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MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 27: Trae Young #11 of the Atlanta Hawks dribbles the ball during the first quarter against the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center on March 27, 2025 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.
Brennan Asplen / Getty Images / AFP
MANILA, Philippines -- The NBA postseason is almost upon us.
With just a few remaining games per team, the race is heating up, as every postseason-eligible squad is eyeing to make it to the playoffs.
For each of the Eastern and Western conferences, only 10 teams are still in the running for a playoff spot.
In the East, Cleveland, Boston, New York, Indiana and Milwaukee are already assured of a playoff spot.
Sixth to 10th seeds Orlando, Atlanta, Chicago and Miami will compete in the play-in tournament.
Over in the West, only Oklahoma City, Houston and the Los Angeles Lakers already clinched their seeds. Fourth to 10th seeds Denver, Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State, Minnesota, Sacramento and Dallas will try to tighten their grips on playoff berths.
But before that, some of the teams will have to go through the SoFi NBA play-in tournament to complete the eight playoff teams per conference.
The question remains, though – how can an NBA team punch a ticket to the NBA playoffs through the play-in?
Postseason wars
According to the NBA, the tourney will determine the seventh and eighth playoff seeds.
Unlike before, when the first to eighth seeds after the regular season will automatically make the playoffs, those seeded seventh to 10th will battle it out for the final two playoff seats.
At the start of the play-in tournament, both the seventh and eighth seeds of each conference will battle it out for No. 7. While the winner will secure the No. 7 seed, the losers will still have another chance to make the playoffs via another play-in game.
The next day, the ninth and 10th seeds will clash for a chance to fight for the eighth spot. The winner of No. 9 versus No. 10 will then take on the loser of the clash between No. 7 and No. 8 for the coveted eighth spot in the playoffs.
Automatic disadvantage?
With the road longer than usual, will it be an automatic disadvantage for teams in the play-in tournament?
The 2023 Miami Heat would say otherwise.
The Heat, back in the 2022-23 season, finished the season with a 44-38 record, good for the seventh seed after the eliminations.
They faced Atlanta in the play-off for the seventh spot, but fell. This pit them against Chicago for the eighth spot, which they won.
The Heat faced Milwaukee in the first round. Despite being the top seed of the Eastern Conference, the Bucks were stunned and bowed to Miami in five games.
Miami then faced and defeated the Knicks in six in the Eastern Conference semifinals. The Heat continued their outstanding run with a seven-game series win over Boston.
But in the finals the Nuggets won their first championship in their history after blasting Miami in five games.
So far, only the Heat reached the finals while being a play-in team.
As of posting time, the No. 7 of the East will face the defending champions Celtics, while the No. 7 of the West will take on the young and up-and-coming Rockets.
The No. 8 of the East will take on the dangerous Cavaliers, while the No. 8 of the West will face the top-seeded Thunder.
The play-in tournament is set to start next week. After the playoff picture is completed, the first round of the 2025 NBA playoffs begins.
