Category: NBA

The Dallas Mavericks had a miserable season by basically every metric. Right from the beginning, as the Mavs endured Anthony Davis injuries, point Cooper Flagg and countless clutch losses, you knew where this season was heading. The Mavericks themselves admitted this, firing Nico Harrison for his negligence in November, then promptly trading away the crowned jewel of his trade last year in Anthony Davis.

With all that in mind, the Mavericks organization had every reason to race to the bottom. This is a team that got just a handful of games out of their dream front court, with both Davis and Dereck Lively being out of commission for the majority of the year. They ran out Cooper Flagg at point because D’Angelo Russell simply can’t play. They had countless injuries the whole year. Unlike the Jazz and Grizzlies, who are artificially nuking somewhat decent basketball teams, the Mavericks stunk out loud.

So, surely the Mavericks will enter the draft with a great chance at a top four pick, right?

Unfortunately for fans who wanted to see Dallas pair Cooper Flagg with an elite co-star in this draft, the Mavericks played this season about as poorly as you could have. After the Davis trade, they had several veteran players who could’ve been useful for other teams in the playoffs. Guys like Klay Thompson and Naji Marshall, who could’ve been traded before the deadline for several second round picks. By the time Dallas is ready to compete again, those guys will likely be aged out of the rotation. Why keep them in the name of winning a few games you don’t really want  to win?

Then you have Khris Middleton, who was acquired in the trade with Washington. Middleton is very useful, as he showed when scoring 35 points in an eight-point win over the Grizzlies on March 12. You don’t think that loss could’ve been nice to have now? 

The Dallas Mavericks organization is aimless and lacks leadership. From ownership on down, this season was a damning indictment on how this organization failed on almost every level. The coach is snaking around, covering up his role in the Luka trade and potentially aiming for the open GM role. The interim GM’s were only able to take a half measure at the deadline because ownership wanted to wait and fire the previous GM mid-season. Led by Patrick Dumont, this ownership group of non-basketball people have only shown to be a hindrance on building a championship level team. Granted, things could change with the new general manager being brought in. But if how you do one thing is how you do everything, Patrick Dumont and his family will neuter Cooper Flagg for years to come.

In the here and now, this team exiting with the seventh or eighth best odds at the top selection in the draft is a huge middle finger to the fans. The Mavericks had their chance to build like the Spurs, with multiple high level lottery picks. Instead, this franchise has failed to maximize the chance they had to put a real, high level guard next to Flagg in this draft. From the top down, they failed not only to execute a plan, but they failed to even implement one. For all of this season’s suffering, the Mavericks didn’t get enough out of it to make it worthwhile. Now, they must rely on lady luck to bail them out of their own poor decisions once again.

This Minnesota Timberwolves season has felt like three different seasons combined. For fans, it probably felt more like 10. It’s been anything but smooth, however the good news is that we’ve finally come to the end. Wait, they’re telling me there’s more basketball to be played? Oh god, it’s not over yet?

Here we go.

Before we officially move into the postseason, let’s hear how you felt the first 82-games went. The Wolves finished the season 49-33 which weirdly feels just about right. What were your bright spots?

Welcome to Canis Pulsus Vol. 48!

For those of you who have been ignoring this series since the 2021 season — Canis Pulsus is designed to give our Canis Hoopus community a published voice.

A pulse, if you will.

We all know that if CH occupied all seats of the Minnesota Timberwolves front office, we would be celebrating our 36th consecutive championship this year. But for now, it’s time for us to exercise our right vote. How would you grade the performance of our pups?

It’s a simple concept, really. Just submit your vote as honestly or sarcastically as you would like. All individual submissions will remain anonymous so no one will know if you were the one voter who gave Enrique Freeman an A+. Once the polls close, the results as a whole will be published on Canis Hoopus and (in theory) be sent to The Athletic’s front page.

Canis Pulsus Vol. 48 – Final Report Card & Playoff Predictions

Vote link:
https://forms.gle/yLAziD5sX8NsoWh1A

*Voting ends Wednesday, 4/15*

1. Grade each player’s performance this regular season.
2. Grade the coaching staff’s performance this regular season.
3. Grade the front office’s performance this regular season.
4. Grade ownership’s performance this regular season.
5. The key for the Timberwolves to defeat the Nuggets is…
6. My hot take from the Wolves-Nuggets series is…
7. With the regular season over, my feelings on the direction of the Timberwolves are…

Link to previous Canis Pulsus results

Last Sunday evening, all 30 NBA teams played in an effort to unveil matchups as close to one another as possible.

At the postgame press conference, it was announced that the Spurs first game takes place this Sunday. Almost immediately, social media erupted with a schedule.

The Spurs play the last game on Sunday, April 19 at 8:00 p.m. CST. Their opponent will either be the 7th seed Phoenix Suns or the 8th seed Portland Trail Blazers.

The play-in between them takes place Tuesday night at 9:00 p.m. CST. The winner faces the Spurs, and the loser slugs it out against the winner of the 9th/10th play-in contest between the Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors for the opportunity to face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the playoffs.

In his postgame presser, Spurs forward Carter Bryant said he’d be glued to his TV, phone off, and taking notes as the Spurs await the results. The rookie is excited for the postseason. Last Wednesday, Spurs Head Coach Mitch Johnson confirmed Bryant will have minutes in the playoffs. Watching the former Arizona Wildcat come into his own late in the season, the decision was easy for Johnson.

If Bryant continues to posterize MVPs the way he did Nikola Jokic on Sunday night, his minutes are guaranteed.

