NBA Official Analysis of the Final Day: All Matchups Determined by the Last Game, Eastern Conference in Chaos

On April 12, the NBA officially released two tables analyzing all possible outcomes and corresponding rankings for the final day's games (April 13). No playoff matchup is confirmed yet, and the Eastern Conference is particularly chaotic; all pairings will depend on the results of the last day.

Currently, only the top 4 teams in the East have confirmed rankings: Pistons 1st, Celtics 2nd, Knicks 3rd, Cavaliers 4th. All other positions depend on the results of the final game. In the West, 6 teams have confirmed rankings: Thunder 1st, Spurs 2nd, Rockets 5th, Timberwolves 6th, Suns 7th, Warriors 10th.

The NBA also provided a brief analysis of the regular season's final day—

Three Teams Competing for One Spot

The Raptors, Magic, and 76ers all have a chance to compete for the last direct playoff spot in the East:

Raptors: Win and they advance, simple as that. With help from other teams, the Raptors could still move up to 5th.

Magic: Win + Raptors lose → Secure 6th place.

76ers: Win + Raptors and Magic both lose → Secure 6th place.

9/10 Play-in Game Home Court Advantage

Hornets win → Will host the Heat in the 9/10 play-in game.

Heat win + Hornets lose → Heat secure 9th place and gain home court advantage.

Hawks Positioning Battle

Hawks win → Secure 5th place, first round against Cavaliers.

Hawks lose + Raptors win → Hawks drop to 6th, first round against Knicks.

Western Conference 3rd Place Battle

Nuggets finish with 12 consecutive wins → Secure 3rd place.

Lakers win + Nuggets lose → Lakers take 3rd place based on head-to-head record, Nuggets drop to 4th.

Western Conference Play-in Tournament Positions

Trail Blazers win → Secure 8th place, play-in away game against Suns.

Clippers need to win themselves + Trail Blazers lose to reclaim 8th; otherwise, the Clippers will host the Warriors in the West's 9/10 play-in game.

Below are all game scenarios and corresponding rankings for the Eastern Conference—

Below are all game scenarios and corresponding rankings for the Western Conference—

Below are key dates for the NBA playoffs—

2026 Play-in Tournament: April 15–18

2026 NBA Playoffs First Round: Begins April 19

2026 NBA Finals Game 1: June 4