Clippers hold Warriors in top 6, Lakers have to play Play-in
Nothing unexpected happened on the final day of the main season. The teams competing for the Western Play-off spot were the Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers all winning. However, the number of tickets left is only 2.
The remaining spots of the top 6 were awarded to the Clippers and Warriors, who respectively defeated the Phoenix Suns with a score of 119-114 and the Portland Trail Blazers with a score of 157-101. 7th place in the West belongs to the Lakers, even though they won against the Utah Jazz.
After defeating the Phoenix Suns, the Los Angeles Clippers do not need to return home, but can completely stay in Arizona, when the two sides will reunite in the first round of the Play-off. But certainly in that match, the Suns will not keep the strength of the 7 pillars as they did in the last match of the season.
Meanwhile, the defending champion Golden State Warriors will have a clash with the Sacramento Kings. Avoiding the number 1 seed Denver Nuggets and another nasty opponent, the Phoenix Suns, can be considered a small fortune for Steve Kerr's teachers and students.
In the Play-in round, the Los Angeles Lakers will face off against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Despite internal frictions, such as Rudy Gobert's tossing of his own teammate Kyle Anderson, the Wolves still defeated the New Orleans Pelicans with a score of 113-108.
12 points in the last half of Karl-Anthony Towns helped Minnesota get its 40th victory, more than New Orleans but ranked above thanks to more head-to-head records. The Pelicans will now have to win both Play-ins if they want to progress, first against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
In the East, the results of the last day of competition did not affect the situation of the Postseason period. The Miami Heat will face the Atlanta Hawks for a place in the first round against the Boston Celtics. The loser of the above match will face the winner of the Toronto Raptors - Chicago Bulls match to compete for tickets to Milwaukee.
In the remaining two Play-off pairs that have been determined, the Cleveland Cavaliers who have entered the Play-off for the first time after LeBron James will have a home advantage against the New York Knicks, while the Philadelphia 76ers fans will have the opportunity to mock Ben Simmons in the match against the Brooklyn Nets (although Simmons missed the season due to a back injury).