Stephon Castle mirrored what Bryant shared that it doesn’t matter who they are facing, they must be ready for anything.

For the Spurs, many players are entering their first playoffs. But they are not without postseason exposure.

Mason Plumlee and Harrison Barnes (71 games), Kelly Olynyk (48 games), Luke Kornet (43 games), Bismack Biyombo (40 games), Jordan McLaughlin (13 games), De’Aaron Fix (7 games), Lindy Waters III (3 games) all have varied levels of playoff experience.

Unfortunately, with the exception of Fox and Barnes, the players with games under their belts are on the lower half of the roster for minutes.

Of course, Luke Kornet (2024) and Harrison Barnes (2015) have already won titles. They possess knowledge that will come in handy throughout the process.

Until then, the Spurs are watching and waiting.

Go Spurs Go!

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Jake LaRavia pulled on his black T-shirt to reveal a motto befitting the Lakers’ newest iron man.

“Stack good days”

LaRavia has stacked 82 consecutive games for the Lakers, becoming just one of 18 players this season to appear in every regular season game after he finished the year with two points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals in the Lakers’ 131-107 win over the Utah Jazz on Sunday.

The 6-foot-7 forward hadn’t played more than 66 games in a season during his first three years in the NBA, often beset by nagging or unlucky injuries. A broken thumb sidelined him for the final 10 games of the regular season last year and the Sacramento Kings’ play-in tournament loss. When he signed with the Lakers as a free agent, he made playing all 82 regular seasons his biggest goal for the season.

“I just wanted to have a healthy, consistent, reliable year,” LaRavia said, “and I was able to make that happen.”

While helping the Lakers (53-29) secure the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference despite major injuries to LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves at different points this season, LaRavia averaged 8.2 points and four rebounds with career-highs in steals (1.3) and minutes per game (25.1). He was the subject of a viral meme early in the season when he torched Minnesota for 27 points with five made threes on six attempts in October, leaving fans and Minnesota star Anthony Edwards stunned at the unsung player wearing No. 12.

But the early season shooting display was a fleeting offensive highlight for LaRavia. He slogged through his worst three-point shooting season of his career. But he easily made up for it with his unwavering hustle. Entering Sunday’s finale, LaRavia led the Lakers with 249 total deflections and ranked second with 3.0 deflections per game.

Read more:Lakers defeat Jazz, will open playoffs at home against Houston

“He takes a lot of pride in taking care of himself and doing all the things necessary to get ready to play, and he set that as a goal this year,” said Lakers coach JJ Redick, who played 82 games in one season of his career. “Really happy for him on a personal level. But also just for our team, he's brought a really high level of consistency, particularly on the defensive end, and with his effort throughout the season.”

Major injuries have made this season feel “disjointed,” Redick said. James began the year with a sciatic nerve injury that sidelined him for 14 games. Reaves missed six weeks because of a calf injury. The revolving door continues in the playoffs as the Lakers begin the first round at home against the Houston Rockets on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. without Reaves and Doncic, who are out indefinitely.

LaRavia credited good luck, an iron will and a dedicated weight training regimen for helping him survive the grueling season.

The 24-year-old was on the injury report only once this season. He was questionable against the Chicago Bulls on Jan. 26 with a quad contusion. LaRavia then started and played 33 minutes and 25 seconds with eight points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals.

“I feel like once you hit like a certain threshold, it’s just like, 'make it through this game, make it through this game, make it through this game,'” LaRavia said. “So, I feel like my mindset kind of just got to the point of just like, just keep thugging it out.”

The physical demands of the game have never felt greater. In 2018-19, the pace of play broke 100 possessions per 48 minutes for the first time in 30 years, and it has remained higher than at least 98.2 in every season since. From 1994 to 2015, the league-average pace didn’t exceed 94 possessions per 48 minutes in a season, according to Basketball Reference.

The 18 players who played in all 82 regular season games are the most to play every regular-season game in a non-pandemic-shortened season since 21 in 2018-19.

When LaRavia walked into the Lakers locker room after his pre-game warmups, he was greeted with celebratory calls of “Mr. 82.” But in this Lakers season especially, nothing is guaranteed. Walking past his locker, LaRavia stumbled over a towel on the ground.

He turned and smiled.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

It was fitting, in a sense, that no one gave the Celtics a chance entering Sunday’s regular-season finale.

That’s how it was as soon as Jayson Tatum tore his Achilles. That’s how it was to start the season. That’s how it was after their 8-8 start. But each time, the Celtics simply shrugged their shoulders, ignored the critics and kept on hooping.

When they trotted out a starting five of Ron Harper Jr., Max Shulga, Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh and Luka Garza, some naively assumed the Magic would cruise to a stress-free victory. But those who have watched this team exceed expectations all season had a hunch that it would be anything from a cakewalk for Orlando.

The Celtics showed promise early, fell behind at halftime, surged ahead with a marvelous third quarter, then withstood a late Magic run to earn a 113-108 victory that encapsulated what has made this regular season so remarkable.

Here are 10 takeaways:

1) Look at Luka

Let’s start with the end. Garza hit arguably the most preposterous shot of the season, drilling a gutsy go-ahead 3 with a hand in his face and 31.7 seconds remaining.

With 21 seconds on the shot clock, Garza didn’t have to shoot it. Given the two-for-one opportunity, and the fact that he was feeling it, he decided to let it fly. The shot was a no-doubter, as it descended through the net with ease and vaulted the Celtics ahead.

