ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Marco Rossi scored with 9.5 seconds left in overtime to help the Vancouver Canucks beat Anaheim 4-3 on Sunday night and prevent the Ducks from clinching a playoff spot.
Anaheim has 90 points and can secure a playoff spot with a win Tuesday at Minnesota.
Curtis Douglas, Jake DeBrusk and Brock Boeser each added a goal for Vancouver. The Canucks' 56 points this season are the fewest in the NHL, 17 fewer than Calgary, the next closest. Nikita Tolopilo had 24 saves.
Cutter Gauthier scored two goals and Leo Carlsson added a goal for the Ducks. Gauthier has a career-high 40 goals this season. The 22-year-old is the fourth player in franchise history to score 40-plus goals in a single season.
Rossi scored with a one-timer from the right circle that beat goaltender Lukas Dostal glove side to win it. Dostal finished with 22 saves.
Gauthier opened the scoring at 3:41 of the first period.
Douglas answered about 10 minutes later and DeBrusk added a power-play goal with 5:23 left until the first intermission that gave Vancouver a 2-1 lead.
Boeser beat Dostal one on one for a short-handed goal at 4:28 of the third period, but Gauthier answered with his second goal 37 seconds later and Carlson made it 3-3 with 13:04 left in regulation.
Apr 12, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets center Clint Capela (30) celebrates with guard JD Davison (4) after a play during the fourth quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
It’s going to be tough to write 300+ words about Sunday night’s season finale between the playoff bound Houston Rockets and the obviously tanking Memphis Grizzlies. I may have to rely on a few random famous Ron Burgundy warm up quotes such as, “How now brown cow.” With the Rockets being locked in as the fifth seed in the Western Conference playoffs, it was decided after the loss to the Timberwolves that in that scenario the teams key players would be resting. Once it became a certainty that the fifth seed is where they will reside, Sundays game officially became meaningless.
Perhaps meaningless for the standings and for casual Rockets fans, but for those like us TDS faithful there were some things to watch for and some things we wanted to see. Starting with the fact that Tari Eason was not on that list of “key players” that would need to be rested in this game and found himself where he usually wants to be, the starting lineup. Reed Sheppard, Josh Okogie, Jae’Sean Tate and Clint Capela joined him there.
For those who wanted to see Tari play well heading into the playoffs after a rough outing for him against the T-Wolves, Tari didn’t disappoint. He scored 20 points in 23 minutes on 8-of-17 shooting and even got to finish the game on the bench in street clothes. “The Human Torch was denied a bank loan.” Reed Sheppard scored 19 points on 18 shots. Not his most efficient night, but he got some valuable minutes at point guard headed into the postseason and can boast 3 assists and zero turnovers in the game. Jae’Sean Tate continued to be what he always has been, a pro. 13 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal on 6-of-9 shooting and the hustle you’d expect in a playoff game although to most it was views as meaningless.
The man of the hour was throwback Clint Capela. In just 22 minutes played, Capela scored 23 points, 13 rebounds and shot 81.8 percent from the floor and 50 percent from the three-point arc, as he knocked down the first three-pointer of his career. Clint Capela was considered a bit of overkill at the center position when he was signed in the offseason, but with the season ending injury to Steven Adams, Capela figures to be a key role player heading into the playoffs.
The Rockets finish the season with 52 wins and 30 losses for the second consecutive year. Some will say it’s a disappointment after an offseason that saw the Rockets add arguably, the greatest scorer of all-time. In someways that sentiment is understandable, however one would have a hard time arguing that the regular season record was always going to come secondary to the amount of success this team has in the playoffs. If the Rockets are able to find themselves in the Western semi-finals or Western Conference finals, then the fact that the regular season record was stagnant won’t matter.
It’s been a fun season regardless and even though the injury bug hit them hard, they are very fortunate to be headed into the post season with their top players healthy. The team has more playoff experience than the squad from last year had, and they will need it as they head to Los Angeles on Saturday for Game 1 of the first round series. As always, you know TDS is going to be here covering the playoffs from all angles. Can’t wait to cover the games and enjoy the discussions with all you TDS faithful. Until then… Stay classy Houston!
Game 82 of 2025-26 looks set to be the first preseason game of 2026-27.
After the Islanders were officially eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday with a 4-1 loss to the Canadiens, coach Pete DeBoer indicated he’d like to use the last game of the season — a home match against Carolina on Tuesday — to “see as many guys as possible.”
That may have been a nod to Victor Eklund, who could be in line to make his NHL debut after helping AHL Bridgeport clinch a playoff spot on Sunday night, though it’s unclear whether the Isles will call up the Swede.
Certainly, it seems like Isaiah George should play, and that some call-ups could happen.
“I’ll have to talk to Mathieu [Darche] about roster and some things like that,” DeBoer said. “But for me, the more guys I can see in game action that are potentially part of this going forward, I think that’s important.”
Islanders defenseman Isaiah George (36) runs a drill during practice at the Northwell Health Ice Center, Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025, in East Meadow, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Hired a week ago Sunday, DeBoer was in the awkward position of dealing with a devastated team after just his third game in charge.
