The NBA regular season is nearing its end, with just one game day remaining on Sunday, April 12th (which will be Monday in European time). However, all spots for the playoffs and play-in tournaments have already been secured. The Atlanta Hawks and Toronto Raptors were the last to clinch their playoff berths, and now only the seeding for some postseason games, including home-court advantage, is up for grabs.
Friday’s games saw the Lakers defeat the Phoenix Suns 101-73, with LeBron James becoming the fourth player in NBA history to achieve over 12,000 career assists. In another notable performance, Victor Wembanyama scored 40 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for the San Antonio Spurs against the Dallas Mavericks, in a 139-120 victory. He has now played the required 65 games to be eligible for the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. Nikola Jokic missed Friday’s game but is set to play on Sunday against the Spurs with the Denver Nuggets, ensuring he also meets the controversial 65-game threshold.
NBA Teams Eliminated from Postseason Contention:
Western Conference:
- New Orleans Pelicans
- Memphis Grizzlies
- Dallas Mavericks
- Sacramento Kings
- Utah Jazz
Eastern Conference:
- Milwaukee Bucks
- Chicago Bulls
- Brooklyn Nets
- Indiana Pacers
- Washington Wizards
As of now, the play-in tournament matchups, scheduled from April 15th to 18th, will determine the final two teams to advance to the playoffs:
Western Conference Play-In Duels:
- (7) Phoenix Suns vs. (8) Portland Trail Blazers
- (9) LA Clippers vs. (10) Golden State Warriors
Eastern Conference Play-In Duels:
- (7) Orlando Magic vs. (8) Philadelphia 76ers
- (9) Charlotte Hornets vs. (10) Miami Heat
Here is the current projected playoff bracket:
Western Conference Playoff Bracket:
- (1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (8) Play-in Tournament Winner
- (2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (7) Play-in Tournament Winner
- (3) Denver Nuggets vs. (6) Minnesota Timberwolves
- (4) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (5) Houston Rockets
Eastern Conference Playoff Bracket:
- (1) Detroit Pistons vs. (8) Play-in Tournament Winner
- (2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Play-in Tournament Winner
- (3) New York Knicks vs. (6) Toronto Raptors
- (4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks