However, in a typical 82-game regular season, teams generally need to win around 45 to 50 games to secure a playoff spot. This can vary depending on the strength of the conference and the performance of other teams in the league. Keep in mind that this is a general estimate and may not hold true for every season.

Sixteen teams make the playoffs  eight from the Eastern Conference and eight from the Western Conference. The top six teams in each team by regular season record are guaranteed spots and seeded No. 1 through No. 6.