“I’m disappointed,” DeBoer said. “I know they were in a good spot a month ago, or coming out of the Olympic break, probably. A lot of work goes into that. I can only speak to the last seven days.
“These guys have had a lot of stuff thrown at them. One coach left, a new coach came in. A lot of new stuff. So they’re wearing that a little bit and you feel for them. I can tell you I’m proud they didn’t quit. They played right to the buzzer tonight. We know we’ve got a lot of work to do here, but there’s a lot of good things too.”
Ondrej Palat was a healthy scratch, with Anthony Duclair coming into the lineup for just the second time in the Islanders’ last 11 games.
Islanders head coach Peter DeBoer responds to questions from reporters during press conference after an NHL hockey game against the Montreal Canadiens Sunday, April 12, 2026, in Elmont, N.Y. AP
Ilya Sorokin started his ninth straight game in net and has now appeared in 14 straight, dating back nearly a month.
Coach Pete DeBoer ruled out any possibility of Alexander Romanov returning from shoulder surgery in the regular season. The Islanders had liked Romanov’s chances of returning in the playoffs since he got hurt in mid-November, but with a playoff berth highly unlikely, it now appears he won’t be back until training camp.
With his 12th year as the Golden State Warriors’ head coach coming to an end, Steve Kerr is at a crossroads.
Having won four championships and reached six NBA Finals is nothing to scoff at. With help from Steph Curry, Kerr transformed the team from a perennial playoff presence into a bona fide championship team.
That said, this 2025-26 season is the last of Kerr’s current contract. As of this writing, there seems to be no agreement in place to extend his tenure.
SB Nation polled Warriors fans on whether they wanted Kerr to remain as head coach. This is what they had to say:
A significant number of fans polled still want Kerr to return next season. Kerr is a proven commodity with a resume that not a whole lot of NBA coaches possess. However, there remains the possibility that either the team or Kerr himself might want to move on to other ventures.
Do you think Kerr will remain the coach of the Warriors next season? Will he sign a new contract for the only team he has been the head coach of? Will he be the coach of another team? Or will he step down from coaching duties altogether? Head on over to https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/navigation/nba to make yourself heard.
INGLEWOOD, CA - APRIL 12: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors looks on during the game against the LA Clippers on April 12, 2026 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors wrapped up their regular season on Sunday night, and it the result was emblematic of the season as a whole: a lot of notable players didn’t suit up, there was a little excitement, and ultimately it ended in defeat. This time it was a 115-110 loss to the LA Clippers, which put a rather unsightly bow on a 37-45 season.
It wasn’t the best effort for the Warriors, and that was by design. Not only did the team have nothing to play for other than rhythm — they’ve been locked into the No. 10 seed for a while now — but they knew going into the contest that their likely opponent in the first round of the play-in tournament would be this same Clippers squad. Which means that that didn’t want to ruin any secrets (not that there are many between Steve Kerr and Ty Lue, who have been battling for about a decade now).
So it wasn’t a surprise that Kerr opted to rest Draymond Green, while Lue sat Kawhi Leonard. Interestingly, Kerr used Steph Curry more than any other player, as the team’s superstar had a dress rehearsal for playing heavy minutes in Wednesday’s win-or-go-home affair. Curry played nearly 29 minutes, while Brandin Podziemski had the next heaviest usage, with 21:03 spent on the court.
Both teams played a high-effort contest that was lacking in strategy or game-planning, as neither squad wanted to give the other any extra information. The Warriors came out hot with an energy-fueled 10-4 start, but the Clippers went on a 6-0 run to tie the game as Golden State’s offense got sloppy. But the Dubs would respond with a 7-0 run of their own.
It had a bit of a pickup basketball feel, and Dub Nation held their collective breath as Podziemski left the game in visible pain and holding his leg. Thankfully, he returned in the second quarter.
The first quarter was far from the prettiest basketball that we’ve witnessed this season, but the pace was nice and it was an enjoyable watch. It got a little testy late in the frame, with Pat Spencer and Kobe Sanders getting into it a little bit. With the Warriors offense scuffling in a big way, Seth Curry bailed them out with a four-point play with just a few tenths of a second remaining, sending Golden State to the second quarter with a 26-25 advantage.
But the second quarter belonged to LA, as they started to execute well out of the gates, while the Warriors very much did not. That led to some hot shooting from the Clippers’ perimeter players, and suddenly it was a 43-33 lead for the home team. But Steph Curry returned to the court and fueled a gritty 7-0 run as the Warriors got right back in it.
Yet sometimes there are signs that it isn’t your game, and that occurred shortly after that run, when Steph was fouled shooting a three, and only made one free throw. It was ominous, and it helped spark an LA run that pushed the lead back to double-digits. But the Warriors ended the quarter on a high note, with Kristaps Porziņģis getting a stop on one end, and Podziemski draining a buzzer-beating three on the other. The Dubs trailed just 52-48 at the break.
The third quarter went back and forth and back and forth and back and forth some more. The Warriors hung right with the Clippers, never really losing touch, but certainly not taking control of the game, either. Curry went to the bench with about four minutes remaining and the game tied, and it seemed likely that his night was over. While the Clippers continued to dominate on the perimeter, Charles Bassey — who remains a revelation — was dominating in the paint, and going toe to toe with LA, almost single-handedly keeping the Warriors in the game. As a result, they trailed just 83-81 entering the fourth.
