The NBA playoff race went down to the final day of the regular season, with all 20 postseason teams known but almost no seeds locked in.
So who will avoid Boston in the East? And who will win first place in a Wild West race?
Here’s what each team needs and wants to happen overnight, with matches set to be played in two sets: East from 3:00am AEST and West from 5:30am AEST.
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EAST CONFERENCE
Times (from 3am AEST)
Wizards at Celtics
Hornets among the Cavaliers
Falcons at Pacers
Raptors in heat
Bulls to Knicks
Money in Magic
Nets at 76ers
Ranking
1. Celtics (63-18)
2. Dollars (49-32)
3. Knicks (49-32)
4. Cavaliers (48-33)
5. Magic (46-35)
6. Pacers (46-35)
7.76ers (46-35)
8. Heat (45-36)
9. Taurus (39-42)
10. Falcons (36-55)
Important races…
Seed No. 2 and avoid the Celtics
Milwaukee lost its lead for second place and could still place fourth where they would be in contention for a horror semifinal clash with Boston.
The Bucks will be No. 2 if they beat Orlando, but otherwise they will need losses to New York (vs. Chicago) and Cleveland (vs. Charlotte) to maintain their spot.
The Knicks, with a one-win advantage, are in the best position to take advantage of a Magic victory. But a Milwaukee win locks them in third, so they would at least avoid Boston until the conference finals.
The absurd fight between n°5 and n°6
Things get really crazy when you look at the four teams divided by a single win in the middle of the pack – Orlando (vs. Milwaukee), Indiana (vs. Atlanta), Philadelphia (vs. Brooklyn), or Miami (vs. Toronto).
The Magic can secure their spot in fifth or sixth place with a win against the Bucks, but a loss without a few more upsets would drop them in play-in.
The Pacers are also locked in the top six with a win, while the Sixers need a win and especially a loss in Orlando to avoid play-in.
Miami is very likely to finish eighth and faces Boston in the first round, needing a win and at least one loss for a team above them. They can finish fifth if the Magic, Pacers and 76ers all lose.
PROJECTED EASTERN CONFERENCE PLAYOFFS BRACKET (before final day games)
Play-in tournament
No. 8 Heat at No. 7 76ers (April 17)
No. 10 Hawks vs. No. 9 Bulls (April 18)
Winner 9/10 to loser 7/8 (April 20)
First round
#1 Celtics vs. #8 seed (76ers/Heat/Bulls/Hawks)
No. 2 Bucks vs. No. 7 seed (76ers/Heat)
No. 3 Knicks vs. No. 6 Pacers
No. 4 Cavaliers vs. No. 5 Magic
NBA Wrap: Jokic’s heroics against Minnesota | 01:09
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Times (from 5:30am AEST)
Nuggets at Grizzlies
Suns at Timberwolves
Lakers at the Pelicans
The Mavericks at the Thunder
Pistons at the Spurs
Jazz among the warriors
Rockets at Clippers
Trail Blazers at Kings
Ranking
1. Thunder (56-25)
2. Timber Wolves (56-25)
3. Nuggets (56-25)
4. Clippers (51-30)
5. Mavericks (50-31)
6. Pelicans (49-32)
7. Suns (48-33)
8. Lakers (46-35)
9. Kings (45-36)
10. Warriors (45-36)
Important races…
Seed #1
The Thunder, Timberwolves and Nuggets are all tied at 56-25 – the first time in NBA history that three teams are tied for the No. 1 seed heading into the final day.
Oklahoma City has the advantage with more scenarios, based on the three teams’ respective results, in which they can finish on top of the conference.
A Thunder win against the Mavericks will give them the No. 1 seed unless Denver loses to Memphis while Minnesota beats Phoenix.
If all three win or lose, the Thunder will be No. 1, the Timberwolves No. 2 and the Nuggets No. 3.
Seed #6
The race for the final out-of-play spot is between New Orleans and Phoenix, with the Suns needing a win over Minnesota and a Pelicans loss to the Lakers to reverse the order.
The play-in
Whichever Pelicans and Suns team misses out on the sixth seed will instead host the No. 7-No. 8 play-in game, and given that we have no idea who end of race at No. 1, the Nuggets are No. 3. it holds up – maybe it’s not so bad to get into the play-in.
If the Lakers beat New Orleans, they’ll make sure to play in the game 7-8 (and potentially play New Orleans again), but if they lose, they could fall all the way to 10th.
Sacramento (vs. Portland) is better positioned to catch the Lakers, with Golden State (vs. Utah) needing a win and losses from the Lakers and Kings to avoid the game 9-10.
PROJECTED WESTERN CONFERENCE PLAYOFFS BRACKET (before final day games)
Play-in tournament
No. 8 Lakers vs. No. 7 Suns (April 16)
No. 10 Warriors vs. No. 9 Kings (April 17)
Winner 9/10 to loser 7/8 (April 19)
First round
No. 1 Thunder vs. No. 8 seed (Suns/Lakers/Kings/Warriors)
No. 2 Timberwolves vs. No. 7 seed (Suns/Lakers)
No. 3 Nuggets vs. No. 6 Pelicans
No. 4 Clippers vs. No. 5 Mavericks
