Who's in 2026 NBA playoffs? Latest bracket, standings, scenarios

The NBA's annual play-in tournament is less than a week away. We know, we're shocked, too. However, despite the proximity to the end of the regular season, there are only two teams currently locked into their seeds in the Eastern and Western conferences.

Only the Golden State Warriors (locked into the Western Conference's No. 10 seed) and Detroit Pistons (locked into the Eastern Conference's No. 1 seed) know for sure where they'll rank by season's end.

Other than them, it's an absolute mish-mosh of what-ifs and maybes that could shape the NBA's postseason, with five teams in the Eastern Conference fighting it out to ensure they avoid the play-in.

Here are the current NBA standings and what the NBA postseason and play-in tournament would look like if the season ended today.

Oct. 26: The Brooklyn Nets' Michael Porter Jr. dunks in front of the San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama at Frost Bank Center.

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Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents

NBA Eastern Conference standings

(Through Wednesday, April 8)

*- clinched conference;d- clinched division; x-clinched playoff berth

1. *-Detroit Pistons: 58-22

2. x-Boston Celtics: 54-25 (3.5 GB)

3. x-New York Knicks: 51-28 (6.5 GB)

4. x-Cleveland Cavaliers: 51-29 (7 GB)

5. Atlanta Hawks: 45-35 (13 GB)

6. Toronto Raptors: 44-35 (13.5 GB)

7. Orlando Magic: 44-36 (14 GB)

8. Philadelphia 76ers: 43-36 (14.5 GB)

9. Charlotte Hornets: 43-37 (15 GB)

10. Miami Heat: 41-38 (16.5 GB)

The Bucks, Bulls, Nets, Pacers and Wizards have been eliminated from postseason contention.

NBA Western Conference standings

(Through Wednesday, April 8)

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*- clinched conference;d- clinched division; x-clinched playoff berth

1. *-Oklahoma City Thunder: 64-16

2. d-San Antonio Spurs: 61-19 (3 GB)

3. x-Denver Nuggets: 52-28 (12 GB)

4. d-Los Angeles Lakers: 50-29 (13.5 GB)

5. x-Houston Rockets: 50-29 (13.5 GB)

6. x-Minnesota Timberwolves: 47-33 (17 GB)

7. Phoenix Suns: 44-36 (20 GB)

8. Los Angeles Clippers: 41-39 (23 GB)

9. Portland Trail Blazers: 40-40 (24 GB)

10. Golden State Warriors: 37-42 (26.5 GB)

The Pelicans, Grizzlies, Mavericks, Kings and Jazz have been eliminated from postseason contention.

NBA playoffs bracket

(Through Wednesday, April 8)

Eastern Conference

• (1) Detroit Pistons vs. (8) Play-In Winner

• (4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks

• (3) New York Knicks vs. (6) Toronto Raptors

• (2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Play-In Winner

Western Conference

• (1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (8) Play-In Winner

• (4) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (5) Houston Rockets

• (3) Denver Nuggets vs. (6) Minnesota Timberwolves

• (2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (7) Play-In Winner

NBA Play-In Tournament

(Through Wednesday, April 8)

Eastern Conference

• (7) Orlando Magic vs. (8) Philadelphia 76ers

• (9) Charlotte Hornets vs. (10) Miami Heat

Western Conference

• (7) Phoenix Suns vs. (8) Los Angeles Clippers

• (9) Portland Trail Blazers vs. (10) Golden State Warriors

When do the NBA playoffs begin?

The NBA Play-In Tournament begins Tuesday, April 14 and finishes Friday, April 17.

The NBA playoffs begin the very next day, Saturday, April 18, featuring eight teams in each conference after two teams from both the East and West are eliminated in the Play-In Tournament.

Game 1 of the NBA Finals will be on Wednesday, June 3.

Which upcoming games could impact the postseason standings?

With just five days left in the regular season, every game matters, but there are a few games that could have serious impact on the end-of-season standings.

Wednesday, April 8

• Atlanta Hawks at Cleveland Cavaliers

• Oklahoma City Thunder at LA Clippers

  • Thunder can clinch top seed with win or Spurs loss

Thursday, April 9

• Miami Heat at Toronto Raptors

• Boston Celtics at New York Knicks

Friday, April 10

• Cleveland Cavaliers at Atlanta Hawks

• Toronto Raptors at New York Knicks

• Los Angeles Clippers at Portland Trail Blazers

Sunday, April 12

• Atlanta Hawks at Miami Heat

• Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Clippers

• Denver Nuggets at San Antonio Spurs

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:NBA playoff bracket, latest standings, scenarios

byAnio Baumeister

in

April 09, 2026

Who's in 2026 NBA playoffs? Latest bracket, standings, scenarios

The NBA's annual play-in tournament is less than a week away. We know, we're shocked, too. However, despite the proximity to th...