Bassey picked up where he left off in the final quarter, as he kept going strong. Unfortunately, none of his teammates could match that level of success, and on the other end, the Clippers suddenly couldn’t miss. LA quickly ran the lead back to double digits, and took total control of the game.
Curry did end up returning for a short stint in the fourth quarter, presumably to simulate the usage pattern he’ll have in Wednesday’s game. He didn’t do too much — and it seemed like he wasn’t trying to do too much — but he looked healthy and athletic and in game shape, and that’s really all anyone was looking for.
The Clippers controlled the game until the final buzzer, though the Warriors subs made it a close score of 115-110, even though the game didn’t feel at all up for grabs. Then again, the Warriors weren’t really trying to grab it, so who cares.
Curry led the Warriors with 24 points, while shooting 7-for-14 from the field and 4-for-9 on threes, with six rebounds and three assists. Bassey had 16 points off the bench on nearly-perfect 5-for-6 shooting, while going 6-for-8 on free throws. Porziņģis (12) and Podziemski (10) were the only other Warriors in double digits, as no one played much.
With the regular season now over, the Dubs will stay in Los Angeles and prepare for Wednesday’s game at the Intuit Dome. That game will be at 7:00 p.m. PT on Prime Video, with the loser being eliminated. The winner will travel to face the loser of Tuesday night’s game between the Portland Trail Blazers and the Phoenix Suns.
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 10: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the game against the Phoenix Suns on April 10, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
And just like that, the 2025-26 NBA regular season has come to an end. The Lakers battled injuries and are currently playing without Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, but thanks to some great games from LeBron James, they’ve managed to earn the fourth seed in the West. Now, they are set to play the Rockets in the first round.
Final 2025-2026 NBA Standings
Here are the final standings for each conference, with the play-in ultimately set to decide who will face the top two seeds in each. The No. 2 seed in each conference will play the winner of the 7-8 game, while the No. 1 seed will play the winner of the next game, between the loser of the 7-8 game and winner of the 9-10 game.
*Eliminated teams in italics.
Eastern Conference
Detroit Pistons
Boston Celtics
New York Knicks
Cleveland Cavaliers
Toronto Raptors
Atlanta Hawks
Philadelphia 76ers (play-in)
Orlando Magic (play-in)
Charlotte Hornets (play-in)
Miami Heat (play-in)
Milwaukee Bucks
Chicago Bulls
Indiana Pacers
Brooklyn Nets
Washington Wizards
Western Conference
Oklahoma City Thunder
San Antonio Spurs
Denver Nuggets
Los Angeles Lakers
Houston Rockets
Minnesota Timberwolves
Phoenix Suns (play-in)
Portland Trail Blazers (play-in)
LA Clippers (play-in)
Golden State Warriors (play-in)
Memphis Grizzlies
New Orleans Pelicans
Dallas Mavericks
Utah Jazz
Sacramento Kings
With Dončić and Reaves likely to miss most or all of the first round, the Lakers won’t be expected to go far this postseason. Even with key pieces missing, the Lakers still have LeBron, home court and a head coach in JJ Redick who will do everything he can to put LA in an advantageous situation.
Under Redick’s leadership, the Lakers have had back-to-back 50-win seasons, making them one of the most consistent teams in the West over the past two years.
Official 2026 NBA Lottery Odds
And with the 2025-26 NBA season behind us, here is the final lottery order (with their odds to get the No. 1 pick) for the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery on May 10.
Washington Wizards — top-8 protected (14%)
Brooklyn Nets (14%)
Indiana Pacers — pick goes to Clippers if it falls 5-9 (14%)
Sacramento (12.5%)
Utah — top-8 protected (10.5%)
Dallas (9%)
Hawks — via Pelicans (7.5%)
Memphis (6%)
Chicago (4.5%)
Milwaukee (3%)
Golden State (2%)
OKC — via Clippers (1.5%)
Miami (1%)
Memphis — via Orlando (0.5%)
Plenty of teams were tanking this season in what’s expected to be a deep draft class, but the Lakers weren’t one of them. Now the draft odds for the No. 1 pick are known and we’ll see which team gets to pick first when the NBA Draft Lottery is held on May. 10.
While the Lakers aren’t in the lottery, they will have a first round pick. They tied with the Knicks, so a coin flip will decide whether they select at No. 24 or 25.
However, the draft is something the franchise can focus on later. For now, the priority is to rest up as the play-in teams earn their spots in the playoffs and get ready for a battle with Houston next week.
There wasn’t much for either team to glean from Sunday night’s regular-season finale between the Warriors and Clippers. The teams will meet again with far higher stakes in three days, meaning neither coach wanted to show his hand in a 115-110 loss to LA.
“Wednesday will be much different, for sure,” Kerr said before tipoff.