Garza finished with 27 points and 12 boards in perhaps the best game of his career to this point. Against a team with limitless size, Garza helped the Celtics hold their own on the boards.

2) Baylor buckets

Scheierman was also electric, racking up 30 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists in a true masterpiece of a performance. Surprisingly, he never even scored 30 in college, so this one gets two major thumbs-up.

It’s a great reminder that NBA players are more than capable of producing at a high level when given a total green light and ample playing time. But not everyone can do it like Scheierman, who hit some wild contested 3’s and also found his teammates for easy 2’s.

He’s gained confidence throughout the season, and this could take it to another level in the postseason.

3) Even sharper Harper

Harper Jr. has been a pleasant surprise this season, and he, too, turned in his best game yet Sunday night. He set the tone early and gave the Celtics even more belief that they could really win it.

He isn’t good for a young guy, good for a reserve or good for an undrafted player. He’s just straight up good and should be in the rotation for years to come.

4) Free money

The Celtics went 17 of 17 from the free-throw line in the first half to stay within striking distance, down 61-52. It was their most makes in a first half since 2023, and they finished 22 of 22 for the game.

Don’t sleep on Walsh’s free throws in the final seconds to seal it. That’s a pressure-packed moment for a player who used to be very in his own head and is no only somewhat in his own head. Walsh looked calm and knocked them down with ease.

5) Battle of the boards

It would have been easy for the Celtics to lose this game because they lost the rebounding battle. While they ultimately did lose it, 50-46, a four-board differential is a win for Boston in this case.

Orlando’s size is its best asset, and the Celtics didn’t let the Magic bully or intimidate them. Garza was a catalyst in that realm, as usual, but Walsh, Scheierman and Harper Jr. also contributed.

6) Delightful Dalano

Remember Banton? Well, he’s back, and he’s the same long, rangy athlete who made his mark in Boston before. Banton is a fun player because he naturally pushes the pace just because of how he’s built and wired.

He doesn’t corral the rebound, think about what he’s having for dinner, glance up at the Jumbotron and go. He just gets it and goes. That sort of pace is contagious, and for a team that ranks last in pace (it’s a good thing; don’t get me wrong), this was a refreshing change of pace, so to speak.

He also had four blocks and remains a crazy leaper.

7) Whaddaya say, Tonje?

John Tonje also made his presence felt with 13 points and four rebounds in 30 minutes. Tonje had some impressive hustle plays, has a nose for the ball and is a capable shooter and playmaker.

He won’t crack the playoff rotation, but this was a promising audition to boost his long-term chances of remaining on the roster.

8) No Magic 3-ball

The Magic are a good basketball team, but in order to take the next step, they need to address their 3-point shooting. Desmond Bane helps, and Jalen Suggs was a bright spot Sunday, but they shot 28 percent as a team from distance on the night.

Whenever the Celtics and Magic play, regardless of who’s on the floor, the gap in shooting is obvious. The Celtics did the right thing by daring Orlando players not named Suggs or Bane to shoot. The Magic can wear you down with their physicality and toughness, but the Celtics can match that physicality and toughness and also burn you from deep.

9) Planting the seed

With the loss, the Magic fell to No. 8 in the East and could very well see the Celtics again in the first round. All they have to do is beat the 76ers, but even without Joel Embiid, that’s no easy task.

Professional athletes have a knack for putting their shortcomings behind them, but the Magic may second-guess themselves heading into a potential rematch. If they can’t beat the Scheierman-Harper Jr.-Garza Celtics (no disrespect to three Boston icons), how can they beat the Jayson Tatum-Jaylen Brown-Derrick White and more Celtics? Time will tell, but it’s advantage Boston until further notice.

10) Legendary run

Jim Edmonds, the Director of Celtics Basketball for 45 years, is retiring.

NBC Sports Boston honored Edmonds – a TV professional for 67 years who chronicled five NBA championships and won 16 Emmy Awards – throughout Sunday’s broadcast. Edmonds downplayed his role and tried to deflect the attention, even while Drew Carter and Brian Scalabrine sung his praises.

“I try to put them in a position to succeed,” Edmonds said.

He’s done exactly that for almost half a century, shining as behind-the-scenes glue for a powerhouse crew.

Mike Gorman even returned to the Garden to give Edmonds a proper farewell.

“I enjoyed every second of the 45 years I worked with Jim,” Gorman said.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Rockets fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

This week’s question asked about the teams in Houston’s playoff tier — the Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Lakers — and which one Rockets fans would least like to play. Here are your results:

As you can see, two-thirds of Rockets fans picked the Denver Nuggets, and I agree that they are the worst first-round matchup for Houston. The Rockets instead drew the Los Angeles Lakers in round one, but they could still meet one of the other teams in later rounds.

According to our friends at FanDuel, the Rockets are the favorites versus L.A., opening up at a -220 in odds against the Lakers in Game 1, meaning you have to wager $220 to win 100. The Rockets are -900 to advance to the Western Conference Semis and a +6000 to make the NBA Finals.

Thanks for voting, we’ll be back soon with more Reacts!

BOSTON — Baylor Scheierman didn’t know what to expect entering Sunday night’s regular-season finale. The Boston Celtics, down eight players, rolled out a shorthanded rotation made up entirely of reserves against a fully healthy Orlando Magic team.

“We were even joking in the locker room coming out for layup lines, looking at each other like, ‘What do we got — six, seven people out here?’” Scheierman said after Boston’s 113-108 win.

