The final few weeks building up to the 2019 NBA Playoffs have been a wild ride featuring multiple teams jockeying for position. But with the postseason set to begin on Saturday, April 13, we finally have some clarity in both conferences.
We’re going to take a look at the latest playoff picture for the Eastern Conference heading into the playoffs. The standings, seedings and matchups will be updated when the final schedule is set. The action on the final day of the regular season features one spot up for grabs and three seedings yet to be decided in the East, so multiple games have meaning.
First, we’ll look at the overall picture and standings, followed by info on tiebreakers and potential outcomes for each team.
Eastern Conference Playoff Picture & Standings
*Notates team locked into current seed
- 1. *Milwaukee Bucks 60-21
- 2. *Toronto Raptors 58-24
- 3. *Philadelphia 76ers 50-31
- 4. *Boston Celtics 49-33
- 5. *Indiana Pacers 47-34
- 6. Brooklyn Nets 41-40
- 7. Orlando Magic 41-40
- 8. Detroit Pistons 40-41
- Charlotte Hornets 39-42
The East has five teams who already know their seeding, and one first-round matchup set between the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers. As for the other four teams listed, the Brooklyn Nets and Orlando Magic have both clinched a spot, but their exact seeding heading into Wednesday is unknown.
As for the Detroit Pistons and Charlotte Hornets, their chance to make the postseason comes down to the final game of the season. For the Pistons, it’s a simple outlook because if they defeat the New York Knicks, they’ll get in. Detroit would only be eliminated if they lost and the Hornets defeat the Magic.
We’re going to take a look at the scenarios for each team, likely seedings and potential first-round matchups next.
Eastern Conference Playoff Scenarios, Seedings & Likely Matchups
It’s worth noting that the Hornets cannot finish higher than No. 8 regardless of what the other outcomes of games look like. First up, here’s a look at a few things to know about the playoff picture, followed by a breakdown of the best and worst case outlooks for each team.
– Nets can’t finish lower than No. 7
– Magic can finish anywhere from seed 6-8
– Pistons can jump as high as No. 7
– Hornets can’t finish higher than No. 8
Below are the “what if” situations for each Eastern Conference team still in the playoff mix, courtesy of PlayoffStatus.com.
Brooklyn Nets Will Finish …
- No. 6 with win over Heat OR Magic loss to Hornets
- No. 7 with loss and Magic win
Orlando Magic Will Finish …
- No. 6 with win over Hornets and Nets loss
- No. 7 with win over Hornets OR Pistons loss
- No. 8 with loss and Pistons win
Detroit Pistons Will Finish …
- No. 7 with win over Knicks and Magic loss
- No. 8 with win over Knicks OR Hornets loss
Charlotte Hornets Will Finish …
- No. 8 with win over Magic and Pistons loss
Projected First-Round NBA Playoff Matchups
- (1) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (8) Orlando Magic/Detroit Pistons
- (2) Toronto Raptors vs. (7) Orlando Magic/Detroit Pistons
- (3) Philadelphia 76ers vs (6) Brooklyn Nets
- (4) Boston Celtics vs. (5) Indiana Pacers
Assuming the Nets can knock off the recently-eliminated Miami Heat, they’ll meet the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round. The Magic can face any of the top three seeds, while the Pistons would draw either the Milwaukee Bucks or Toronto Raptors if they win. Should Brooklyn defeat Miami, it would set up Orlando for a first-round matchup with Milwaukee (with a loss to Charlotte/Pistons win) or Toronto (with a win/Pistons loss).
If Detroit slips up and the Hornets take advantage, it would set up a first-round date for Charlotte against Milwaukee while the Pistons would watch the postseason from home.
READ NEXT: NBA Playoff Schedule: First Round Dates, Times & Best Matchups
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Eastern Conference Playoff Picture: Standings, Matchups & Seeds