The Warriors’ Steph Curry tuned up for Wednesday’s play-in tournament game with 24 points Sunday. AP
Kawhi Leonard (ankle) and Draymond Green (back) were both ruled out before tipoff, while the teams’ remaining rotation regulars mostly went through the motions for 48 minutes while their fates were determined by a game 1,500 miles up the coast in Portland.
Both players are expected to return to their starting lineups for Wednesday’s win-or-go-home rematch, which became official with the Trail Blazers’ 122-110 win over the Kings.
As expected, Steph Curry played his heaviest load of minutes since returning from a 27-game absence with a knee injury. He finished with 24 in 29 minutes, setting him to play as much as necessary with the Warriors’ season on the line Wednesday.
Without Green, Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford both started alongside Curry, Brandin Podziemski and De’Anthony Melton in the Warriors’ 43rd different starting five of the season.
Porzingis missed all four 3s he attempted and finished with 12 points in 24 minutes. Horford was held to two field goals — one for 2 and one for 3 — for a quiet five points in 19 minutes. Both big men were outshined by Charles Bassey, who scored in double digits for the third straight game with 16.
“We know we’re going to have to put together a good four quarters on Wednesday,” Kerr said. “Tonight [was] another chance to make a step in that direction. But again, it’s different. It’s a different feeling when the result doesn’t matter.”
What it means
The Warriors finished the regular season 37-45, their second-worst record in 12 seasons under Kerr. Their only worse finish came in 2019-20, when Curry, Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant all missed most of the season.
Before the game, Kerr contrasted the two seasons.
“I think the expectations were higher for us this year than they were [in 2019-20] after losing Andre [Iguodala], Shaun Livingston, Kevin Durant. It’s a different vibe going into that year,” Kerr said. “This year I think the high hopes were there coming off last year’s run, having Jimmy [Butler] on our team. … When you see two guys go down midseason and it impacts not only this season but the next one, that’s about as tough as it gets. It for sure has been a very difficult season.”
The Clippers’ John Collins scores two of his 18 points Sunday against the Warriors. AP
Turning point
Trying to build chemistry in a group that hasn’t played together much, if at all, for the entire season, the Warriors survived two more injury scares with their regulars on the floor despite the outcome carrying little meaning.
After Curry rolled his ankle Friday in Sacramento, Podziemski was forced out of action early Sunday when he appeared to take a knee to his thigh on a drive to the hoop.
Podziemski, playing his 82nd game of the season, hobbled to the bench and received treatment. But he was quickly back in the game to finish a team-best plus-16 in 21 minutes.
Curry was also the recipient of a hard forearm from Benedict Mathurin as he attempted to back his way into the paint. The move sent Curry falling to the floor, clearly unpleased, and technical fouls were doled out to Gary Payton II and Mathurin for the brief scrum that followed.
MVP: Steph Curry
The best news for the Warriors from Sunday’s game was that Curry looked like himself after two quiet games and rolling his ankle their last time out. He lacked the theatrics of his 29-point performance in his first game back against the Rockets but turned in probably his best all-around effort.
Stat of the game: 99
The total number of minutes logged by Bassey, Nate Williams, Malevy Leons, Pat Spencer, Seth Curry and Will Richard. Some of the end-of-rotation players will factor into Wednesday’s game, but if their minutes come anything close to Sunday, the Warriors are in trouble.
The six players combined to post a minus-83.
Up next
The Warriors’ postseason push begins Wednesday.
Same opponent. Same venue. Different stakes.
They’ll have to beat the Clippers in Inglewood and win another elimination game on the road against either the No. 7 Suns or No. 8 Blazers to earn a date with the defending champion Thunder in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
The Hawks certainly didn’t try to avoid the Knicks.
They sat most of their starters in their 143-117 loss to the Heat on Sunday night in Miami, despite a win meaning they’d secure the No. 5 seed in the East and first-round matchup with the Cavaliers. With the loss (and a Raptors win, coupled with a Magic loss), the Hawks dropped down to the No. 6 seed, meaning a first-round matchup with the Knicks.
So, knowing a loss was likely without their main players, the Hawks made it clear they at the very least weren’t overly scared of the Knicks.
Hawks coach Quin Snyder claimed to be prioritizing health over matchup.
“Right now, I think we’re excited to be in this situation,” Snyder said ahead of the game. “Whoever we play is gonna be really good. It’s hard to even try to figure that out. It’s possible that certain teams wanna play us. The primary thing is for us to be healthy going into the postseason. That’s been the one thing that has been consistent the last few weeks and months — you don’t know what’s gonna happen. It’s hard to predict all these games, they’re all going on. Wherever it falls is where it falls, and we’ll prepare for the playoffs, regardless of who that is.”
For their own part, the Knicks didn’t seem bothered by it.
Miles McBride #2 of the New York Knicks reacts to a play during the first half against the Charlotte Hornets at Madison Square Garden on April 12, 2026 in New York City. Getty Images
“We didn’t pay any attention to that,” Jordan Clarkson said. “It’s just what they wanted to do.”
Added Miles McBride: “Honestly, we just gotta focus on what we gotta do. I think whoever could’ve been the matchup, we’re focused on what we have to do as a team.”
Sunday’s game meant nothing for the Knicks as a whole. But it was a bit meaningful for McBride.