When the starting lineups were introduced, Scheierman’s name was called last — a spot usually reserved for Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown. When it came time to fight back from an 11-point deficit, Scheierman drained the equalizing 3-pointer in the third quarter to spark Boston’s turnaround rally.

The final week of the regular season was rewarding enough, as the Celtics clinched their playoff berth on Tuesday and then locked the No. 2 seed on Friday. But for Scheierman, who’s spent the entire season dealing with the uncertainty of rummaging for minutes off the bench, Sunday’s victory was especially gratifying.

“It’s been a lot of fun,” Scheierman said. “Obviously, like I’ve talked about, I’ve got a lot of internal confidence in myself. And like I said in New York, I flipped the page to New Orleans. Then we played New Orleans on Friday, and when that game was done, I flipped the page to tonight, and that’s no different. You don’t really weigh too much on a single game, regardless of whether it goes good or bad.”

Scheierman tied his career high with 20 points at Madison Square Garden in Thursday night’s loss. Against the Magic, he took the driver’s seat, leading Boston’s reserve-heavy group. Scheierman set a new career high with 30 points, outplaying Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, and helped turn the tide at TD Garden. Fans went from heading for the exits early to rallying around the shorthanded eight-man crew as it fought back and delivered one of the most inspiring performances of the season.

“I’m super proud of myself,” Scheierman added.

Instead of sitting in the corner waiting for catch-and-shoot feeds, Scheierman created his own scoring opportunities at will.

During his 14-point run in the third quarter, Scheierman pulled up seven times off the dribble. He capped off his red-hot bout with a 30-foot 3-pointer over 6-foot-11 Goga Bitadze, giving the Celtics an 86-77 lead. Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla, too, noticed Scheierman’s confidence coming to life and taking over.

“I think in the middle of the third quarter, we went on a little bit of a run, he took a tough shot a couple of steps over half court,” Mazzulla said. “And you want him to have that confidence, but he knew right away, like, ‘OK, I’ve got to read the game now. We’re in a different position.’ Then he just learns defense, situational basketball, but at the end of the day, he’s a huge competitor. And you kind of saw that tonight.”

Before the game, Mazzulla discussed how the entire locker room — starters, bench players, returning players, and newcomers — has impacted winning. Without Tatum, the Celtics won 41 of their first 62 games. Without Brown, they went 9-2. The secret behind their success boils down to their identity and core principles, both of which are instilled in everyone from the top down. The bar doesn’t change because the team is shorthanded, even when the roster is down to its last eight going up against Orlando’s best 10.

Boston has equipped everyone to succeed, including Scheierman. Scoring aside, his energy was infectious. It was felt by his teammates, the starters watching from the bench in street clothes, and those in attendance. That’s a byproduct of the culture the Celtics have built.

“I think today is the perfect example of the locker room,” Mazzulla explained, “and the group of guys that we have, and how important it is that everybody knows that if you’re on the floor, you’re expected to play a certain way to put us in position to win.”

No matter how difficult Orlando made it for Boston’s reserves, they never gave in. In the first quarter, Mazzulla played everyone available. The Celtics shot 26.1 percent from the field (6/23) and 25 percent from three (4/16). Many of their attempts appeared rushed and forced by the pressure of Orlando’s defense. Boston struggled to attack the basket, and Mazzulla didn’t wait around to shake up the rotation.

But as the game wore on, the team’s comfort grew. Scheierman recorded five second-half assists, finding teammates cutting to the basket like his old high school quarterback self, and attacking Orlando off the dribble to create kick-out looks from three.

Joining Scheierman, Luka Garza (27), Ron Harper Jr. (27), and John Tonje (13) also set new career highs in points.

“We’re proud of the effort we put out there,” he said. “I think going into the game, we’re expected to go out there and compete and win the game. I know going into the game that was our expectation, and we’re excited that we won, and honestly, just getting ready for the playoffs now.”

It hasn’t been easy for Scheierman this season. Without a clear role, players in his position often struggle with the inconsistency of not playing each night. But the system this season’s Celtics have built makes it so everyone can contribute. Sometimes it’s Scheierman, other times it’s not. What remains constant is the team’s commitment to winning, regardless of who’s on the floor and who isn’t.

That won’t change.

“There’s no separation in the locker room, regardless of what went on in the preseason and even the rough start we got off to, the 0-3 start,” Scheierman said. “There was no separation. We stayed together, and that’s kind of how it was through the ups and downs of the whole year, and I think that’s the biggest takeaway that I have.”

Why Draymond Green could be facing his last grand opportunity vs. Kawhi Leonard originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Stephen Curry playing a team-high 29 minutes in the regular-season finale was an encouraging sign for one of the two pivotal factors the Warriors will take into the postseason.

The Warriors hope Curry’s efficient 24-point effort in a loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday was a preview of what’s to come, as his presence and performance will be critical when the teams meet Wednesday for an NBA play-in tournament game in Los Angeles.

The second factor that figures to be at least as impactful was invisible on Sunday. The matchup of Golden State’s defensive savant Draymond Green vs. LA’s offensive ace Kawhi Leonard did not materialize.

Green and Leonard were listed as questionable early Sunday afternoon, Green with a lingering lower-back issue and Leonard with a left ankle sprain. When the Clippers downgraded Leonard to out four hours before tipoff, the Warriors downgraded Green a couple hours later.

Maybe each team had a valid reason. Or, more likely, both coaches took a tactical approach to a low-consequence game three days before a high-consequence rematch.

Draymond wants this. Wants to prove that even now, at age 36, he remains among the league’s premier defenders. Moreover, he needs it for his psyche.

