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Tim BontempsESPN
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated after 76ers’ Win 133-120 overtake the Pacers and Warriors’ Win 100-94 against Spurs on Saturday.
The final day of the NBA season has arrived and all we know is 24 hours of chaos ahead.
Thanks to a messy seeding picture in both conferences, only a handful of seeds were decided. Here’s a quick recap of it all, starting with the crowded top spot of the Eastern Conference rankings.
THAN: NBA Rankings | Weekend schedule | How play-in works
Who will finish 2-3-4 in the East?
The Miami Heat claimed the top seed in the Eastern playoffs on Thursday night. However, three teams are behind them – Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers – can be completed in any order.
After defeating Detroit Pistons Friday night, the Bucks control their fate. A win last Sunday Cleveland Cavaliers – more on them below – or the Celtics’ loss in Memphis to the Grizzlies, which will ensure Milwaukee gets the second seed.
However, a loss to Cleveland would open the door for the Celtics to take second place with a win over Memphis. That combination will help Boston earn a second seed based on Thursday tiebreaker: have a better record than Milwaukee against Eastern playoff teams.
Philadelphia, meanwhile, needs Sunday’s win over Detroit and needs Boston to lose to finish third. The 76ers couldn’t finish higher than third, as they lost to Milwaukee head-to-head Milwaukee (who won the season series) and can now only draw the Bucks in victory. Philadelphia also lost to Boston (the team with the better ranking record).
The Toronto Raptors get the fifth seed with the first win Houston Rockets on friday night, which means Chicago Bulls there will be the sixth seed. Having to be fully vaccinated to play in Toronto could affect the 76ers. Matisse Thybullewho has not publicly commented on whether he was immunized against COVID-19 – has listed as “not eligible to play” in Thursday’s loss there.
Pictures of playing games
The East’s play-in tournament race has as much excitement as the battle between the top teams of the conference – especially with the stars brooklyn network find themselves in it. After Brooklyn’s win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night, the Nets are in the driver’s seat seventh, which will claim Sunday’s win over Indiana. The Cavaliers, meanwhile, will be eighth if they beat the Bucks on Sunday at home.
If either team loses, it opens the door for Atlanta or Charlotte to take eighth place. Atlanta goes to Houston on Sunday, while Charlotte hosts Washington Wizards.
Here’s where things get wild:
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Brooklyn has a head-to-head tiebreak against Atlanta, Charlotte has a head-to-head tiebreak against Brooklyn and Atlanta has a head-to-head tiebreak against Charlotte, all thanks to a better division record. Cleveland lost to all three other teams.
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If Brooklyn and Cleveland both lose, and Atlanta and Charlotte both win – creating a four-way draw – then Brooklyn will be seventh, Atlanta eighth, Charlotte ninth and Cleveland 10th.
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If Brooklyn wins, Cleveland loses and Atlanta and Charlotte both win, creating a three-way tie for eighth place, it will be in that order.
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If Cleveland wins, Brooklyn loses, and both Atlanta and Charlotte win, Cleveland will be seventh, Charlotte eighth, Brooklyn ninth, and Atlanta 10th.
Full Analysis of Eastern Conference Qualifiers Seed Scenario ️https://t.co/SjStCaMXcr pic.twitter.com/9zlsOUMzsT
– NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 9, 2022
The battle for seeds in the West
During the Western Conference, Golden Empire Warriors is a game on Dallas Mavericks for third place. Since Dallas held the championship against the Warriors on the back of a series win, Golden State will have to get past Dallas to continue in third place.
The Warriors can ensure that by winning Sunday in New Orleans. Otherwise, Golden State will need Dallas to lose Sunday to San Antonio.
It was an equally tight battle for Thursday and Friday, with Utah Jazz and Denver Nuggets tied with 48-33 matching records towards the final day of the season. However, with Utah wiping out the season streak, the Jazz will be fifth seed if they beat Portland Sunday, or if Denver loses. Los Angeles Lakers.
Meanwhile, the Nuggets will need both a loss to Utah and a win over the Lakers to place 5th overall.
