2024 NBA playoffs bracket: Complete field set as Heat, Pelicans claim No. 8 seeds, first round starts Saturday

Kim O'Reilly, CBS Sports

The bracket is now set for the 2024 NBA playoffs, and the first round kicks off Saturday. The Play-In Tournament took place this week to determine the final two seeds in each conference. The Heat and Pelicans were victorious on Friday night to secure the No. 8 seeds in the East and West, and they advanced to face the Celtics and Thunder, respectively. Earlier in the week, the 76ers and Lakers earned the No. 7 seeds, while the Warriors, Hawks, Bulls and Kings were all eliminated in the Play-In Tournament.

With the eight first-round matchups set in stone, it's time for playoff basketball. Action starts Saturday with four Game 1s: Cavaliers-Magic, Timberwolves-Suns, Knicks-76ers and Nuggets-Lakers. The other four series tip off on Sunday, and the first round could run through May 5. Here's how CBS Sports experts are picking their brackets.

Below a look at the complete playoff bracket with all the seeds set. You can see the full playoff schedule here.

2024 NBA playoff bracket

West
(1) Thunder vs. (8) Pelicans
(2) Nuggets vs. (7) Lakers
(3) Timberwolves vs. (6) Suns
(4) Clippers vs. (5) Mavericks

East
(1) Celtics vs. (8) Heat
(2) Knicks vs. (7) 76ers
(3) Bucks vs. (6) Pacers
(4) Cavaliers vs. (5) Magic

Kim O'Reilly, CBS Sports Final Eastern Conference standingsBoston Celtics - 64-18New York Knicks - 50-32Milwaukee Bucks - 49-33Cleveland Cavaliers - 48-34Orlando Magic - 47-35Indiana Pacers - 47-35Philadelphia 76ers - 47-35Miami Heat - 46-36Chicago Bulls - 39-43Atlanta Hawks - 36-46Final Western Conference standingsOklahoma City Thunder - 57-25Denver Nuggets - 57-25Minnesota Timberwolves - 56-26Los Angeles Clippers - 51-31Dallas Mavericks - 50-32Phoenix Suns - 49-33New Orleans Pelicans - 49-33Los Angeles Lakers - 47-35Sacramento Kings - 46-36Golden State Warriors - 46-36Play-In Tournament schedule, scores

(All times Eastern)

Tuesday, April 16
No. 8 Lakers 110, No. 7 Pelicans 106
No. 9 Kings 118, No. 10 Warriors 94

Wednesday, April 17
No. 7 76ers 105, No. 8 Heat 104
No. 9 Bulls 131, No. 10 Hawks 116

Friday, April 19
Heat 112, Bulls 91
Pelicans 105, Kings 98

2024 NBA playoffs schedule: First weekend

Saturday, April 20
Game 1: Cavaliers vs. Magic, 1 p.m., ESPN/fubo
Game 1: Timberwolves vs. Suns, 3:30, ESPN/fubo
Game 1: Knicks vs. 76ers, 6 p.m., ESPN/fubo
Game 1: Nuggets vs. Lakers, 8:30 p.m., ABC/fubo

Sunday, April 21
Game 1: Celtics vs. Heat, 1 p.m., ABC/fubo
Game 1: Clippers vs. Mavericks, 3:30 p.m., ABC/fubo
Game 1: Bucks vs. Pacers, 7 p.m., TNT
Game 1: Thunder vs. Pelicans, 9:30 p.m., TNT