Green has admitted to being less than enthusiastic about the Warriors finishing as the 10th seed in the Western Conference and therefore having to survive two detours to get to the real playoffs. This game within the game, however, surely is a source of motivation.

Green’s desire to make the All-Defensive team won’t be affected, as ballots for NBA postseason awards will have been submitted long before Wednesday. But a strong defensive performance against an opponent bound for the Hall of Fame is an opportunity to make a statement to his teammates and any observers who doubt his defense still can shine on a big stage.

History suggests that’s enough for Green to summon his best. Is his best still good enough?

“With a guy like Kawhi you can play the best defense that you want, and he still can get his numbers,” Curry told reporters Sunday night at Intuit Dome. “It’s about how he gets them and making him work. I feel it all the time. We’ve got to be able to impose our will, even if he still gets his because that’s the challenge to try to beat those guys.”

Years of evidence indicate Green’s defense, individually and within the team framework, is every bit as important to Golden State’s postseason fortunes as Curry’s offense. Kerr understands that as much as anyone.

“Defensively, he’s obviously our guy,” Kerr told at Intuit Dome. “We’re able to do more things with him out there. He’s a playoff player. He’s a guy who loves the challenge. He loves the situation when you’re in a must-win (game), so I know he’ll play well.”

The last time Green faced Leonard, March 2 at Chase Center, he requested the assignment. Kerr agreed. Draymond won his battle, but the Clippers won the game. They prevailed by rallying behind Leonard while Green was on the bench for a breather.

The Warriors had a 71-61 lead when Green was subbed out with 4:37 left in the third quarter. Leonard at that point had 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting. Leonard scored four points over the next 53 seconds, igniting LA’s 16-8 run to close the quarter and pull within two. The momentum swung during the non-Draymond minutes.

“Kawhi went on a great run and that kind of put it away,” Golden State center Al Horford said after that game.

For the better part of three quarters, Green had minimized Leonard mostly by with spirited ball-denial defense and the occasional trap. Kerr after that game said he had to give Draymond a break, that he “can’t play the whole game.”

The coach will be a lot more flexible Wednesday.

“Draymond will be well rested,” Kerr said in LA. “He’s been playing a lot of minutes and a lot of games, so it was good for him to get a night off tonight. He’ll be ready to go. He’ll help set a tone for us defensively.

“We know it’s going to be tough. These guys are really good and, obviously, Kawhi will be back. And we’re excited about them challenge.”

If Leonard scores 40 points but needs 30 shots, that bodes nearly as well for Golden State as 22 points on 20 shots. The overarching goal for Green and his teammates is to keep Kawhi from taking over the game.

The Warriors will be clear underdogs, and they’ve earned that status. They’ve been slipping backward on ice for almost three months. Their 37-45 regular-season record is the worst of the 12 teams assured of making the playoffs or the other seven teams still trying to win their way there.

Whether the Warriors can beat the odds and beat the Clippers on the road, something they have not done since Nov. 28, 2021, almost certainly will be determined by the winner of the game within the game.

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Nikola Jokic scored 23 points in a first-half appearance as the Denver Nuggets beat the San Antonio Spurs 128-118 to claim third seed in the Western Conference on the final day of the regular NBA season.

Denver's victory meant the Los Angeles Lakers finished as fourth seed in the Western Conference for the NBA play-offs, which begin this weekend.

The Lakers, who were missing their top scorers Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves through injury, defeated Utah Jazz 131-107.

Veteran Lakers star LeBron James, 41, impressed with 18 points, six assists and four rebounds in the first half.

Denver will host sixth seed the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the play-offs, while the Lakers welcome the Houston Rockets, who are seeded fifth.

Three-time Most Valuable Player Jokic, 31, who also registered eight rebounds, played just over 18 minutes in Texas to reach 65 games and become eligible for the league's season-ending awards.

Denver's Julian Strawther scored 25 points and Jonas Valanciunas finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

De'Aaron Fox led the Spurs with 24 points while MVP contender Victor Wembanyama was rested following his 40-point performance in the 139-120 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday.

Second seed San Antonio, who secured their play-off spot against the Mavericks, will host the winner of the in-play tournament game between the Portland Trail Blazers and the Phoenix Suns in the first round.

The in-play tournament is a round-robin competition which follows the regular season, where eight teams compete to establish the seventh and eighth seeds in each conference.

Oklahoma City Thunder, who are defending NBA champions and top seed in the West, plus Eastern Conference first and second seeds the Detroit Pistons and the Boston Celtics, will find out their first-round opponents once the in-play tournament finishes on Friday.

Is it possible that the most fun game of the regular season is the finale when seven — SEVEN — rotation players are unavailable and there’s nothing to play for?

Yes. Yes, it is.

Baylor Scheierman led all scorers with 30 points with Ron Harper Jr. and Luka Garza having career games with 27 to beat the Orlando Magic 113-108. The stakes of this game could not have been more different. For Orlando, a win could have made them the #6 seed and playing at Madison Square Garden next weekend. For Boston, it was a matter of expressing how fundamentally sound the entire franchise is from the Jays to the young players trying to grind it out in Maine.

In the end, Celtics Pride prevailed.

Boston will enter the postseason as the #2 seed, but they’ll have to wait to see how the Play-In Tournament plays out next week; the 76ers will now host these Magic in the 7/8 game on Wednesday April 15th. The Celtics will host the winner on Sunday, April 19th at 1 pm EST.

