By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Fifteen teams are highly motivated to win in the final installment of NBA Sundays for the 2023-24 NBA Regular Season. Three direct tickets to the 2024 Playoffs are up for grabs. Twelve spots on the Playoffs or Play-Ins brackets are pending as well.
Eastern Conference
Looking to rank second behind the league-leading Boston Celtics, the Milwaukee Bucks will get the second seed with a potential away win against the Orlando Magic. If the remaining contenders, the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers both lose, they will bank in the second seed even with a loss. The Knicks will finish second if they defeat the Chicago Bulls and the Bucks lose. The Cavaliers need a win versus the Charlotte Hornets and a loss for both the Bucks and the Knicks to go up to second.
Battling from fifth to eighth, the Magic will get the highest possible seed in the regular-season finale if they defeat the Bucks the Indiana Pacers overpower the Atlanta Hawks or the Brooklyn Nets take down the Philadelphia 76ers. The Pacers will sit fifth if they get a win and the Bucks defeat the Magic. The Sixers require a win and the Pacers to lose. The Heat need to win and all three remaining contenders to lose.
The Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks are placed ninth and tenth, respectively, heading to a direct battle in United Center in the first round of the Play-Ins.
1st: Boston Celtics
2nd: Milwaukee Bucks OR New York Knicks OR Cleveland Cavaliers
3rd: Milwaukee Bucks OR New York Knicks OR Cleveland Cavaliers
4th: Milwaukee Bucks OR New York Knicks OR Cleveland Cavaliers
5th: Orlando Magic OR Indiana Pacers OR Philadelphia 76ers OR Miami Heat
6th: Orlando Magic OR Indiana Pacers OR Philadelphia 76ers OR Miami Heat
7th: Orlando Magic OR Indiana Pacers OR Philadelphia 76ers OR Miami Heat
8th: Orlando Magic OR Indiana Pacers OR Philadelphia 76ers OR Miami Heat
9th: Chicago Bulls
10th: Atlanta Hawks
Western Conference
The Oklahoma City Thunder will end up with the homecourt advantage in the Western Conference Playoffs if they outlast the Dallas Mavericks in the regular-season finale edition of NBA Sundays, unless the Denver Nuggets fall to the Memphis Grizzlies and the Minnesota Timberwolves defeat the Phoenix Suns. The Thunder will rank first even with a loss if the Wolves and Nuggets both lose. The Timberwolves will take first place if they win unless the Thunder and Nuggets both win. The Nuggets need a win combined with losses for both the Thunder and Timberwolves.
Locked in the fourth and fifth seeds, the Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks are set for a best-of-seven series in the first round of the Playoffs.
Seeking a direct path to the Playoffs as the sixth seed, the New Orleans Pelicans need to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers or the Suns to lose to the Timberwolves. The Suns will go up to sixth place with a win combined with a loss for the Pels.
Between the eighth and tenth seeds, it is a battle between the Lakers, Sacramento Kings, and Golden State Warriors. A win would guarantee eighth place for the Lakers or a loss if the Kings and Warriors both lose. The Kings require a win and the Lakers to lose. The Warriors need to win and the Kings and Lakers to both lose.
1st: Oklahoma City Thunder OR Minnesota Timberwolves OR Denver Nuggets
2nd: Oklahoma City Thunder OR Minnesota Timberwolves OR Denver Nuggets
3rd: Oklahoma City Thunder OR Minnesota Timberwolves OR Denver Nuggets
4th: Los Angeles Clippers
5th: Dallas Mavericks
6th: New Orleans Pelicans OR Phoenix Suns
7th: New Orleans Pelicans OR Phoenix Suns
8th: Los Angeles Lakers OR Sacramento Kings OR Golden State Warriors
9th: Los Angeles Lakers OR Sacramento Kings OR Golden State Warriors
10th: Los Angeles Lakers OR Sacramento Kings OR Golden State Warriors
Assignments for each seed
Play-Ins: 7th vs. 8th for the seventh seed and loser of 7th vs. 8th vs. winner of 9th vs. 10th for the eighth seed
Playoffs: 1st vs. 8th, 2nd vs. 7th, 3rd vs. 6th, and 4th vs. 5th for a berth in the Conference Semifinals
NBA Sundays schedule
Boston Celtics vs. Washington Wizards
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Charlotte Hornets
Indiana Pacers vs. Atlanta Hawks
Miami Heat vs. Toronto Raptors
New York Knicks vs. Chicago Bulls
Orlando Magic vs. Milwaukee Bucks
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Brooklyn Nets
Memphis Grizzlies vs. Denver Nuggets
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Phoenix Suns
New Orleans Pelicans vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Dallas Mavericks
San Antonio Spurs vs. Detroit Pistons
Golden State Warriors vs. Utah Jazz
Los Angeles Clippers vs. Houston Rockets
Sacramento Kings vs. Portland Trail Blazers