![Stephen Curry Golden State Warriors New Orleans Pelicans NBA](https://sports.inquirer.net/files/2024/04/AP24104177988396-1-scaled.jpg)
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) reacts after missing a shot during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday, April 12, 2024, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vasquez)
Maybe it's parity. Maybe it's chaos.
In any case, on the last day, NBA The regular season should be wild.
Oklahoma City, Minnesota, and Denver all have a chance to take first place in the NBA Western Conference. In the Eastern Conference, all seeds from No. 2 to No. 8 are at stake. Sunday's schedule, featuring all 30 teams, will determine nine seeds, three brackets for the first round of the playoffs, and three brackets for the play-in.
Phoenix guard Devin Booker said, „There are so many possibilities and so many different things that can happen that you have to stick to your team. Otherwise you're going to watch other games and hope and pray. I would go crazy,“ he said. „So either way we're going to be matched up with someone and we have to be ready for that.“
Final day primer:
what we know
Boston is No. 1 in the East; Maintain home court advantage throughout the NBA Playoffs. The Los Angeles Clippers are in fourth place in the West Division and will face fifth-place Dallas in the opening game of the playoffs. No. 9 Chicago will then play No. 10 Atlanta in an East play-in elimination game on Tuesday or Wednesday.
The final games of the season will be played Sunday in Brooklyn, Toronto, Charlotte, Washington, Detroit, Houston, Utah, Memphis, San Antonio and Portland.
Everything else is still up in the air.
West 1-3
![Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Nikola Jokic NBA MVP Favorite](https://sports.inquirer.net/files/2024/02/063_1753036435-1.jpg)
![Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Nikola Jokic NBA MVP Favorite](https://sports.inquirer.net/files/2024/02/063_1753036435-1.jpg)
Oklahoma City Thunder No. 2 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drives over Denver Nuggets No. 15 Nikola Jokic during the first quarter of a game at Paycom Center on October 29, 2023 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. trying to overtake. Joshua Gately/Getty Images/AFP
Candidates: Oklahoma City, Minnesota, Denver.
Schedule: Phoenix at Minnesota, Denver at Memphis, Dallas at Oklahoma City.
Outlook: This will be the first time in the conference's final day that all three teams have the same record (56-25) and will qualify for the No. 1 seed.
The only scenario is nuggets Both the Timberwolves and Thunder will need wins or losses to earn the No. 1 seed.
The Timberwolves will earn the No. 1 seed with a 1-1 record against either the Nuggets or Thunder.
Oklahoma City would earn the No. 1 seed if all three teams win, or if all three teams lose, or if they win one and the Timberwolves lose.
Quote: „Big exponential leaps come from small incremental steps.“ —Oklahoma City coach Mark Dainot after the Thunder's win on Friday. OKC increased its win total by 16 last year and did it again this season.
East 2-4
Candidates: Milwaukee, New York, Cleveland.
Schedule: Milwaukee at Orlando, Chicago at New York, Charlotte at Cleveland.
Outlook: For the Bucks, it's simple. A win in Orlando would give Milwaukee the No. 2 seed. If the Bulls and Hornets also win, the Bucks will lose and finish in second place.
New York can take second place with one win and one loss against Milwaukee. Cleveland's only path to second place is through wins and losses against Milwaukee and New York.
Quote: „A scouting nightmare. We know it's going to be between 2 and 4, that's for sure. We don't know anything else. …The good news is, no matter what, Game 1 will be at home. — Milwaukee coach Doc Rivers.
East 5-8
![Jimmy Butler Heat beat Rockets NBA](https://sports.inquirer.net/files/2024/04/AP24097026612446-scaled.jpg)
![Jimmy Butler Heat beat Rockets NBA](https://sports.inquirer.net/files/2024/04/AP24097026612446-scaled.jpg)
Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler dribbles the ball as Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game on Friday, April 5, 2024, in Houston. right). (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)
Candidates: Orlando, Indiana, Philadelphia, Miami.
Schedule: Orlando at Milwaukee, Indiana at Atlanta, Philadelphia at Brooklyn, Miami at Toronto.
Outlook: Really ridiculous. All four teams have a chance to finish him fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth. Obviously, the two will miss the play-in tournament entirely and go straight to the playoffs.
If Orlando wins, they will advance to the playoffs. The Magic would be in fifth place if the Pacers win one game, or the Hawks and Nets win one game, or if all four competing teams lose.
If Indiana wins, they will advance to the playoffs. The Pacers moved up to 5th place with 1 win and 1 loss.
The only way Philadelphia can get to No. 5 is if they win and Indiana lose.
And current East champion Miami (who advanced to the NBA Finals from the play-ins last year) has only one path to fifth place. It's about winning and watching the other three teams lose. The Heat are 1-1 and could move up to No. 6 if the 76ers and Pacers go 1-1 on Sunday.
Quote: „We are still in control of our own destiny.“ — Orlando coach Jamal Mosley, then Magic lost to Philadelphia on Friday night.
waist 6 and 7
Candidates: New Orleans, Phoenix.
Schedule: Los Angeles Lakers vs. New Orleans, Phoenix vs. Minnesota.
Outlook: For the Suns to move up to No. 6, Phoenix must win and Pelicans must lose. Otherwise, Phoenix is play-inbound at No. 7 and New Orleans is play-in bound at No. 6.
Quote: „Let's go to the Lakers.“ — Phoenix guard Devin Booker.
West 8 to 10
Candidates: Sacramento, Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State.
Schedule: Portland at Sacramento, Lakers at New Orleans, Utah at Golden State.
Outlook: If the Lakers win, they will be the No. 8 seed. If both the Kings and Warriors lose, the Lakers could remain in eighth place despite the loss.
Golden State's only path to eighth place is one win plus wins over Portland and Utah. The Warriors could reach ninth place and host one play-in game if either the Lakers or Kings win or lose.
Sacramento moves up to 8th place with 1 win and 1 loss against the Lakers.
Quote: „Of course, seeds matter. But wherever you fall, you accept the challenge.“ — Lakers forward LeBron James.
race to the bottom
No matter what happens Sunday, Washington and Detroit will both finish below .200.
This season marks the fifth time in NBA history that two teams have performed this badly, and the first since New Jersey and Minnesota pulled off the ignominious feat in 2009-10. It happened in 1998-99 (Vancouver and Clippers), 1997-98 (Denver and Toronto) and 1996-97 (Vancouver and Boston).
Impact on the draft
Detroit, Washington and the league's third-worst team each have the highest probability of hitting next month's draft lottery at 14%. If Charlotte loses in Cleveland, the Hornets also have a 14% chance of winning.
Of course, a loss doesn't guarantee the Hornets the No. 1 pick, but a win increases their chances of getting out of the lottery outside of the top three, potentially earning them a pick as low as No. 9. There is also gender.