
It's the final day of the NBA regular season, with crucial games impacting playoff positions, play-in scenarios, and draft lottery standings.
What NBA games matter today? How final regular season schedule impacts playoff picture originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
It's the final day of the NBA regular season.
There are still plenty of games that matter for the NBA's playoff picture, play-in scenarios and even draft lottery standings.
Here, we break it all down.
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We'll list what's significant in each of the 15 games, start times listed ET:
The Raptors could finish anywhere from 5-8 seed in the East. They're guaranteed top-6 with a win, and can be fifth if both Atlanta and Orlando lose.
The Nets are locked into a bottom-three draft lottery spot, which all have the same odds for first.
The Hornets host the 9-10 play-in game with a win, but if they lose and Miami wins, they travel to the Heat.
The Knicks are locked into the 3-seed.
The Hawks clinch the 5-seed with a win, but can drop to 6-seed with a loss.
The Heat are in the 9-10 game, and they host it with a win and a Hornets loss.
The Cavs are locked into the 4-seed.
The Wizards are locked into the NBA's worst record.
The Celtics are locked into the 2-seed.
For the Magic to get the 6-seed and avoid the play-in, they need a win and a Raptors loss. Otherwise they'll be in the 7-8 game.
The Bucks are in the lottery no matter what.
The 76ers are in the 7-8 game unless they win with losses by Orlando and Toronto.
Detroit is locked into the 1-seed.
Indiana is locked into a bottom-three record, which comes with joint top lottery odds.
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The Warriors are locked into the 10-seed and a road play-in game.
The Clippers host the Warriors unless they win and the Blazers lose, a case in which they'd move up to 8-seed.
The Lakers are the 3-seed if they win and Denver loses. Otherwise they're the 4.
The Jazz can have as good as the fourth-best lottery odds if they lose.
The Bulls are in the lottery no matter what and can only shift by one spot based on a loss or win.
The Mavericks can also shift by a spot in the lottery depending on result.
Houston is locked into the 5-seed.
A Memphis loss does keep them in a better lottery spot, while a win would shift them potentially a couple places.
Minnesota is locked into the 6-seed.
The Pelicans can still shift into better lottery position with a loss.
Sacramento can be either fourth- or fifth-best lottery odds.
The Blazers are the 8-seed with a win, or the 9-seed with a loss and Clippers win.
These teams are both locked in: OKC to the 1-seed, Phoenix to the 7-seed.
The Nuggets clinch the 3-seed with a win but can drop to 4 with a loss and Lakers win.
The Spurs are set as the 2-seed.
Several games today are pivotal for determining playoff positions, with teams fighting for their spots in the postseason.
The final regular season schedule directly influences playoff seeding and potential matchups, as teams aim to secure favorable positions.
Play-in scenarios involve teams ranked 7th to 10th competing for the final playoff spots, with today's games determining who qualifies.
The outcomes of today's games can affect draft lottery standings, influencing which teams have better odds for higher draft picks.


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