Sunday 4/13 NBA Game Thread - Final Day of the Regular Season!

[bisme37]

Where does the time go you guys it's the final day of the 2024-25 NBA Regular Season!


Here's where we are after Friday's games:

Spoiler:

- The East postseason field is set with all 10 teams locked in their seeds following Friday night, with the Bucks having a good night
- East Playoffs: The Pacers’ loss locked the Knicks at 3 and the Pacers at 4. The Bucks’ win over the Pistons locked them at 5 and 6, respectively
- 2 East playoff matchups are now known: (3) Knicks vs. (6) Pistons and (4) Pacers vs. (5) Bucks
- East Play-In: The Hawks’ win clinched the 8 seed. The Bulls’ win clinched the 9 seed as they hold the tiebreaker over the Heat
- The Celtics joined OKC and CLE and the three 60 win teams this season

And in the West:
- The Lakers clinched the 3 seed in the West with a win over the Rockets
- The Grizzlies are locked in the West Play-In (as the 7 or 8 seed) with a loss to the Nuggets
- Seven seeds remain up for grabs in the West – three Playoff spots, four Play-In spots – entering the final day of the regular season
- And Nikola Jokić will become the 3rd player in NBA history (and first center) to average a triple-double for a full season

...

And here's what at stake on Sunday:

(All West games at 1 ET)
- Clippers at Warriors on ESPN: A Clippers win can clinch the 4 seed (with a DEN loss) or the 5 seed (with a DEN win). A Clippers loss can drop them as low as 7th (with DEN & MIN wins). A Warriors win clinches the 6 seed. A Warriors loss can drop them to 7th (with a MIN win)
- Nuggets at Rockets: The Nuggets clinch the 4 seed with a win and can drop as low as 6th with a loss
- Jazz at Timberwolves: A Wolves win clinches a Playoff berth. The Wolves can finish as high as 4th with a win and as low as 8th with a loss (with a MEM win)
- Mavericks at Grizzlies: The Grizzlies can finish as high as 7th with a win (and MIN loss) or as low as 8th (with a loss OR a MIN win). The Mavs can finish 9th with a win (and SAC loss) or 10th (with a loss OR SAC win)
- Suns at Kings: The Kings clinch 9 seed with a win, but can drop to 10th with a loss (and DAL win)

7 spots still undetermined in the West:
- DEN, LAC, GSW, MIN battling for final 3 automatic playoff spot
- DEN, LAC, MIN all still alive for 4-seed
- GSW can finish in 6 or 7 spot
- MEM can finish in 7 or 8 spot
- 9-seed still up for grabs for SAC and DAL


Thanks to all my RGM pals for making this season a fun one. Enjoy the games and go your team!

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

[UcanUwill]

I just watched two Lithuanian league games. I don't do that, but I made a bet so I watched. The level there is so bad, the most apparent in the passing, players of that level make such terrible passes that NBA and EL players just do not do at all, I have seen multiple passes that hit the net or the rim, guys running into defense, panicking and passing straight to the other team. It was awful, I also lost a bet so I am also pissed lol.

As for NBA, I am washed, I can't contain information in my head so I am not following all these possible scenarios I would do in the past. I will wake up on Monday and just check the table, thats the plan.

[Patches Perry]

I'm picking:
Denver
Memphis
Minnesota
Golden State

Which will lead to:
1-8 matchup - Thunder vs. loser of LAC/MEM or winner of DAL/SAC
2-7 matchup - Rockets vs. winner of LAC/MEM
3-6 matchup - Lakers vs. Warriors
4-5 matchup - Nuggets vs. Timberwolves

Lakers/Warriors and Nuggets/Twolves would be insane for 1st round.

[Johnny Tomala]

Rockets, Grizzlies, Timberwolves, Clippers, Kings.

[Chuck Everett]

I kind of think it's absolutely ridiculous the entire playoff bracket of the Eastern Conference is locked before the last game of the season. Just last year, seeds 2-8 were influx and the matchups were undetermined. What a difference a year makes.

[rockmanslim]

No games today wtf?

What are we going to do? There's no words!

[Patches Perry]

No games today wtf?

What are we going to do? There's no words!

Get your rest, take your vitamins, eat some food, hydrate. We have a long 2 months ahead of us.

[SlimShady83]

Bucks, Bulls, Heat, Pacers, Knicks, Hornets, Hawks, Kings, Always Lakers,GSW, Tor, OKC, Wolves, Mavs, Hou,

[bisme37]

It's weird because I'm obviously used to the Play-in existing at this point, but my brain still thinks the top 8 make the playoffs, and I keep having to remind myself there's a Play-in.

