East seeds and matchups
The Eastern Conference bracket is now fixed with the Pistons at No. 1, Celtics No. 2 and Knicks No. 3, while the Cavs and Raptors occupy the 4/5 pair and the 7–10 range will be decided in the play‑in — Sixers vs. Magic and Hornets vs. Heat are the listed play‑in matchups. (Those placements set the first‑round landscape ahead of Game 1s starting April 18.) (x.com) (sportingnews.com)
The Eastern Conference bracket is mostly set, with three first-round matchups locked and two play-in games left to decide the last two spots. (nba.com) Detroit finished first in the East at 60-22, Boston finished second at 56-26, and New York finished third at 53-29. Cleveland closed fourth at 52-30, Toronto took fifth at 46-36, and Atlanta landed sixth at 46-36. (espn.com) That means the Knicks already know their opponent: the Hawks in the 3-versus-6 series. The Cavaliers and Raptors are also set for the 4-versus-5 matchup, while the Pistons and Celtics wait on play-in winners. (nba.com) The play-in tournament in the East starts April 14 and ends April 17. Philadelphia, the seventh seed at 45-37, faces Orlando, the eighth seed at 45-37, and Charlotte, the ninth seed at 44-38, faces Miami, the tenth seed at 43-39. (nba.com) The format gives the 7-versus-8 winner the No. 7 seed and a first-round series against Boston. The 9-versus-10 loser is eliminated, and the 7-versus-8 loser then plays the 9-versus-10 winner for the No. 8 seed and a series against Detroit. (nba.com) The first round begins April 18, so the East’s top three seeds now have a narrower field to scout. Detroit will draw the last team through the door, Boston gets the stronger play-in survivor, and New York and Cleveland can start game-planning now for opponents already fixed. (nba.com) Toronto’s move to fifth on the final day changed the middle of the bracket and pushed Atlanta to sixth. NBA.com’s playoff tracker listed the Raptors as the No. 5 seed and the Hawks as No. 6 after games played April 12. (nba.com) The bracket also marks a sharp turn for Detroit, which claimed the East’s top seed after finishing with the conference’s best record. Boston and New York follow as the next two home-court teams, with Cleveland opening its series at home against Toronto. (espn.com) By Friday night, the East will have its full eight-team field. By Saturday, April 18, the bracket that spent the final week shifting around Toronto, Atlanta, Orlando and Philadelphia will finally move from seeding math to Game 1s. (nba.com)
