NBA playoffs 2024: All 16 teams still vying for a championship - ESPN

The NBA playoffs are here. Let's take a closer look at the 16 teams that still have a chance to win the 2024 title.

In the Eastern Conference bracket, the Boston Celtics ran away with the top overall seed, but that didn't mean this race lacked drama down the stretch. The New York Knicks needed overtime on the final day of the regular season to secure the No. 2 seed, completing a final month of reshuffling below the Celtics in the standings.

The Western Conference postseason picture is stacked with superstars. It's led at the top by the Oklahoma City Thunder, whose massive rebuild is far ahead of schedule. The No. 3-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves, meanwhile, finally figured out their center partnership and have a face-of-the-league-caliber player in guard Anthony Edwards. Both contenders will try to stop the defending champion Denver Nuggets, led by two-time MVP Nikola Jokic.

And the play-in races in both conferences came down to the wire, as the Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers, New Orleans Pelicans and Miami Heat made it out of the tournament with the final playoff spots.

Who will get to the conference semifinals? Which contenders should be worried? Our NBA insiders break down the mighty, the middling and every team in between ahead of the first round.

Note: NBA title and first-round odds for 2024 provided by ESPN BET.

Jump to a team:
BOS | CLE | DAL | DEN
IND | LAC | LAL | MIA
MIL | MIN | NO | NY
OKC | ORL | PHI | PHX

Boston's road to the postseason
The Celtics have been atop the league standings virtually all season. They join the Thunder as the only teams in the top five in both offensive and defensive rating, and Boston's offseason trades for Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday have worked out as well as the