15.04.2024
Boston Celtics 132 - 122 Washington Wizards
Payton Pritchard scored a career-high 38 points, leading the Celtics to a 132-122 win over the Wizards in their regular-season finale. Pritchard also had 12 assists and 9 rebounds, narrowly missing a triple-double like he did last year. The Celtics clinched their 15th season with 60 or more wins, the first time since 2008. With their entire starting lineup rested, Boston looks ahead to the playoffs with high expectations. The Wizards, on the other hand, missed the playoffs for the fifth time in six seasons despite a strong effort from Eugene Omoruyi and Jared Butler. Pritchard, who played all 82 games this season, showcased his scoring ability with 14 points in just under 3 minutes before halftime. Next, the Celtics will await their first-round playoff opponent while the Wizards' season comes to an end.
Cleveland Cavaliers 110 - 120 Charlotte Hornets
In Steve Clifford's final game as Charlotte coach, the Hornets beat the playoff-bound Cavaliers 120-110, with Nick Smith Jr. scoring a season-high 24 points. Max Strus recorded his first career triple-double for Cleveland, but the Cavaliers rested key players and finished fourth in the East, securing home-court advantage in the playoffs. JT Thor had a career-high 20 points for the Hornets, while Clifford, who will likely become an advisor for the franchise, praised his team's effort in the final game of the season. Cavaliers forward Pete Nance made his NBA debut with a 3-pointer, and coach J.B. Bickerstaff focused on giving younger players unique experiences in the game..faceVertexUvs
Indiana Pacers 157 - 115 Atlanta Hawks
Myles Turner scored 31 points and Pascal Siakam added 28 as the Indiana Pacers defeated the Atlanta Hawks 157-115 to secure the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference and avoid the play-in tournament. Dejounte Murray had 32 points for the Hawks, who will face the Chicago Bulls in the play-in tournament. Tyrese Haliburton, playing in his first postseason, contributed 12 points and 13 assists for the Pacers, who shot 65% and made 19 of 36 3-pointers in their highest-scoring game since joining the NBA in 1976. The Pacers will now face the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the playoffs.
Miami Heat 118 - 103 Toronto Raptors
The Miami Heat wrapped up their regular season with a 118-103 win over the Toronto Raptors, led by Thomas Bryant and Jaime Jaquez Jr. who each scored 18 points. Miami now heads to the play-in tournament to secure a playoff spot, with the winner getting the No. 7 seed. The Raptors finished with a disappointing 25-57 record, missing the playoffs. The Heat dominated the second quarter, outscoring the Raptors 43-22 to build a big halftime lead. Miami is now prepared for a tough matchup against Philadelphia in the play-in tournament.
New York Knicks 120 - 119 Chicago Bulls
Jalen Brunson's 40-point performance led the Knicks to clinch the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 120-119 overtime win against the Bulls. This victory marked the Knicks' best season since 2012-13, finishing at 50-32. Brunson's impressive regular season included tying Patrick Ewing for the second-most 40-point games in one season by a Knicks player and tying Carmelo Anthony for the third-most 30-point games in franchise history. Despite missing Julius Randle since January, the Knicks finished strong with a five-game winning streak. The Bulls, on the other hand, finished ninth in the East and will have to fight for a playoff spot through the play-in tournament.
Orlando Magic 113 - 88 Milwaukee Bucks
The Orlando Magic secured the fifth spot in the Eastern Conference with a 113-88 win over the Milwaukee Bucks, led by Paolo Banchero's 26 points and Franz Wagner's 25 points in the season finale. Jonathan Isaac had a strong defensive performance in his second start of the season, helping the Magic finish as the fifth seed and earn a playoff spot against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Magic, who won the Southeast Division by one game over Miami, will make their first playoff appearance since 2020 and are eager to compete after years of struggles. Milwaukee, playing without Giannis Antetokounmpo, finished third in the East and will face Indiana in the first round.
Philadelphia 76ers 107 - 86 Brooklyn Nets
The Philadelphia 76ers zip past the Brooklyn Nets 107-86 as Joel Embiid sits out due to a knee injury, with Tyrese Maxey scoring 26 points and Tobias Harris adding 21 points. The win secures the Sixers a spot in the play-in tournament, where they will face Miami for the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference. Embiid is expected to return for the crucial matchup against the Heat, with the loser facing either Atlanta or Chicago. Despite a season of injuries, the Sixers finished strong and look to make a playoff run with a healthy Embiid. Former stars Allen Iverson and Julius Erving watch the victory, while the Nets look towards next season after a challenging year.