It was his last chance to re-find his shooting form ahead of the playoffs. McBride had struggled with his shot after returning from sports hernia surgery, which caused him to miss 28 games. In five games before Sunday’s 110-96 loss to the Hornets at Madison Square Garden, McBride shot just 6-for-21 (28.6 percent) from 3-point range.
But Sunday, McBride went 4-for-7 from deep, scoring 21 points overall in 24 minutes. As one of the only main players in the rotation playing, he had plenty of opportunity to get in a rhythm.
“He looked good,” coach Mike Brown said. “It was good to see him just go play free and take any shot he wanted and be aggressive … It was good to see the ball go in a few times.”
Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson passes the ball over Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST
OG Anunoby’s ankle injury doesn’t seem to be serious.
Brown said that Anunoby is day to day. Having already locked themselves into the No. 3 seed and with nothing to play for, the Knicks rested four of their five starters (Mikal Bridges started the game to preserve his consecutive games streak, then subbed out) Sunday, including Anunoby.
But it doesn’t sound like the injury will force Anunoby to miss any time in the playoffs.
Anunoby suffered the injury during the win over the Raptors at MSG on Friday.
Stephen Curry looks to drive to the basket against a double team. NBAE via Getty Images
The matchup was all but certain entering Sunday: A Portland team with real stakes on the line would have had to lose to a Sacramento squad trying to improve its lottery odds.
The bottom play-in game — set for 7 p.m. Wednesday — will be a rematch of the teams’ regular-season finale. Knowing the strong possibility of facing off again three days later, both teams rested players and generally played their cards close to the vest in a 115-110 Clippers victory.
The loser’s season will come to an end. The winner will face a second play-in game Friday night on the road against whoever prevails between the No. 8 Blazers and No. 7 Suns on Tuesday.
Darius Garland drives to the basket against Al Horford. AP
No. 9 vs. No. 10 Western Conference play-in game
Date: Wednesday, April 15
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Intuit Dome; Inglewood
TV: Amazon Prime
Golden State Warriors vs. Los Angeles Clippers breakdown
Warriors projected starting five
G Steph Curry: 27.0 ppg, 46.8 fg%, 39.2 3pt%
G Brandin Podziemski: 13.7 ppg, 5.2 reb, 3.8 ast
C Kristaps Porzingis: 16.8 ppg, 5.0 reb, 1.2 blk
F Draymond Green: 8.4 ppg, 5.5 ast, 5.5 reb
F Gui Santos: 9.3 ppg, 3.9 reb, 50.5 fg%
Sixth man: F Al Horford: 8.3 ppg, 5.0 reb, 1.2 blk
John Collins throws down a dunk against the Warriors. AP
Clippers projected starting five
G Kris Dunn: 7.3 ppg, 3.6 ast, 1.6 stl
G Darius Garland: 20.2 ppg, 6.2 ast, 44.6 3pt%
F Derrick Jones Jr.: 10.3 ppg, 3.4 reb, 50.1 fg%
F Kawhi Leonard: 27.9 ppg, 50.5 fg%, 38.7 3pt%
C Brook Lopez: 8.5 ppg, 3.6 reb, 1.2 blk
Sixth man: F John Collins: 13.7 ppg, 5.3 reb, 41.2 3pt%
Gui Santos goes up for a layup in the paint against the Clippers. NBAE via Getty Images
Fast facts
After Sunday’s season finale, the Clippers have now beaten the Warriors the past nine times the teams have met in Southern California, including all four inside the Intuit Dome.
The streak is Golden State’s longest on the road against any opponent in Kerr’s 12 seasons.
Overall, the Clippers have won 10 of the past 11 meetings between the teams in any setting.
Postseason history
The last time the Warriors and Clippers were on the same court in the postseason, Kevin Durant scored 50 points, Draymond Green had a triple-double and Golden State wrapped up the 2019 first-round series in six games on its way to a third championship in four years.
The Clippers prevailed in seven games in the teams’ only other postseason series, eliminating Curry, Kerr and Co. in the first round in 2014 — the last time the Warriors’ season would end before the NBA Finals for another six years.
TORONTO, CANADA - NOVEMBER 24: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers is introduced before the game against the Toronto Raptors on November 24, 2025 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Mark Blinch/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The regular season is over. The Cleveland Cavaliers have finished with a 52-30, which is good enough for the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference. They will take on the Toronto Raptors in the first round of the playoffs.
Final 2025-26 NBA Standings
Here are the final standings for each conference, with the Play-In Tournament set to decide who will face the top two seeds in each. The second seed in each conference will play the winner of the 7-8 game, while the one seed will play the winner of the next game, between the loser of the 7-8 game and the winner of the 9-10 game. Eliminated teams are noted in italics.
And with the 2025-26 NBA season behind us, here is the final lottery order (with their odds to get the number 1 pick) for the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery on May 10.
*Teams in italics are placeholders as they and others will enter the Play-In Tournament to decide whether they are a playoff or lottery team.
