Cleveland Cavs clinch NBA playoffs spot with 20 games left in regular season

CLEVELAND — It was a foregone conclusion a long time ago, but it’s now official: the Cavaliers have their place in the 2024-25 NBA playoffs.

The Cavs clinched at least a top-six seed in the Eastern Conference with Wednesday night’s 112-1107 win over the Miami Heat. Cleveland is the first team to secure at least a top-six seed. The Oklahoma City Thunder, in the West, are the only other team to clinch at-least a spot in the play-in tournament.

The play-in tournament includes the 7-10 seeds, who play each other to determine the No. 7 and No. 8 spots in the bracket.

The 2024-25 Cavs have had a historic season. In Kenny Atkinson’s first season as Cavs coach, the team won its first 15 games of the season, a franchise record. They also became the first team in franchise history to start the season by winning 50 of their first 60 games. The franchise record for wins in a single season is 66 by the 2008-09 LeBron James-led squad.

The Cavs are in line to hold the No. 1 seed in the East, with the Boston Celtics, who ended Cleveland’s playoff run last year, likely to secure the No. 2 spot, setting up a potential heavyweight match in the conference finals if both teams advance.

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When do the NBA playoffs begin?

The first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs will start on Saturday, April 19.

When are the 2025 NBA Finals?

Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals will be Thursday, June 5.

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