This is what the NBA dreams of — high drama on the season's final day.
The Eastern Conference didn’t provide it, the playoffs there are set, and the games on the final day of the season will look like some G-League rosters turned loose on the big stage for a day.
The West has all the drama. A tight race all season long will come down to the final day, with five games in particular impacting the final standings. Here are the games to watch on the final day of the season, with all four taking place simultaneously at 3:30 p.m. Eastern
Clippers at Warriors
This is the biggest and best game of the day — the winner finishes in the top six, the loser falls into the play-in despite racking up 48 or 49 wins.
Both teams come in hot — the Clippers have won seven in a row, the Warriors are 7-2 in their last nine. Both teams have stars proven in clutch moments — Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler for Golden State, Kawhi Leonard and James Harden for Los Angeles. Both teams are playing great defense and have been in the top six in the league since the All-Star break.
For the Clippers, win and they are at least the No. 5 seed (and could get to No. 4 if Denver loses). For the Warriors, this is about avoiding the Play-In Tournament — win and they are the No. 6 seed, lose and they fall to No. 7 and the play-in. These are both older teams, so the week off that comes with a top-six seed matters — old guys need their rest.
The Clippers are 3-0 in the season series so far.
One thought: If the Warriors lose and fall to No. 7, then win the first play-in game (at home against Memphis), they avoid LeBron James, Luka Doncic and the Lakers in the first round and instead get the young, athletic but untested Rockets. Golden State might prefer Houston, but not at the price of falling into the play-in.
Nuggets at Rockets
Houston has nothing to play for, they are locked in as the No. 2 seed and are expected to rest key players for this one.
Denver has everything to play for: Win and they are the No. 4 seed, with a week off of rest and then home court in the first round. Lose and they could fall all the way to the No. 7 seed (if the Nuggets lose, they need the Clippers to beat the Warriors, do that and Denver falls no further than No. 6, avoiding the play-in).
Expect Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and company to bring it on a day they know they are playing for a week off.
Utah at Minnesota
Minnesota needs the win and will go with their best players — including Anthony Edwards, who had a technical rescinded from his last game, so he will not be suspended. Utah has been tanking since roughly October and will roll out a borderline G-League lineup for this game.
The Timberwolves should win this game comfortably — do that and they will jump over the loser of the Clippers/Warriors game into a top-six seed (fifth or sixth, depending on other games). There is even a slim chance the Timberwolves get to No. 4 if the Clippers and Nuggets lose. Win and avoid the play-in and get a week off, which is plenty of motivation to take this game seriously.
Mavericks at Grizzlies
Both teams are headed to the Play-In Tournament, but seeding is on the line in this game.
For Memphis, win and there is a slim chance it can move up to the No. 7 seed and host the first-round, but it needs Minnesota to lose to Utah (hence the slim chance).
For Dallas, a win combined with a Phoenix win over Sacramento, and the Mavericks jump to the No. 9 seed and host the first play-in round. The problem with that scenario is the combination of the words “Phoenix” and “win” in the same sentence.
Both teams in this game will be scoreboard watching and could get very motivated if an upset is brewing elsewhere.
Phoenix at Sacramento
It’s simple for Sacramento: Win and it is the No. 9 seed, and the Kings host the first round of the Play-In Tournament. Lose and they run the risk of falling to No. 10 if Dallas beats Memphis.
Phoenix has nothing to play for. The problem for the Suns is that they played like they had nothing to play for all season long.