[bisme37]

Anthony Edwards is no longer suspended for the Jazz game

Read on Twitter

[GeorgeSears]

scenario 1:if Nuggets, Warriors, and TWolves all win:

4. Nuggets
5. TWolves
6. Warriors

scenario 2: If Nuggets lose, Warriors win, TWolves win (4-way tie):

4th – Timberwolves (.727 H2H win %)
5th – Nuggets (.455) (wins 2-way tiebreak over Warriors)
6th – Warriors (.455)
7th – Clippers (.364)

scenario 3: If Nuggets lose, Warriors lose, TWolves win:

4th – Clippers (50–32)
5th – Timberwolves (49–33, 4–0 vs Nuggets)
6th – Nuggets (49–33, 0–4 vs Timberwolves)
7th – Warriors (48–34)

scenario 4: If Nuggets win, Warriors lose, TWolves win:

4th – Nuggets
5th – Clippers
6th – Timberwolves
7th – Warriors

[JVC1011]

Spoiler:

If Nuggets, Warriors, and TWolves all win:

4. Nuggets
5. Warriors
6. TWolves


If Nuggets lose, Warriors win, TWolves win:

4. TWolves
5. Warriors
6. Nuggets

If Nuggets lose, Warriors lose, TWolves win:

4. TWolves
5. Nuggets
6. Clippers

If Nuggets win, Warriors lose, TWolves win:

4. Nuggets
5. TWolves
6. Clippers


Basically, it's a foregone conclusion that the TWolves will beat the Jazz. Which means the best the Clippers can hope for is the 6th seed if they win.

My guess is that the Rockets will bench all their starters and the Nuggets will play all of their starters, which improves their chances of getting the 4 seed.

Read on Twitter

/photo/1

This says clippers cannot finish 6th

[Tomhomes33]

Denver and Minny will win..no doubt about it..so its all about Warriors vs Clippers

[GeorgeSears]

Spoiler:

If Nuggets, Warriors, and TWolves all win:

4. Nuggets
5. Warriors
6. TWolves


If Nuggets lose, Warriors win, TWolves win:

4. TWolves
5. Warriors
6. Nuggets

If Nuggets lose, Warriors lose, TWolves win:

4. TWolves
5. Nuggets
6. Clippers

If Nuggets win, Warriors lose, TWolves win:

4. Nuggets
5. TWolves
6. Clippers


Basically, it's a foregone conclusion that the TWolves will beat the Jazz. Which means the best the Clippers can hope for is the 6th seed if they win.

My guess is that the Rockets will bench all their starters and the Nuggets will play all of their starters, which improves their chances of getting the 4 seed.

Read on Twitter

/photo/1

This says clippers cannot finish 6th

You're correct, my mistake, I didn't realize that the Clippers have 49 wins. I assumed they were at 48.

In that case...

scenario 1:if Nuggets, Warriors, and TWolves all win:

4. Nuggets
5. TWolves
6. Warriors

scenario 2: If Nuggets lose, Warriors win, TWolves win (4-way tie):

4th – Timberwolves (.727 H2H win %)
5th – Nuggets (.455) (wins 2-way tiebreak over Warriors)
6th – Warriors (.455)
7th – Clippers (.364)

scenario 3: If Nuggets lose, Warriors lose, TWolves win:

4th – Clippers (50–32)
5th – Timberwolves (49–33, 4–0 vs Nuggets)
6th – Nuggets (49–33, 0–4 vs Timberwolves)
7th – Warriors (48–34)

scenario 4: If Nuggets win, Warriors lose, TWolves win:

4th – Nuggets
5th – Clippers
6th – Timberwolves
7th – Warriors

[mediocrityrules]

The eastern conference games will all be g-league level of quality. Everyone in the conference will be resting.

[jym85]

this has to be the best chart I've seen

[sp6r=underrated]

I wish they put one of the relevant games in the early time slot.

[NyKnicks1714]

I wish they put one of the relevant games in the early time slot.

Here you go: Knicks playing for home court in a potential Finals matchup with the Lakers. Pacers playing for homecourt in potential Finals matchups with the Nuggets or Clippers. Bucks playing for home court vs. the Timberwolves and Grizzlies.

[___Rand___]

I have massive respect for what Udoka has done with this Rockets' roster. He brought a tiny point guard with questionable ability to finish at the rim and a reject into a group of young players who are far from the best collection of prospects in the league to 2nd place in the West. I wanted him for Raptors. And I'm sure Masai had wanted to make his African dream team come true. It wasn't in the cards this time around. Fertita has been an ass owner, but he lucked out on this hire.

[Prez]

Glad the Bucks beat Detroit last night so they can rest everyone for this ESPN game, **** ESPN lol.

Read on Twitter