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Quinta Brunson breaks down Janine and Gregory's relationship cliffhanger on “Abbott Elementary” (exclusive)

Warning: This article contains spoilers fromAbbott Elementaryseason 5, episode 19, "Trip."

Quinta Brunsonknows thatAbbott Elementaryfans will be upset after Wednesday's episode, but she's not making any apologies.

"I don't even want to say I'm sorry," the show's creator and star tellsEntertainment Weekly. "We're all going to go on a nice sun ride with each other [after this], right?"

That remains in question after fans watched Janine (played by Brunson) and Gregory (Tyler James Williams) teeter on the brink of ending their relationship afterseasons of waiting for them to finally get together.

In the episode aptly titled "Trip," the newly cohabitating couple find themselves unexpectedly at odds while planning a couple's trip. Just when they've finally landed on the Outer Banks as their destination, the itinerary proves to be a continuing source of obstacles between them. First, it's the question of whether to stay at a hotel or an Airbnb — which ends with a compromise of sourcing a B'n'B — only for the mode of transportation to prove truly insurmountable.

Although Gregory's inflexibility when it comes to choosing between taking a flight to the Outer Banks versus driving there is expected of the first-grade teacher, it's Janine's refusal to stand down that might be surprising for some fans. But maybe it shouldn't, Brunson reasons.

"This is a girl who has, over the years, learned to stand up for what she wants and to not compromise as much," the Emmy winner points out. "We talked about that a lot in the [writers'] room. Her learning, especially with a trip — there was a trip she wanted to take a few seasons ago and she was going to compromise for the sake of her mother and she learned not to do that. So she's trying to exercise that. She's trying to exercise her wants and getting what she needs."

And who couldn't respect the way Janine confronted Gregory about his less-than-compromising compromise of deciding they should go to Atlantic City instead of the Outer Banks?!

But between Janine's hard-won backbone and Gregory's doggedness, the episode-long back and forth ends with the unthinkable; the argument about their contrasting ideas for vacation ends with Janine suggesting that maybe, in light of their difficultly, they should break up.

This is why they say you should take a vacation before you move in together!

Despite the surety that fans would be sent into a tizzy over that emotional cliffhanger, Brunson shared that the fight was something she and the sitcom writers were excited about seeing played out.

"I think [we were excited] because Jeanine and Gregory are two characters we know very well, and more than anything, two characters wethinkwe know very well. So we think we know their relationship. We feel settled with it," she says. "But I think as with any relationship, the inside has its own dynamics. And I thought that they've been in such an easy ride since they got together, it was interesting to all of us to see some different layers there."

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Brunson says she and the writers posed the question of what could be under the surface of Janine and Gregory's relationship to be unearthed, leading to their trials and tribulations on Wednesday.

"Gregory and Janine haven't had this kind of conflict yet," she adds. "So now it's like, what happens when these two developed characters — who have learned a lot of lessons and have done a lot of growing up — come to this kind of point in their relationship?"

But the actress notes that the fight between Janine and Gregory wasn't created simply for the sake of it; it also served as a "moment of growth" for Gregory. "I think that Gregory is a really solutions-based character, and I feel like he's like, 'I provided the solution. That's it.' And that's not always the case when it comes to our interpersonal relationships," she says. "I think that's true for all relationships, romantic, work relationships, and friendships. You really want to try to find something that actually works for both people, and that's just not always easy to do."

It was also a moment of challenge for Brunson and Williams behind the scenes. "We've been doing this for a long time now and you kind of get used to being able to play certain things with your character," Brunson says. "We're used to playing with the kids, we're used to playing nice and fun, and we're used to playing dramatic in other elements, but this was a new challenge for him and I as actors."

"It's kind of fun," the actress adds, laughing. "It's the stuff that makes you feel like you're back in acting class, your character, a new element throne at it, something new to develop. Who is Gregory in this moment? Who is Janine in this moment? And it's fun, honestly, as actors. This last episode and the one where they move in with each other were both episodes where Tyler and I felt a challenge in how we do these things to make sense."

Brunson shares that the challenge went beyond just her and Williams — even the episode's director and supervising director, Razan Ghalayini and Randall Einhorn, respectively, held "a longer tone meeting than usual."

"We really took the time to be like, how is this going to feel? This is a monumental moment for these two characters, as well as our writer of this episode, Ava Coleman," Brunson says. "I felt like we had a two-part tone meeting, which we very rarely do, because this is a big moment. And then on set, same. We took more time to shoot these scenes than we normally would because we really wanted to feel it out in rehearsal and feel it out in the direction."

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She continues, "There were smaller elements like Razan choosing to shoot farther away rather than in closeups in certain scenes. Sometimes it was like, 'Oh, we need to be a bit further away for this because even our camera crew in the show doesn't feel like they should be this close to this discussion. This is between these two characters.' So it was a fun challenge for all of us."

