2026 NBA playoff picture: April 9 clinching scenarios, tiebreakers for postseason contenders; Will Celtics clinch Atlantic crown?

The NBA playoff picture will come into clearer view each day between now and the end of the regular season on April 12. In the meantime, we will provide detailed daily updates on the landscape, including magic numbers, remaining schedules and the stakes for every day’s slate of games. For those teams not in the postseason hunt, we also break down the “race” for pole position in the upcoming NBA Draft lottery.

Jump to: Eastern Conference • Western Conference

A rarity for a late-season NBA slate that has featured a ton of tanking: The New York Knicks and Boston Celtics square off Thursday night in a game with actual stakes.

Should Boston win, it will clinch the Atlantic Division crown, the No. 2 seed and home-court advantage in the Eastern Conference semifinals — all over New York.

Except, the Celtics will have to do so without Jaylen Brown, who has been ruled out of Thursday’s game with left Achilles tendinitis. He missed two games at the end of March with the same injury, though he had averaged 37 minutes in five games since. He played 43 minutes of a 113-102 victory against the Charlotte Hornets on Monday.

Celtics starters Derrick White and Neemias Queta are also listed as questionable on Boston’s injury report against the Knicks with a knee contusion and a toe sprain, respectively. Just how seriously Boston is taking this game, then, is in some question.

The Celtics need just one win in their final three outings, which also include home games against the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday and Orlando Magic on Sunday, to secure the Atlantic Division crown, the No. 2 seed and home-court in the East semis.

Meanwhile, New York, which does own a tiebreaker against Boston, would need the Celtics to lose out and to beat both the Raptors on Friday and Hornets on Sunday.

Good luck with all that. Still, Thursday night does mark Jayson Tatum’s return to Madison Square Garden for the first time since he ruptured his Achilles last May, so we are guaranteed some drama. The NBA, for all its tanking, is never short on stories.

CURRENT PLAY-IN BRACKET

Eastern Conference

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

Western Conference

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

CURRENT PLAYOFF BRACKET

Eastern Conference

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

Western Conference

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

EASTERN CONFERENCE RACE

In the Eastern Conference, the Detroit Pistons have locked up the No. 1 seed, and the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers appear bound for the next three seeds, in some order, and home-court advantage in the opening round.

Who, exactly, those four teams will play in the opening round is still up for grabs, as just two losses separate the fifth seed from the ninth seed. The Atlanta Hawks, Toronto Raptors, Philadelphia 76ers, Charlotte Hornets, Orlando Magic and Miami Heat are all jockeying for position in the final days of the season.

Playoff-bound, seeding locked

Record: 58-22 | Net rating: 8.3 (3rd)

Clinched No. 1 seed and Central Division title
Remaining schedule: @CHA, @IND

What’s at stake: First-round matchup against No. 8 seed

Playoff-bound, seeding to be determined

Record: 54-25 | Net rating: 8.2 (4th)

Clinched playoff berth; clinches No. 2 seed and Atlantic Division title with win over Knicks
Loses head-to-head tiebreaker with Knicks
Magic number for No. 2 seed: 1
Remaining schedule: @NYK, NOP, ORL
Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed
Lowest possible finish: No. 3 seed

What’s at stake: The No. 2 seed and home-court advantage in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Record: 51-28 | Net rating: 6.5 (5th)

Holds head-to-head tiebreakers over Celtics and Cavaliers
Magic number for No. 3 seed: 2
Remaining schedule: BOS, TOR, CHA
Highest possible finish: No. 2 seed
Lowest possible finish: No.4 seed

What’s at stake: The No. 2 seed and home-court advantage in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Record: 51-29 | Net rating: 4.1 (9th)

Loses head-to-head tiebreaker with Knicks
Remaining schedule: @ATL, WAS
Highest possible finish: No. 3 seed
Lowest possible finish: No. 4 seed

What’s at stake: The No. 3 seed and home-court advantage in the first round.