Washington — top-8 protected (14%)
Indiana — pick goes to Clippers if it falls 5-9 (14%)
The shot by Vancouver Canucks right wing Brock Boeser goes past Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal, left in the third period. (Kyusung Gong / Associated Press)
The Ducks held their annual fan appreciation day Sunday, handing out thousands of gifts, from a new car to team jerseys and gift cards. But the one prize the Ducks’ long-suffering fans really wanted, a playoff berth, remained just out of reach.
Needing a win to clinch a postseason berth for the first time since 2018, the Ducks lost a sloppy 4-3 overtime decision to the Vancouver Canucks, the NHL’s worst team, leaving them a point shy of the playoffs with two games to play. The loss was the seventh in eight games for the Ducks, who have tumbled from first to third in the Pacific Division standings and may now have to settle for a wild-card berth.
So they’ll hit the road Monday for their final two games of the regular season needing one point from games in Minnesota and Nashville. The Ducks could also back into the playoffs if Nashville losses either of its final two games.
“We haven't clinched anything yet,” captain Radko Gudas said. “With two games to play, there's still a lot of work to do, 120 minutes to give it our all and make that push.”
“We just can't be satisfied with what we're at right now,” coach Joel Quenneville agreed. “We didn't make it easy on ourselves, that's for sure.”
The Ducks have already assured themselves of their first winning record since 2017-18 but the playoffs have been the Holy Grail the team has been chasing since then. And it appeared within reach until Marco Rossi scored on a power play with less than 11 seconds left in the extra period, silencing a sellout crowd that had repeatedly peppered the Ducks with rhythmic chants of “We want playoffs!”
“I loved it,” Quenneville said of the chant. “I wanted to complete that wish tonight.”
And it looked as if that would happen given the way the Ducks started, with Cutter Gauthier opening the scoring with the first of two goals 3:41 into a feisty and physical first period that was interrupted by seven penalties and two fights.
But Vancouver got the next three scores, taking a 3-1 lead when Brock Boeser intercepted a sloppy Leo Carlsson pass intended for John Carlson in Vancouver’s defensive end, then outskated Carlson the other way before lifting the puck over goaltender Lukas Dostal less than five minutes into the final period.
The shorthanded goal seemed to wake the slumbering Ducks, with Gauthier scoring on a power play 37 seconds later to halve the lead and become the first Duck with 40 goals in a season since Corey Perry in 2013-14.
“It's a huge milestone and something I'm very proud of,” Gauthier said. “But that's not why I'm playing hockey. I’m playing to win games and eventually win a Stanley Cup.”
Carlsson then evened things at 3-3 on a spectacular goal less than two minutes later, backhanding the puck over Canucks goalie Nikita Tolopilo while skating away from the crease for his 29th goal of the season.
“It was kind of a dagger when they score a shorthanded goal on us,” Gauthier said. “It's supposed to be the opposite way. But I thought we responded really well, obviously tying it back up.”
The Ducks couldn’t keep it there, however, with Chris Kreider taking a slashing penalty with 2:07 left in overtime, giving Vancouver an extra skater. Dostal had kept the Ducks in the game, making seven saves in the extra period, including five huge stops on the power play, but he couldn’t stop Rossi on the final shot, one which sent the Ducks’ fans home disappointed and eager to end to the second-longest playoff drought in the NHL.
“They've been hungry to get back in the playoffs over these last seven years,” said Gauthier, who was in junior high school in Michigan the last time the Ducks played in the postseason. “They're excited for it, we're excited for it. We fell short tonight but we had a great opportunity to go on this road trip and get some get points.”
Actually just one point — the one they left on the ice Sunday — will be enough.
ORLANDO, FLORIDA - JANUARY 09: Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers goes up for a shot against Paolo Banchero #5 of the Orlando Magic during the second quarter at Kia Center on January 09, 2026 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s always the Sixers that have got to make things weird.
Now that the 2025-26 regular season has concluded and the seeding is finalized, the league has announced dates, times and TV schedules for the Play-In tournament and the first weekend of the first round of the playoffs.
Normally, both 7-vs.-8 are the first games of the Play-In, taking place on the Tuesday the tournament starts. Since that’s the day of the Flyers’ final game of the regular season and the Sixers have snatched the seventh seed from the Magic, they’ll be hosting Orlando on Wednesday the 15th at 7:30 p.m. ET.
If they lose to the Magic, they’ll host the winner of Hornets/Magic on the 17th, also at 7:30. All Play-In games this year will be on Amazon Prime.
If the Sixers get out of the Play-In, they’ll begin round one on Sunday the 19th. If they beat Orlando, they’ll secure the seventh seed and have the rest of the week off before taking on the Boston Celtics at 1 p.m. ET.
Should they fall back to the eight seed they’ll head to Detroit to play the Pistons at 6:30. If it’s Boston, that series will start on ABC as opposed to NBC and Peacock if they get matched up with Detroit.
It doesn’t seem like anyone is optimistic about the Sixers’ chances against either team with Joel Embiid on the shelf for most of if not the entirety of round one. The best possible advantage for this team might be four extra days of rest — and after seeing that Magic performance in Boston, it certainly is possible.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 03: Chaney Johnson #31 of the Brooklyn Nets looks on during the game against the Atlanta Hawks at Barclays Center on April 03, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Evan Bernstein/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Every path to the NBA isn’t built the same. Some players lean on raw talent. Others have to grind for every opportunity.
