By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The Portland Trail Blazers got the best of the Denver Nuggets and secured themselves the sixth spot in the West, leaving the reigning champions LA Lakers behind and in the play-in tournament.
Lakers will have to face the Golden State Warriors and the scoring title holder Stephen Curry at the start of the play-in while the Spurs or the Grizzlies await the losing side.
Despite the loss, Nuggets will go into the postseason from the third seed behind the Utah Jazz (52-20) and the Phoenix Suns (51-21) who lead the NBA with the best records.
Clippers follow the Western contenders in the fourth spot after the loss to Oklahoma which also means that the LA clash won’t be a possibility before the Finals.
On the Eastern side, the Sixers lead the bunch with 49-23 followed by the Brooklyn Nets and the Milwaukee Bucks. Perhaps the biggest surprises ended in the fourth and fifth spot as the New York Knicks and the Atlanta Hawks crown great seasons with playoff tickets.
Miami managed to escape Boston and take the sixth spot while the Celtics face Washington in the play-in where Indiana and Charlotte also look for a chance.
The Final 2020-21 NBA Standings
| Eastern Conference | W | L | W/L% | GB | PS/G | PA/G | SRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia 76ers* (1) | 49 | 23 | .681 | — | 113.6 | 108.1 | 5.28 |
| Brooklyn Nets* (2) | 48 | 24 | .667 | 1.0 | 118.6 | 114.1 | 4.24 |
| Milwaukee Bucks* (3) | 46 | 26 | .639 | 3.0 | 120.1 | 114.2 | 5.57 |
| New York Knicks* (4) | 41 | 31 | .569 | 8.0 | 107.0 | 104.7 | 2.13 |
| Atlanta Hawks* (5) | 41 | 31 | .569 | 8.0 | 113.7 | 111.4 | 2.14 |
| Miami Heat* (6) | 40 | 32 | .556 | 9.0 | 108.1 | 108.0 | -0.06 |
| Boston Celtics (7) | 36 | 36 | .500 | 13.0 | 112.6 | 111.2 | 1.32 |
| Washington Wizards (8) | 34 | 38 | .472 | 15.0 | 116.6 | 118.5 | -1.85 |
| Indiana Pacers (9) | 34 | 38 | .472 | 15.0 | 115.3 | 115.3 | -0.13 |
| Charlotte Hornets (10) | 33 | 39 | .458 | 16.0 | 109.5 | 111.4 | -1.94 |
| Chicago Bulls (11) | 31 | 41 | .431 | 18.0 | 110.7 | 111.6 | -0.94 |
| Toronto Raptors (12) | 27 | 45 | .375 | 22.0 | 111.3 | 111.7 | -0.54 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers (13) | 22 | 50 | .306 | 27.0 | 103.8 | 112.3 | -8.19 |
| Orlando Magic (14) | 21 | 51 | .292 | 28.0 | 104.0 | 113.3 | -9.02 |
| Detroit Pistons (15) | 20 | 52 | .278 | 29.0 | 106.6 | 111.1 | -4.38 |
| Western Conference | W | L | W/L% | GB | PS/G | PA/G | SRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utah Jazz* (1) | 52 | 20 | .722 | — | 116.4 | 107.2 | 8.97 |
| Phoenix Suns* (2) | 51 | 21 | .708 | 1.0 | 115.3 | 109.5 | 5.67 |
| Denver Nuggets* (3) | 47 | 25 | .653 | 5.0 | 115.1 | 110.1 | 4.82 |
| Los Angeles Clippers* (4) | 47 | 25 | .653 | 5.0 | 114.0 | 107.8 | 6.02 |
| Dallas Mavericks* (5) | 42 | 30 | .583 | 10.0 | 112.4 | 110.2 | 2.26 |
| Portland Trail Blazers* (6) | 42 | 30 | .583 | 10.0 | 116.1 | 114.3 | 1.81 |
| Los Angeles Lakers (7) | 42 | 30 | .583 | 10.0 | 109.5 | 106.8 | 2.77 |
| Golden State Warriors (8) | 39 | 33 | .542 | 13.0 | 113.7 | 112.7 | 1.10 |
| Memphis Grizzlies (9) | 38 | 34 | .528 | 14.0 | 113.3 | 112.3 | 1.07 |
| San Antonio Spurs (10) | 33 | 39 | .458 | 19.0 | 111.1 | 112.8 | -1.58 |
| New Orleans Pelicans (11) | 31 | 41 | .431 | 21.0 | 114.6 | 114.9 | -0.20 |
| Sacramento Kings (12) | 31 | 41 | .431 | 21.0 | 113.7 | 117.4 | -3.45 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves (13) | 23 | 49 | .319 | 29.0 | 112.1 | 117.7 | -5.25 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder (14) | 22 | 50 | .306 | 30.0 | 105.0 | 115.6 | -10.13 |
| Houston Rockets (15) | 17 | 55 | .236 | 35.0 | 108.8 | 116.7 | -7.50 |