With 81 games played, Sunday’s final day of regular-season action is a crucial step towards determining the playoff landscape. While the Eastern Conference has already locked in all 10 spots, the Western Conference is still up for grabs.
The top two seeds are secured: the Thunder have guaranteed home-court advantage throughout the playoffs with a win over New Orleans, while the Rockets will join them after beating Houston and locking in home-court advantage across the opening two rounds. The Lakers have solidified their third seed spot.
However, several teams are still fighting for playoff positioning. Denver controls its destiny by beating the Rockets, which would secure home-court advantage in the first round. The Clippers, who won in Sacramento, need a win against the Warriors to stay on track and potentially grab the fourth seed.
The Timberwolves can guarantee a top-six spot with a win over the Utah Jazz, but their playoff fate is still uncertain due to late-game developments. The Grizzlies’ loss to the Nuggets has pushed them into the eighth spot, making it difficult for them to escape the play-in.
In the East, all 10 spots have been locked in after Friday’s results. The draft lottery standings remain unchanged, with Utah and Washington tied at the bottom of the league’s worst record.
Source: https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/44637552/nba-playoffs-spots-lottery-odds-decided-final-day-regular-season