Brooklyn Nets two-way forward Chaney Johnson fits firmly in the latter group. Call it grit if you must. It would be a good description.
Growing up in Alabaster, Alabama, a tough town south of Birmingham, nothing was handed to Johnson. After graduating from Thompson High School there in 2021, he had no offers from major programs. Instead, he committed to Division II Alabama/Huntsville.
For some players, missing out on the Division I level can be discouraging. For Johnson, it only provided more fuel for his fire. Despite not landing at one of the nation’s top programs, he remained locked in on the next opportunity.
“I was on to the next thing the whole time,” Johnson told NetsDaily in an exclusive conversation last week. “I need to try to get somewhere out of high school. Okay? Nah, I’m gonna go D2. Okay? I need to keep on working so I can get somewhere after D2. I’m at Auburn, I need to keep on working so I can get somewhere out of Auburn.”
Just a few years after receiving zero D1 offers out of high school, Johnson is in the NBA with the Nets on a two-way contract, tappi ng off his first season with a double double Sunday night: 16 points, 13 rebounds.
Looking back on his journey to the league, Johnson credits his “Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,” above all else.
“One, all glory to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and Jesus, without him, I would be nothing,” said Johnson. “I always fall back on him, just giving me the strength to continue to go.”
One of the biggest turning points in Johnson’s career came at Auburn. After earning Gulf South Player of the Year honors in 2023 and being named a two-time first-team All-Gulf South selection (2022, 2023) at UAH, Johnson transferred to Auburn.
While he remained focused on the next opportunity, he wasn’t particularly looking to leave UAH.
“He didn’t want to leave,” his longtime trainer, confidant, and primary representative, Kelley Hall, told ND. “I kind of felt like I was twisting his arm, like, ‘Yo man, I’ve got these schools reaching out—you need to go in the portal.’”
After visiting Auburn, though, Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl didn’t let him leave the building, and the 23-year-old had decided that it was the place where he wanted to play the final years of his NCAA career.
He ultimately played an integral role in the Tigers’ Final Four run during the 2025 NCAA tournament, averaging 8.3 points and 6.5 rebounds across four tournament games while providing much-needed production off the bench.
From the moment he arrived, Johnson brought with him his most valuable asset: a relentless work ethic.
He was a guy who, as soon as he got to Auburn, was immediately our hardest worker, “Auburn basketball head coach Steve Pearl, who was an assistant on the staff during Johnson’s time with the program, told ND. ”He was immediately a guy that you just had to almost kick out of the gym and just worked his tail off nonstop.“
Although he went undrafted in last June’s NBA draft, Johnson remained determined to reach the league. Subsequently, he signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Summer League. Though he didn’t make the team’s 15-man roster, Johnson began the season with the team’s G League affiliate, the Cleveland Charge.
“He absolutely galvanized the locker room,” Charge head coach Eli Kell-Abrams told us. “He’s just on at all times, a joy to be around. He’ll run through a wall for you. Nobody played harder than Chaney. There was no better teammate.”
After 16 games with the Charge, including an impressive performance at the G League’s Winter Showcase in front of NBA executives, the Nets signed Johnson to their third two-way deal on Dec. 26.
At first, all of Johnson’s opportunities came in the G League with the Long Island Nets. Long Island has established itself as one of the league’s top development programs, with four players earning NBA call-ups this season, tied for the fourth-most in the G League. Johnson believes multiple aspects of his game grew under head coach Mfon Udofia and his staff on LI.
“I feel like all aspects of my game kind of grew,” he said. “I feel like Coach Mfon really let me play free… so I got to really get better at attacking more closeouts.”
Mfon Udofia, the development-oriented head coach of Long Island, said that he saw the biggest growth in Johson’s confidence.
“The biggest thing is building confidence in him,” said Udofia. “Sometimes players don’t know how good they are. So our job is to instill that confidence. He’s an extremely hard worker and does everything both our Long Island staff and Brooklyn staff ask of him.”
Fast forward to the present, and Johnson has appeared in 17 NBA games with the Brooklyn Nets, including one start. A potential 3-and-D player, he’s improved in a number of areas, his shooting and playmaking on offense and attacking closeouts on defense.
He finished his Brooklyn experience averaging 8.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists while shooting 54.3% from the field in 17 games. Small sample for sure, but among the Nets eight rookies — the Flatbush 5, Malachi Smith, Grant Nelson and Johnson — his scoring numbers were higher than all of them except Egor Demin, Danny Wolf and Nolan Traore. The 23-year-old has also showcased his versatility, logging minutes across multiple positions, including at center, despite being undersized at 6’8”. (He does have a 6’11” wingspan.)
He takes pride in his ability to hold his own. Call it Brooklyn Grit or high character, what the Nets say they value.
“I take pride in that matchup,” said Johnson. “Even though I’m smaller, I don’t ever want to get punked by nobody. I don’t ever want to feel like I can’t hold my own against anybody. It’s testing my strength, my mentality… and showing me I can get stronger and really give those guys problems.”
