On the last day of the NBA regular season, the young Oklahoma City Thunder secured first place in the Western Conference with a dominant 135-86 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. Needing a win to avoid being overtaken by the Denver Nuggets or the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Thunder emerged victorious with a final record of 57 wins and 25 losses.
Defending champions, the Nuggets finished with the same record as the Thunder but lagged behind due to losing three of their four direct matches this season. The Timberwolves missed out on a playoff spot by falling to the Phoenix Suns 125-106.
In other playoff positioning news, the Lakers clinched eighth place with a 124-108 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans, powered by a triple-double from LeBron James. The Lakers will face off against the Pelicans in a play-in game, with the winner advancing to play the Nuggets in the first round.
Additionally, the New York Knicks claimed second place in the Eastern Conference after a thrilling 120-119 overtime victory against the Chicago Bulls. The Knicks will face either the Philadelphia 76ers or the Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs.
The NBA playoff playoffs schedule has been set, with the Lakers taking on the Pelicans and the Knicks facing either the 76ers or the Heat in the first play-in games on April 16 and 17. The first round of the playoffs is set to begin on April 19, with matchups including the Thunder against the Nuggets and the Clippers against the Mavericks in the Western Conference, and the Celtics facing the Knicks or the Bucks in the Eastern Conference. Stay tuned for all the exciting playoff action as the NBA season heats up.