Boston’s championship odds have remained steady all month with our friends at FanDuel and are +550 to raise Banner 19 and the favorite to rep the Eastern Conference in the 2026 NBA Finals.

Baylor Scheierman

39 minutes, 30 points (6-14 from 3, 8-8 from the free throw line, 8-20 from the field), 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 turnovers, 2 steals, one block, +15

Mazzulla handed the keys to Scheierman and Scheierman went full Ferris Bueller in the regular season finale.

Our player grades are normally objective and based on a fuzzy formula of what’s expected of a player versus how they perform in the game. Yes, Baylor filled the box score with a near triple-double, but just on vibes alone, his impact on the game was off the charts. The kid has a flare for the dramatic and backs it up with business up front but certainly party in the back.

Grade: A+

Jordan Walsh

33 minutes, 9 points (1-6 from 3, 4-4 from the free throw line, 2-9 from the field), 8 rebounds, 3 assists, one steal, one block, -14

There’s still a chance that the Celtics are going to face the Magic in Round 1 and Game #82 gave Jordan Walsh some up close intel about what it’s going to take to defend Paolo Banchero. Brown and Tatum would most likely get the bulk of minutes defending Orlando’s offensive engine, Walsh will get his reps, too.

Walsh had trouble with Banchero’s size — everybody does — and his best bet might to lean into a more irritant strategy rather than bodying him up.

Grade: B-

Luka Garza

38 minutes, 27 points (3-6 from 3, 4-4 from the free throw line, 10-18 from the field), 12 rebounds, one assist, 2 turnovers, +13

Mazzulla used the end of the regular season to knock the rust off of Nikola Vucevic in favor of using Luka as the first big off the bench. That wasn’t a knock on Garza’s game. In fact, it could be considered a vote of confidence.

Luka’s box score numbers may fluctuate, but his effort and hustle don’t. It’s not just his stick-to-itiveness. He’s a savvy screener with his quick hip flips who can read on-ball and off-ball situations on the fly.

We just didn’t know he had fadeaway three-pointers in his repertoire:

Grade: A+

Ron Harper Jr.

37 minutes, 27 points (5-12 from 3, 2-2 from the free throw line, 10-20 from the field), 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, 3 turnovers +7

So yeah, RHJ is going to be on the big club next season. The birthday boy doesn’t have the size and strength to be a playmaker, but he’s a natural scorer that can play next to Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Payton Pritchard, and Derrick White.

Grade: A+

Max Shulga

18 minutes, 3 points (1-3 from 3, 1-4 from the field), 3 rebounds, one steal, one turnover, +8

The point guard was a steady quarterback for Maine’s offense. He averaged 15.7 points while shooting 40% from 3 with nearly seven assists a night. That didn’t exactly translate in this one-game audition.

Grade: B-

Dalano Banton

36 minutes, 2 points (0-1 from 3, 2-2 from the free throw line, 0-3 from the field) 4 rebounds, 7 assists, 6 turnovers, one steal, 4 blocks, +3

Per Spotrac, Banton’s one-day regular season contract is worth around $28K, a nice paycheck for a single game’s work. He’ll now be with the Celtics throughout the postseason as their 15th man. Despite being traded in 2024 to Portland, he did earn a ring from the team and is now in-line for another.

Grade: B-

Amari Williams

10 minutes, 2 points (1-1 from the field), one rebound, one assist, one turnover, -8

There’s a world where Williams enters next season as a project big as the third option or the Celtics bring back Garza, Queta, and Vucevic for another run. We’ve seen enough flashes from him to know that he could be a serviceable front court player in the future.

Grade: C

John Tonje

30 minutes, 13 points (3-8 from 3, 2-2 from the free throw line, 4-12 from the field), 4 rebounds, one assist, one steal, +1

Tonje was kind of a throw-in when Stevens salary-dumped Chris Boucher to the Jazz, but you can see what Danny Ainge saw in him and signed him to a two-way contract.

Grade: B+

Inactives: Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, Neemias Queta, Sam Hauser, Hugo Gonzalez, Nikola Vucevic

Let me preface this by saying it’s unlikely that the Golden State Warriors win both of their potential play-in games this upcoming week. They’ll be underdogs for Wednesday’s matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers, unless the NBA finishes their investigation and orders Kawhi Leonard to plant trees during the 9-10 game.

Should they get past Team Aspiration, they’ll be underdogs against the loser of the Phoenix Suns-Portland Trail Blazers 7-8 game Friday, AKA the “Cliff Robinson Bowl.” Would it be satisfying to beat Dillon Brooks in a postseason game again or make Damian Lillard watch the Warriors celebrate again? Obviously, but a Warriors team that’s gone 5-15 after Cinco De Mayo isn’t scaring anyone. Both those games (if necessary) will be broadcast on Prime Video, which we all know as the home of “The Summer I Turned Pretty.”

But if the Warriors pull off two road wins against their healthier, taller, younger, cooler, more talented opponents Wednesday and Friday, then their reward will be a matchup with the defending champions at 12:30 on Sunday, April 19. The tired Warriors will face 18,203 screaming fans still furious about Kevin Durant’s free agency a decade ago and that Chick-fil-A is closed.

The prime-time matchups are about the NBA’s past, and its future. Saturday’s 5:30 game on ABC features 41-year-old LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers facing 37-year-old Durant and the Houston Rockets. Sunday’s prime-time game at 6:00 on NBC will have 22-year-old Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs facing the Suns-Blazers winner.