He also credited Day’Ron Sharpe and Nic Claxton for helping him adjust to that role, “They help me all the time,” he said.
Johnson believes he has the tools to carve out a highly productive NBA career, and so remains determined to improve every aspect of his game.
“I feel like I’m a pretty solid defender, and my frame is pretty NBA-ready. I have the tools. But honestly, every aspect of my game needs to get better,” he said. “I need to be a better shooter, more confident with my ball handling, and smarter at reading sets. I feel like I could be good at a lot of things.”
Still, he aspires to be not just an NBA player, but a very good one. That confidence Udofia talked about seems to have taken root.
“I want to be one of the better players in the NBA,” Johnson said of his career aspirations. “All-Defensive First Team or Second Team and possibly have an NBA championship, I want to be one of the greatest players to ever touch the ball.”
His future remains uncertain. He will become a free agent in June. His two-way deal will be over. The Nets have a lot of young players, particularly wings plus three draft picks in June, one a high lottery pick. There’s been no indication whether the Nets will sign him to a new deal, invite him to Summer League or training camp, but that’s fine with Johnson. He’s accomplished a lot already.
DENVER , CO - MARCH 1: Nikola Jokic (15) of the Denver Nuggets works as Anthony Edwards (5) of the Minnesota Timberwolves defends during the second quarter at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on Sunday, March 1, 2026. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post) | Denver Post via Getty Images
Leading up to Sunday Night’s game between the Spurs and Nuggets, Wolves fans had reason to hope that San Antonio would take care of business against Denver’s C team. The Spurs rolled out the majority of their lineup minus Wemby. The Nuggets took the opposite approach of Nikola Jokic surrounded a bunch of dudes they found playing at the local YMCA. In the end, star power mattered, as Jokic’s 23 first-half points were enough to take down the Spurs. That outcome has set up a repeat of the 2024 Western Confernce Semi-Finals between the 3-seeded Nuggets and the 6-seeded Timberwolves.
But those weren’t the only seeds finalized tonight…
Final 2025-2026 NBA Standings
Here are the final standings for each conference, with the play-in ultimately set to decide who will face the top two seeds in each. The No. 2 seed in each conference will play the winner of the 7-8 game, while the No. 1 seed will play the winner of the next game, between the loser of the 7-8 game and winner of the 9-10 game.
*Eliminated teams in italics.
As we head into the playoffs, you can rest assured that FanDuel Sportsbook has all your NBA betting needs covered, whether it’s Wolves/Nuggets or any of the other seven first-round series!
Eastern Conference
Detroit Pistons
Boston Celtics
New York Knicks
Cleveland Cavaliers
Toronto Raptors
Atlanta Hawks
Philadelphia 76ers (play-in)
Orlando Magic (play-in)
Charlotte Hornets (play-in)
Miami Heat (play-in)
Milwaukee Bucks
Chicago Bulls
Indiana Pacers
Brooklyn Nets
Washington Wizards
Western Conference
Oklahoma City Thunder
San Antonio Spurs
Denver Nuggets
Los Angeles Lakers
Houston Rockets
Minnesota Timberwolves
Phoenix Suns (play-in)
Portland Trail Blazers (play-in)
LA Clippers (play-in)
Golden State Warriors (play-in)
New Orleans Pelicans
Dallas Mavericks
Memphis Grizzlies
Utah Jazz
Sacramento Kings
Official 2026 NBA Lottery Odds
And with the 2025-26 NBA season behind us, here is the final lottery order (with their odds to get the No. 1 pick) for the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery on May 10.
[feel free to move this section to the top if your fanbase is more lottery-focused than playoffs]
Washington Wizards — top-8 protected (14%)
Indiana Pacers — pick goes to Clippers if it falls 5-9 (14%)
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 16: Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets reacts with LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the first half at Toyota Center on March 16, 2026 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Despite the Nuggets’ best efforts over the weekend, the Lakers will remain the No. 4 seed and play the Rockets in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
The opening game between the teams will be on Saturday night at 5:30 p.m. PT on ABC.
Los Angeles (4) vs. Houston (5): Game 1 is on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. on ABC.
Entering the weekend, the Lakers sat one game behind the Nuggets. Denver then sat basically everyone of note in their final two games, opening the door for the Lakers to move up.
LA did it’s part by beating the Jazz on the final day. However, the Nuggets held serve in each of those contests, including beating the Spurs on Sunday.
As a result, the Lakers will face Houston in the postseason for the first time since the bubble when they beat the James Harden- and Russell Westbrook-led Rockets. The Lakers won the season series and did so with some exciting finishes.
The Lakers struggled with Houston in their first meeting on Christmas as they were run off the floor. However, in back-to-back games in Houston during March, the Lakers picked up two impressive wins to clinch the season series.
With Luka and Austin out, all of this will be new territory for the Lakers. This is one of the few teams that they had all three for each contest, though Reaves exited the Christmas game with a calf strain. Still, the fact remains that this is about to be a completely new dynamic for the Lakers in this series.
They’re going to be viewed as the underdogs of this contest and it’s certainly going to be an uphill battle. But the final week of the season proved the Lakers have some life left in them and won’t be going down without a fight.
