With the Cavaliers at the top, the Eastern Conference playoff standings won’t change as a result of Sunday’s regular-season finales throughout the NBA. The teams in the East’s first through 10th spots are locked in.
Who will the Cavs play in the playoffs?
The Cavs must wait until Friday to find out who they will face in the first round of the playoffs. As the East’s No. 1 seed, the Cavs will open the playoffs against whichever team earns the No. 8 seed in the NBA Play-In Tournament.
As outlined in a previous breakdown, the Cavs’ potential first-round opponents are the Orlando Magic, Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat because they form the East’s Play-In Tournament field.
How will the NBA Play-In Tournament work in the Eastern Conference?
No. 7 Orlando will face No. 8 Atlanta in the Play-In Tournament on Tuesday. The winner will become the seventh seed in the playoffs and face the second-seeded Boston Celtics in Round 1.
No. 9 Chicago and No. 10 Miami will play Wednesday. The loser will be eliminated, but the winner will play the loser of the Orlando-Atlanta game Friday for a trip to Cleveland as the No. 8 seed in the playoffs.
Cavs playoff schedule
Although the NBA playoffs begin Saturday, April 19, Cleveland will likely play Game 1 of its first-round series at home Sunday, April 20. Why Sunday? The Play-In Tournament won’t end until Friday, and the NBA won’t make whichever team emerges from the Play-In Tournament as the eighth seed begin Round 1 with a back-to-back.
The Cavs’ full first-round schedule will not be released by the NBA until later in the week ahead.
NBA Eastern Conference playoff standings
We have the Eastern Conference standings right here for you. All records are heading into Game 82 on Sunday. The top six teams in each conference automatically make the playoffs. Teams in positions 7-10 qualify for the Play-In Tournament.
NBA Eastern Conference playoff bracket
- No. 1 seed Cavaliers vs. No. 8 seed (to be determined from Play-In Tournament)
- No. 2 seed Celtics vs. No. 7 seed (winner of Magic-Hawks Play-In Tournament game)
- No. 3 seed Knicks vs. No. 6 seed Pistons
- No. 4 seed Pacers vs. No. 5 seed Bucks
An important note: As long as the Cavs advance beyond Round 1, they would face the winner of No. 4 Pacers vs. No. 5 Bucks in the second round, otherwise known as the Eastern Conference semifinals. The Cavs advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals last year and fell to the eventual NBA champion Celtics in five games. The Cavs have earned home-court advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs. The only scenario in which they wouldn’t have home-court advantage is an NBA Finals matchup against the league-best Oklahoma City Thunder (67-14).
When are the 2025 NBA Finals?
Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals is scheduled for Thursday, June 5.
Cavs injury report
With Sunday’s regular-season finale being treated like a preseason game, the Cavs ruled out point guard Darius Garland (toe injury management), wing De’Andre Hunter (rest), guard Ty Jerome (left knee injury management), guard Sam Merrill (rest), guard Donovan Mitchell (left ankle sprain), forward Evan Mobley (low back soreness), small forward Isaac Okoro (rest), small forward Max Strus (right knee injury management) and forward Dean Wade (rest).
Of the injuries listed, Mitchell’s issue is the most significant, and coach Kenny Atkinson has called it a «mild» sprain. Mitchell suffered the injury April 6 against the Sacramento Kings.
Pacers injury report
The Pacers ruled out guard Tyrese Haliburton (low back injury management), forward Isaiah Jackson (torn Achilles), forward Pascal Siakam (right elbow injury management) and wing Bennedict Mathurin (left calf injury management). They listed guard Ben Sheppard (toe sprain) as doubtful.
Cleveland Cavaliers broadcast information. How can I watch on TV, listen on radio or stream the Cavs vs Pacers game?
Sunday’s game can be watched locally on the FanDuel Sports Network. It can be heard on the radio via WMMS (100.7-FM) and WTAM (1100-AM).