Hopefully the knowledge that the crew behind the cameras were working hard to bring the drama will make any fans feeling personally victimized by the cliffhanger ending of Wednesday's episode feel better!

Abbott Elementaryairs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET onABC.

Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

byAnio Baumeister

in

April 09, 2026

Quinta Brunson breaks down Janine and Gregory's relationship cliffhanger on “Abbott Elementary” (exclusive)

Warning: This article contains spoilers fromAbbott Elementaryseason 5, episode 19, "Trip." Quinta Brunsonknows thatAbbo...

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'The Pitt' star Patrick Ball cries after paying off debt with TV earnings

Patrick Ballis debt-free, thanks to "The Pitt."

The actor got emotional recalling that he was able to pay off $80,000 in student loan debt from starring as Dr. Frank Langdon in the runaway hitHBO Max series.

In an interview withCultured magazine, published Tuesday, April 7, Ball cried when asked about his loans and the "risk" of going back to school for acting.

"I paid off my student loans like three months into 'The Pitt,' and that was a really profound moment 'cause I thought I was gonna die with it," Ball, 36, said. "It's a huge burden to carry, and a lot of people carry it."

Sepideh Moafi steps into "The Pitt" Season 2 as the new attending physician, Dr. Baran Al-Hashimi. Who else is new for Season 2 of HBO Max's Emmy-winning drama? And why are they at the Pittsburgh ER? Find out on January 8.

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Who's new on 'The Pitt' Season 2? Meet Dr. Baran Al-Hashimi and more

Sepideh Moafi steps into "The Pitt" Season 2 as the new attending physician, Dr. Baran Al-Hashimi. Who else is new for Season 2 of HBO Max's Emmy-winning drama? And why are they at the Pittsburgh ER? Find out on January 8.

He added, "I had just thought that was going to be my life forever, and that is a really heavy thing to live with."

Why 'The Pitt' star Supriya Ganesh,Dr. Samira Mohan, is leaving

His "financial insecurity" played a part in the breakdown of past relationships, he said, adding that regardless of the success of the show, "they can't take that away from me."

The medical drama, of course, turned out to be wildly popular and acultural phenomenon of sorts.

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'The Pitt' is still the absolute bestshow on television – review

The series haswon five Emmys, a Golden Globe for best drama and is acclaimed by critics and viewers, as well as the medical community, for its accuracy. The show was renewed for a third season before Season 2 premiered in January.

Ball told Cultured that before he got the call for "The Pitt," he had been at a low point, with "no money" and recently out of a three-year relationship. He was considering leaving acting entirely, including paths like working at an Alaskan fishing camp, the FBI or the Merchant Marines. After nearly taking a $100,000 fundraising job he felt was "inauthentic to who I am," he chose to do "one last play" in Miami and didn't look back.

There, he met girlfriendElysia Roorbach, took an eight-day trip with her to Iceland and eventually moved back to New York and worked odd jobs, including as an actor for Goldman Sachs – so company administrators could practice firing people – and as a wardrobe assistant in "And Just Like That..."

'The Pitt' superglue staron real eye gluing, boyfriend Patrick Ball

He made his TV debut on "Law & Order" in 2023 before landing "The Pitt" in 2025. "Everything was different" after that, he said.

Ball's interview coincides with his Broadway debut, in Gina Gionfriddo's previously off-Broadway play "Becky Shaw," with his castmates Brandon Mendez Homer, Sepideh Moafi, Isa Briones, Supriya Ganesh, Laetitia Hollard and Lucas Iversonshowing up to support him.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:'The Pitt' star Patrick Ball paid off student loans with TV money

byAnio Baumeister

in

April 09, 2026

'The Pitt' star Patrick Ball cries after paying off debt with TV earnings

Patrick Ballis debt-free, thanks to "The Pitt." The actor got emotional recalling that he was able to pay off $80,000 in...

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Aubrey Plaza Divides Fans After Revealing Pregnancy With New Partner Just One Year After Husband’s Passing

Aubrey Plazais entering a new chapter in her life, and the internet once again played judge and jury.

The 41-year-old actress and her partner,Chris Abbott, had some exciting baby news to share.

But the internet had thoughts about the timing, claiming it was too soon after the tragic passing of her late husband,Jeff Baena, who took his own life last year.

Aubrey Plaza is entering a new chapter in her life, and the internet once again played judge and jury

Image credits:The Hapa Blonde/GC Images

Trigger warning: this article contains graphic details that may be distressing to some.

Aubrey Plaza ispregnant and expectingher first child with her 40-year-old partner, Chris Abbott.

Sources revealed the couple is gearing up to welcome their little one this fall.

“It was a beautiful surprise after an emotional year,” the source toldPeople.

Image credits:Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images

Plaza and Abbott “feel very blessed,” the source added about the expecting parents.

The pair quietly became friends while working on different projects over the years. They first worked together in 2019, playing both actors and directors, shooting a film in an isolated lake house for the psychological dramaBlack Bear.

In 2023, they shared the stage in the Off-Broadway revival of John Patrick Shanley’s playDanny And The Deep Blue Sea.

“It’s fun and it’s also good and it’s also safe,” Plaza previously told theNew York Times,while Abbott added, “We’re bothunafraid to be ugly and weirdand strange.”

Plaza and Abbott “feel very blessed” to welcome a baby after “an emotional year”

Image credits:ONE Media Coverage

Image credits:PalmyrPar

Plaza dealt with the loss of her late husband, Jeff Baena, last year. They began dating in 2011 andtied the knotin 2021.

The screenwriter and film director took his own life on January 3, 2025, at the age of 47.

It is believed he and theParks and Recreationalum had been separated for months before his untimely passing.

Jeff Baenahad a phone call with Plaza the day before a dog walker found him lifeless at home

Image credits:christopherjabbott

Baena had texted his estranged wife about three hours before his body was found in a Los Angeles-area home.

Plaza, who had moved to New York after their split, told investigators that he “made concerning remarks” a month after their September 2024 breakup. She asked a friend to perform a welfare check on him at the time.

Investigators also found that Baena and Plaza spoke over the phone the night before his passing.

The next day, a dog walker arrived as scheduled and heard loud music coming from his residence, which was unusual. She then entered the house andstumbled upon his body, leading to a 911 call.

Fans congratulated Plaza on the pregnancy news, but critics gave the side-eye

Image credits:amzingroulette

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Following the news of Plaza’s pregnancy, fans congratulated her as she entered motherhood.

Others chose to be snarky and claimed it was “disgusting” that she was having a baby with another man a year after Baena’s passing.

“Didnt her husband JUST pass away,” one asked, while another quipped, “people are moving on quick af bro.”

“That didnt take long,” said another.

Image credits:plazadeaubrey

Image credits:mommy_99020613

“That was fast,” one said. “I guess people get over things super fast .. especially a de*d husband.”

Another wrote, “They move on like the wind blows. Hell they move like the wind before you are out of their sight lol.”

“Yes, she [is supposed] to respect the memory of her late husband,” one said.

“I’d expect that she should be sad for a period at least a little longer than necessary to get with someone else and decide to have a baby with them,” another wrote.

“Man, it takes me a year just to know if i love the person I’m with at this age,” one person commented online

Image credits:plazadeaubrey

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On the other hand, fans pointed out that “everyone grieves differently” and asked, “Is she supposed to be sad for life? Good for her for moving on.”

“Is she supposed to stay unhappy for the rest of her life? When do [sic] being happy and moving forward a crime?” one said.

“What is she supposed to do, wait around and be sad until everyone gives her the ok?” asked another.

“Full stop! No one knows what was actually happening in their lives.Stop speculating,” said another. “This is insane for anyone to comment on this.”

Image credits:David Crotty/Patrick McMullan/Getty Images

Plaza spoke about her griefduring a chat withAmy Poehler for theGood Hangpodcast last year.

“Right in this very, very present moment, I feel happy to be with you,” Plaza said after being asked how she was doing in the midst of a “terrible, tragic year.”

“Overall, I’m here and I’m functioning. I feel really grateful to be moving through the world,” she added. “I think I’m OK, but it’s like a daily struggle, obviously.”

TheWhite Lotusstar used what she called “a really dumb analogy” to explain her grief, comparing it to a shot from the sci-fi horror movieThe Gorge.

Plaza previously spoke about how it’s been a “daily struggle” afterJeff Baena‘s untimely passing

Image credits:Good Hang with Amy Poehler

“There’s a cliff on one side and a cliff on the other side and there’s a gorge in between and it’s filled with all these monster people that are trying to get them,” she explained. “I swear when I watched it, I was like, ‘That what this feels like, what my grief is like, or what grief could be like.’”

The actress said there were times when her grief felt like a “giant ocean of awfulness,” and she just wanted to “dive” and “be in it.” Other times, she just looked at it. And sometimes, she tried to run away from it.

“But it’s always there,” she added. “It’s just always there.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with self-harm or s**c*dal ideation, help is available:International Hotlines

“She was already cheating on him with this guy that’s probably why he did what he did,” netizens speculated following the baby news

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byAnio Baumeister

in

April 08, 2026

Aubrey Plaza Divides Fans After Revealing Pregnancy With New Partner Just One Year After Husband’s Passing

Aubrey Plazais entering a new chapter in her life, and the internet once again played judge and jury. The 41-year-old actress and ...

Read More