NBA playoff bracket 2020: Updated standings, seeds & Round 1 projections in Orlando

The NBA season is typically a marathon run of games over several months, but the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has turned the 2019-20 campaign into a sprint toward the finish line.

Playoff positioning is on the line as 22 NBA teams resume play at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando. Fla. The playoff fields in each conference are largely set, but there could be some drama during the “seeding games” as teams jockey for postseason positioning.

Full NBA schedule for season restart in Orlando

How will the race for the No. 8 seed in the West play out? How much will the seedings change in the East? Those questions will soon be answered.

Let’s take a look at the 2020 NBA playoff picture, including standings and potential matchups for each conference.

NBA standings 2020

Here are the current NBA standings as of March 11, the last day official games were played. Teams in bold have been invited to Orlando to finish the regular season.

Eastern Conference

Seed	Team	Record	Games back
1.	Bucks	53-12	—
2.	Raptors	46-18	6.5
3.	Celtics	43-21	9.5
4.	Heat	41-24	12
5.	Pacers	39-26	14
6.	76ers	39-26	14
7.	Nets	30-34	22.5
8.	Magic	30-35	23
—	Wizards	24-40	28.5
—	Hornets	23-42	30
—	Bulls	22-43	31
—	Knicks	21-45	32.5
—	Pistons	20-46	33.5
—	Hawks	20-47	34
—	Cavaliers	19-46	34

Western Conference

Seed	Team	Record	Games back
1.	Lakers	49-14	—
2.	Clippers	44-20	5.5
3.	Nuggets	43-22	7
4.	Jazz	41-23	8.5
5.	Thunder	40-24	9.5
6.	Rockets	40-24	9.5
7.	Mavericks	40-27	11
8.	Grizzlies	32-33	18
—	Trail Blazers	29-37	21.5
—	Pelicans	28-36	21.5
—	Kings	28-36	21.5
—	Spurs	27-36	22
—	Suns	26-39	24
—	Timberwolves	19-45	30.5
—	Warriors	15-50	35

When do the NBA playoffs start in 2020?

Play-in games (if necessary): Aug. 15-16
NBA playoffs: Aug. 17
NBA conference finals: Sept. 15
NBA Finals: Sept. 30

“Seeding games” will be played through Aug. 14, and a play-in tournament will be held Aug. 15-16 if necessary with the first round of the playoffs starting Aug. 17. The NBA Finals will begin Sept. 30 and end no later than Oct. 13.

How do the NBA playoffs work?

Each of the 22 remaining teams is scheduled to play eight “seeding games” in order to determine playoff positioning in both conferences.

If the No. 9 seed in each conference is more than four games behind the No. 8 seed at the conclusion of the regular season, the No. 8 seed will earn the final playoff spot. If the No. 9 seed is four games or fewer behind the No. 8 seed, then those teams will enter a play-in tournament (double-elimination for the eighth seed, single-elimination for the ninth seed).

The playoffs will follow the typical format with full best-of-seven series all the way through the NBA Finals.