacramento Kings 105
• Oklahoma City Thunder 123, Los Angeles Lakers 87
• Los Angeles Clippers 116, Dallas Mavericks 103
• Houston Rockets 119, Phoenix Suns, 105

NBA standings

All 20 teams – 10 in each conference – that will participate in the postseason have been determined. Here are their records through Tuesday, April 7, and what each of those teams has clinched so far (x-clinched playoff berth; d-clinched division; y-clinched conference):

Eastern Conference

• (1) y-Detroit Pistons: 57-22
• (2) x-Boston Celtics: 54-25 (3 GB)
• (3) x-New York Knicks: 51-28 (6 GB)
• (4) x-Cleveland Cavaliers: 50-29 (7 GB)
• (5) Atlanta Hawks: 45-34 (12 GB)
• (6) Toronto Raptors: 44-35 (13 GB)
• (7) Philadelphia 76ers: 43-36 (14 GB)
• (8) Orlando Magic: 43-36 (14 GB)
• (9) Charlotte Hornets: 43-37 (14.5 GB)
• (10) Miami Heat: 41-38 (16 GB)

Western Conference

• (1) d-Oklahoma City Thunder: 63-16
• (2) d-San Antonio Spurs: 60-19 (3 GB)
• (3) x-Denver Nuggets: 51-28 (12 GB)
• (4) d-Los Angeles Lakers: 50-29 (13 GB)
• (5) x-Houston Rockets: 50-29 (13 GB)
• (6) x-Minnesota Timberwolves: 47-32 (16 GB)
• (7) Phoenix Suns: 43-36 (20 GB)
• (8) Los Angeles Clippers: 41-38 (22 GB)
• (9) Portland Trail Blazers: 40-39 (23 GB)
• (10) Golden State Warriors: 37-42 (26 GB)

NBA playoffs bracket

(Through Tuesday, April 7)

Eastern Conference

• (1) Detroit Pistons vs. (8) Play-In Winner
• (4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks
• (3) New York Knicks vs. (6) Toronto Raptors
• (2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Play-In Winner

Western Conference

• (1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (8) Play-In Winner
• (4) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (5) Houston Rockets
• (3) Denver Nuggets vs. (6) Minnesota Timberwolves
• (2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (7) Play-In Winner

NBA Play-In Tournament

(Through Tuesday, April 7)

Eastern Conference

• (7) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (8) Orlando Magic
• (9) Charlotte Hornets vs. (10) Miami Heat

Western Conference

• (7) Phoenix Suns vs. (8) Los Angeles Clippers
• (9) Portland Trail Blazers vs. (10) Golden State Warriors

When do the NBA playoffs begin?

• The NBA Play-In Tournament begins on Tuesday, April 14 and runs through Friday, April 17.
• The NBA playoffs start Saturday, April 18 and feature eight teams in each conference after teams are eliminated in the Play-In Tournament.
• Game 1 of the NBA Finals is scheduled for Wednesday, June 3.

Which NBA teams have been eliminated from the playoffs?

Eastern Conference

• Brooklyn Nets
• Chicago Bulls
• Indiana Pacers
• Milwaukee Bucks
• Washington Wizards

Western Conference

• Dallas Mavericks
• Memphis Grizzlies
• New Orleans Pelicans
• Sacramento Kings
• Utah Jazz