Knicks clinch East’s No. 2 seed for NBA playoffs as matchups shake out

In consequence, the East’s seeding order will likely be No. 1 Boston, No. 2 New York, No. 3 Milwaukee, No. 4 Cleveland, No. 5 Orlando, No. 6 Indiana, No. 7 Philadelphia, No. 8 Miami, No. 9 Chicago and No. 10 Atlanta. The highest six seeds claimed assured playoff spots; the 76ers, Warmth, Bulls and Hawks will compete within the play-in event for the East’s ultimate two spots.

Within the West, the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder blew out the Dallas Mavericks to safe the highest seed, edging the Denver Nuggets, who beat the Memphis Grizzlies to complete second, and the Minnesota Timberwolves, who dropped to 3rd with a loss to the Phoenix Suns. The Suns’ victory and the Los Angeles Lakers’ street win over the New Orleans Pelicans moved Kevin Durant’s Suns into the No. 6 seed and dropped the Pelicans to No. 7. LeBron James’s Lakers secured the No. 8 seed with their win.

With the season full, the West’s seeding order will likely be No. 1 Oklahoma Metropolis, No. 2 Denver, No. 3 Minnesota, No. 4 Los Angeles Clippers, No. 5 Dallas, No. 6. Phoenix, No. 7 New Orleans, No. 8 Lakers, No. 9 Sacramento and No. 10 Golden State.

Within the East, the Bucks and Pacers will face off within the first spherical of the playoffs in a rematch of an in-season event semifinal, whereas the Cavaliers and Magic additionally will meet within the first spherical. The Knicks will face the winner of the play-in recreation between the 76ers and Warmth. The winner of the play-in recreation between the Bulls and Hawks will face the loser of the 76ers-Warmth recreation for the precise to face the Celtics within the first spherical.

The West’s first-round collection will function the Timberwolves vs. the Suns and the Clippers vs. the Mavericks. The Nuggets will face the winner of the play-in recreation between the Pelicans and Lakers. The winner of the play-in recreation between the Kings and Warriors will face the loser of the Pelicans-Lakers recreation, with the winner advancing to face the Thunder within the first spherical.

Sunday’s most dramatic leads to the East have been New York’s tense win over Chicago, Orlando’s 113-88 victory over Milwaukee and Charlotte’s 120-110 upset of Cleveland. By snapping a three-game dropping streak, the Magic reached the playoffs for the primary time since 2020.

The Bucks, who have been with out star Giannis Antetokounmpo due to a calf harm, ended the season by dropping eight of their final 11 video games to fall out of the No. 2 seed. However Milwaukee’s late-season dip allowed it to keep away from a attainable first-round matchup with Philadelphia, which just lately welcomed again 2023 MVP Joel Embiid from a knee harm, or Miami, the reigning Japanese Convention champion. Embiid didn’t play in the course of the 76ers’ 107-86 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday.

Cavaliers stars Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland didn’t play in Sunday’s loss to the lowly Hornets. For Cleveland, which misplaced within the first spherical of final 12 months’s playoffs to New York, dropping to the No. 4 seed units up a comparatively favorable first-round date with Orlando.

The Suns’ 125-106 upset of the Timberwolves in Minnesota and the Lakers’ 124-108 victory over the Pelicans have been the West’s most consequential finales. By beating Minnesota, Phoenix secured a assured playoff spot.

If the Lakers had misplaced to the Pelicans, they’d have confronted a do-or-die recreation in opposition to the Warriors in San Francisco on Tuesday. As a substitute, they’ll have two probabilities to win a play-in recreation and qualify for the playoffs. The Lakers closed robust by successful 11 of their ultimate 14 video games, however all-star ahead Anthony Davis departed early Sunday with again tightness. Davis instructed reporters that he expects to play Tuesday.

The Kings’ 121-82 victory over the Portland Path Blazers ensured they’d host the Warriors within the West’s No. 9 vs. No. 10 play-in recreation Tuesday. Golden State opted to relaxation Stephen Curry and Draymond Inexperienced for its season finale in preparation for the play-in spherical. The Warriors eradicated the Kings from the primary spherical of final 12 months’s playoffs when Curry scored 50 factors in a Recreation 7 win in Sacramento.