Memphis Grizzlies 111 - 126 Denver Nuggets
The defending champion Denver Nuggets secured the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference with a 126-111 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, matching a franchise high for wins at 57. Christian Braun scored 19 points and Aaron Gordon added 15 for the Nuggets, while Jamal Murray had 21 points and Nikola Jokic had 15 points and 15 rebounds. GG Jackson led Memphis with a career-high 44 points, finishing the season on a five-game skid, as the Grizzlies ended up 13th in the West. Despite injuries derailing their season, Denver's regular starters played in the game as they now prepare to face either the New Orleans Pelicans or the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the playoffs.
Minnesota Timberwolves 106 - 125 Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns secured the No. 6 seed in the playoffs by defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves 125-106, with Bradley Beal scoring 36 points and Devin Booker adding 23. The win means the Suns will face the Timberwolves in the first round, having won all three games against them this season. Both teams finished the regular season with strong records, but the Wolves struggled with turnovers and poor shooting in this matchup, leading to a heated exchange between Beal and coach Chris Finch. The Suns' hot shooting and aggressive defense pose a challenge for the Wolves in the upcoming series.
New Orleans Pelicans 108 - 124 Los Angeles Lakers
LeBron James led the Lakers to a 124-108 victory over the Pelicans with a triple-double performance, securing the eighth seed in the Western Conference. Anthony Davis also had a strong game for the Lakers, but left briefly with a back injury. The Lakers dominated in the paint and will face the Pelicans again in a play-in rematch. Zion Williamson was held to 12 points by James' defense, while the Pelicans struggled to find their rhythm. The winner of Tuesday's rematch will secure the seventh seed in the playoffs.
Oklahoma City Thunder 135 - 86 Dallas Mavericks
The Oklahoma City Thunder dominated the Dallas Mavericks 135-86 to secure the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, tying with the Denver Nuggets but owning the tiebreaker. Despite being the third-youngest team in the league, the Thunder's focus on daily improvement has led them to their best record since the 2012-13 season. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 15 points in one half, leading the Thunder to a season-high 82 points in the first half. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving were among the four Mavericks starters rested, with the team already clinching the No. 5 seed for the playoffs. The Thunder will await the conclusion of the Play-In Tournament to learn their first-round opponent.
San Antonio Spurs 123 - 95 Detroit Pistons
The short-handed Spurs defeated the injury-depleted Pistons 123-95 in their final game of the disappointing season, with Sandro Mamukelashvili scoring 18 points and Zach Collins injuring his shoulder early in the second half. San Antonio finished on an upswing, winning seven of their final 11 games, while Detroit ended with the worst record in franchise history. Despite missing several key players, the Spurs shot 54% from the field and had eight players scoring in double figures, showcasing their resilience throughout the season.
Golden State Warriors 123 - 116 Utah Jazz
The Golden State Warriors defeated the Utah Jazz 123-116 in their regular-season finale despite resting Draymond Green and Stephen Curry, securing the 10th seed in the Western Conference. Klay Thompson scored 25 points, Andrew Wiggins added 19, and Chris Paul filled in for Curry with six points and six assists. The Warriors will face the Sacramento Kings in the Play-In Tournament, aiming to replicate their success from last year's playoffs. Utah, with Will Hardy expressing the need for reevaluation, closed the season with a 31-51 record. The Warriors, with a strong team chemistry and record of 36 games with 30+ assists, are prepared for the challenge ahead in the postseason.
LA Clippers 105 - 116 Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets defeated the playoff-bound Los Angeles Clippers 116-105, led by rookies Cam Whitmore and Amen Thompson. Whitmore scored 21 points while Thompson recorded a triple-double with 18 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. The win allowed the Rockets to finish their season at .500 and avoid a fourth straight losing season. The Clippers, missing Kawhi Leonard, faced their first three-game losing streak since James Harden joined the team, with Coach Tyronn Lue giving vague answers about Leonard's status for the upcoming playoffs. Xavier Moon, in his first career start for the Clippers, impressed with 14 points while 7-foot-4 Boban Marjanovic amused fans by intentionally missing free throws for free chicken sandwiches.
Sacramento Kings 121 - 82 Portland Trail Blazers
The Sacramento Kings defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 121-82 in the regular season finale, securing at least one more home game in the play-in tournament. De'Aaron Fox led the Kings with 24 points, while Domantas Sabonis notched his 77th double-double of the season. The Blazers, missing 10 key players, struggled with their 3-point shooting, going 7 for 45 from beyond the arc. Portland finished the season tied for the third-worst record in the NBA with 61 losses. Sacramento now prepares to face the Golden State Warriors in a rematch of last year's first-round series.