NBA playoff picture, current matchups, scenarios, standings: 76ers look to lock East No. 3 seed, Cavs remain in hunt
Cleveland owns the tiebreaker over Philly, but would need a win and a 76ers loss to finish third
The Heat fell to the Thunder on Tuesday and the Bucks topped the Magic, meaning Milwaukee jumped Miami for the No. 6 seed for the moment. With all eight teams having a sealed a berth and only seeds being sorted out, here is your Eastern Conference playoff picture entering Wednesday, April 11. For the Western Conference playoff picture, click here. For tiebreaker scenarios, click here.
NOTE: Our SportsLine model, developed by predictive data engineer Stephen Oh, simulates the entire season 10,000 times to produce the most unbiased and precise projections imaginable.
The Top Four
Toronto Raptors (No. 1 seed)
The Raptors have secured the No. 1 seed in the East. Now it's merely a matter of who they'll face in the first round.
- Current first-round matchup: No. 8 Wizards
Boston Celtics (No. 2 seed)
The Celtics are locked into the No. 2 seed. Now they just have to figure out how to navigate the playoffs without Kyrie Irving.
- Current first-round matchup: No. 7 Heat
Philadelphia 76ers (No. 3 seed)
The Sixers currently occupy the No. 3 spot, and a win over the Bucks on Wednesday night will seal that spot. At worst, Philly has clinched a top-four seed.
- Remaining games: vs. Milwaukee
- Current first-round matchup: No. 6 Milwaukee
Cleveland Cavaliers (No. 4 seed)
Cleveland, which owns the tiebreaker over Philly via conference record, can jump to No. 3 with a win over the Knicks on Wednesday and a Sixers loss to the Bucks. Cleveland cannot fall out of the No. 4 spot.
- Remaining games: vs. Knicks
- Current first-round matchup: No. 5 Indiana
The Bottom Four
Indiana Pacers (No. 5 seed)
The Pacers are locked into the No. 5 seed. It's just a question of whether they'll face the Sixers or Cavs in the first round.
- Remaining games: vs. Charlotte
Milwaukee Bucks (No. 6 seed)
Milwaukee gets the No. 6 seed with a win over Philly on Wednesday. If the Bucks lose, they need Miami to also lose to Toronto and/or Washington to lose to Orlando.
- Remaining games: at Philadelphia
Miami Heat (No. 7 seed)
The Heat need a win and a Milwaukee loss to jump into the No. 6 seed.
- Remaining games: vs. Toronto
Washington Wizards (No. 8 seed)
After taking care of business vs. Boston on Tuesday, Washington can still jump to No. 6 in one scenario: If it beats Orlando on Wednesday, Philly beats Milwaukee and Toronto beats Miami. No. 7 and No. 8 are in play as well.
- Remaining games: at Orlando
