So mark your calendars for Sunday, but maybe write it in pencil. And if you have to go a T-ball game, church service, champagne brunch, craft fair, or 4/20 pre-party, the Warriors will understand. After all, they might already be in Cancun.

After an exhausting, long NBA season, it was nice to go about Sunday’s game stress-free. There were some stakes involved as the Lakers could still finish either the third or fourth seed.

However, LA pretty quickly took control of the game and moved into cruise control as early as the start of the second half. From there, it was a fun half of the younger guys getting some run and shining with an eye kept on the Nuggets and Spurs.

At the end of the day, the Lakers won going away while the Nuggets took care of the Spurs, sealing LA into a match-up with the Rockets in the first round.

So, let’s dive into the win. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.

LeBron James

17 minutes, 18 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, 4 turnovers, 6-15 FG, 0-3 3PT, 6-7 FT, +14

It was a nice first half for LeBron, who got to the line repeatedly to help get the Lakers ahead so that he could sit out the second half.

Grade: B+

Rui Hachimura

29 minutes, 22 points, 10 rebounds, 1 steal, 3 fouls, 8-12 FG, 3-5 3PT, 3-4 FT, +19

Rui has been in quite the groove heading into the playoffs, highlighted by finishing the regular season strong. Also, TEN rebounds?!?

Grade: A

Deandre Ayton

26 minutes, 22 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 blocks, 1 foul, 10-14 FG, 2-2 FT, +13

Another player heading into the postseason with momentum is Ayton, who also recorded a double-double on Sunday.

Grade: A

Marcus Smart

26 minutes, 5 points, 2 rebounds, 10 assists, 1 steal, 3 turnovers, 3 fouls, 1-7 FG, 1-5 3PT, 2-2 FT, +13

The Lakers are going to need Smart in the playoffs, so it was nice to see him get some minutes again after his lengthy injury break. And he was being quite the facilitator as well.

Grade: B+

Luke Kennard

11 minutes, 3 points, 1 assist, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 1-1 FG, 1-2 FT, +8

This was a much-needed easy night for Kennard, who has suddenly become a very important player for the Lakers.

Grade: B-

Bronny James

19 minutes, 11 points, 1 rebound, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 foul, 4-7 FG, 3-4 3PT, +13

How much fun has it been to watch Bronny develop and flourish to close this season? While it comes with the obvious caveat, he’s likely going ot be a rotation player in a playoff series and it’s a deserved role.

Grade: A-

Jake LaRavia

25 minutes, 2 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 1-3 FG, 0-1 3PT, +11

Congrats to Jake for playing all 82 games, the first Laker to do so since Austin Reaves in 2023-24 and the 45th player to do so in Lakers history.

Grade: C+

Maxi Kleber

15 minutes, 2 points, 6 rebounds, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 3 fouls, 1-2 FG, +10

By signing Nick Smith Jr. instead of Drew Timme, the Lakers gave an indirect vote of confidence in Kleber for the playoffs.

Grade: B-

Jarred Vanderbilt

16 minutes, 4 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 2-5 FG, 0-2 3PT, +5

It hasn’t been a great final week for Vando, but this was a nice, relatively brief, cameo to end the regular season.

Grade: B

Nick Smith Jr.

18 minutes, 12 points, 1 assist, 1 turnover, 5-11 FG, 2-6 3PT, +6

With a freshly-inked contract, Smith Jr. showed why the Lakers signed him with a couple of threes in the first half. He likely won’t be in the rotation to start the playoffs, but he can provide a scoring injection if needed.

Grade: B+

Adou Thiero

12 minutes, 8 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 turnovers, 2 fouls, 4-4 FG, +3

His minutes came in full-blown garbage time, but it’s still so much fun to see him flying around the court.

Grade: B+

Dalton Knecht

12 minutes, 17 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 3 fouls, 6-9 FG, 5-6 3PT, +3

He lives! On the topic of fun, seeing Knecht look like the player fans fell in love with a long time ago was a joy. However, there’s a good chance this was perhaps his last appearance in a Lakers jersey.

Grade: A

Drew Timme, Chris Mañon

The two-way guys wrapped up their season with some garbage time minutes. Neither played 10 minutes and neither will be eligible for the playoffs.

JJ Redick

Hats off to Redick, who coached the Lakers to 53 wins this season despite an incredible amount of injuries to the stars. It’s been a pair of tumultuous seasons and Redick still has over 100 wins.

It was a pretty simple task on Sunday against a team actively looking to lose the game.

Grade: B+

Sunday’s inactives: Luka Doncic, Jaxson Hayes, Austin Reaves

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

Kawhi Leonard and the L.A. Clippers managed to reach the postseason despite a slow start to the season.

The Clippers finished out the regular season with a 42-40 record after a 6-21 start to the season.

L.A. managed to weather the storm before even trading key starters such as James Harden and Ivica Zubac.

The Clippers added Darius Garland and Bennedict Mathurin from the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Isaiah Jackson from the Indiana Pacers.

Leonard also raised his level of play during the season and began to gather MVP award consideration. Leonard averaged 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game in 65 games played.

Leonard's health might be in question for the play-in game, however, after being unavailable for the Clippers' regular-season finale due to an ankle injury on April 12.

Even without Leonard, the Clippers closed out the regular season with a 115-110 win over the Golden State Warriors.

The Nets went into this season with two jobs: 

Give their rookies plenty of playing time to develop. And tank for lottery odds to draft another impact rookie in June.

They’ve done both. They had the youngest team in the NBA this season, and led the league in minutes logged by rookies. And at 20-62, they’ve clinched third in the lottery standings, with the top three all having equal odds.

“Yeah, the minutes they’ve played are super valuable,” said coach Jordi Fernández. “And all of them, the two-ways, the 10-days, young guys, everybody who has played here, all those minutes matter.

“There’s no one game that it’s not valuable. And NBA minutes are so hard; there’s only 30 teams, it’s the best league in the world. And for these guys to showcase what they can do, everybody has done positive things. So I’m happy that they’ve taken advantage of these minutes.”

The Nets ended the season with a 136-101 loss in Toronto.

Two-way Tyson Etienne led them with 20 points, four assists and two steals, while undrafted rookie Chaney Johnson added 16 points and 13 rebounds. First-round pick Ben Saraf fouled out with 15 points, four assists and two steals.

“I’m obviously happy with the development of our young guys,” GM Sean Marks told YES Network. 

“Knowing that our objective this year was to have the young guys play and play real NBA minutes. That was the No. 1 priority in between the G-League and the development there and also here. We now lead the league in rookie minutes the whole year, so that’s exactly what we wanted to do.”

The Nets are one of three teams with the maximum 14 percent odds at winning the lottery, and a 40.1 percent chance at a top three draft pick.

Their most likely draft slots are sixth (26.0) or fifth (14.8). They can’t fall below seventh, and the draft is regarded as falling off after the top seven prospects.

The Nets have won the lottery in 1990 (Derrick Coleman), 2000 (Kenyon Martin) and 2017, but they had traded the latter pick away to Boston (who used it to trade down for Jayson Tatum).

Meanwhile, the No. 3 lottery spot has been lucky of late. Minnesota won the lottery in 2020 (Anthony Edwards) and San Antonio three years later (Victor Wembanyama). Last year, Charlotte actually fell to draft fourth, but Kon Knueppel had a historic season and is the Rookie of the Year front-runner.

The Nets should be so lucky. 

Trevon Scott started after being signed Sunday morning.

His 10-day contract expired, but the Nets inked him on what a source told The Post was a hardship deal that only covered Sunday’s game against Toronto.

The final buzzer at the Frost Bank Center carried little urgency for the San Antonio Spurs—but it still told a story. San Antonio came into the regular season finale on Sunday already locked into the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, so missing key pieces for rest and injury management, the Spurs fell 128-118 to the Denver Nuggets in a game exposed both vulnerability and perspective heading into the postseason.

Even with a limited run from Nikola Jokić, the Nuggets controlled stretches of the game and never fully let the Spurs recover. Jokić made his presence felt early, tallying 23 points and eight rebounds, all in the first half, before sitting in the second half after securing eligibility for postseason awards.

Despite missing all their starters, apart from Jokic, it was Denver’s supporting cast that delivered the knockout blows. Julian Strawther erupted for 25 points, while the Nuggets’ bench fueled a decisive second-quarter surge. A massive 20-0 run in a period of six minutes turned a competitive game into an uphill battle San Antonio couldn’t climb out of.

“I thought the effort was consistent,” Spurs Head Coach Mitch Johnson said. “It’s time to regroup and we’ve got five or six days to prepare. We need to be prepared and as sharp as we can.”

The Spurs, meanwhile, looked like a team managing the bigger picture. Without Victor Wembanyama and Luke Kornet, San Antonio struggled defensively and on the glass. Still, they found offense in spurts. De’Aaron Fox led the way with 24 points, while multiple players reached double figures in a balanced but inconsistent attack . Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson added key contributions, helping the Spurs trim the deficit late, but never enough to truly threaten.

Every time San Antonio pushed, Denver answered.

The Nuggets stretched their lead to double digits multiple times in the second half, leaning on timely shooting and second-chance opportunities. Even as the Spurs made a late push to cut the margin to single digits, Denver’s composure sealed the outcome.

The loss snapped the regular season to a close at 62-20 for San Antonio, a remarkable turnaround and a 34-win improvement from the previous year. More importantly, it marked the end of a drought, sending the Spurs back to the playoffs for the first time since 2019.

“We’ve flipped our minds towards the playoffs,” Spurs guard Stephon Castle said. “We’re excited and we’re expecting to make a long run in it.”

“Regardless, it is playoff basketball,” he added. “Seeding to us really doesn’t matter. Like Mitch said, just win the game in front of you, so we’re focused on that.”

And while this finale won’t linger as a defining moment, it did offer a preview. If these two teams meet again in the postseason, the margin for error will be razor thin.

“It’s been a hell of a year,” Spurs forward Carter Bryant. “I’m ready. I’m excited for the postseason.”

Sunday night showed that even a shorthanded Denver squad has the firepower—and depth—to challenge San Antonio. But for the Spurs, the real season is just beginning.

Game Notes

• Carter Bryant is playing with supreme confidence and that’s going to make him a dangerous player come playoff time and for years to come. He finished with 13 points and three blocks. If he puts those kind of numbers up in the postseason, he will be a secret weapon for San Antonio.
• Stephon Castle made his return to the lineup, scoring 10 points on 30 percent shooting.
• For Spurs fans worried about Denver in round 2, let’s focus on round 1 first. Also, the bright side is that this is the worst the Spurs will be for the foreseeable future. The fact they finished 62-20 after winning just 34 games a year ago is insane. Breathe. It’s going to be fun .
• The Spurs had three chances from the three-point line late to cut into Denver’s lead and couldn’t convert. The basketball Gods might have wanted them to take the hard road for their first playoff run in 6 years.