Teams finishing between 1st and 6th place advance directly to the NBA play-offs, while those ranked 7th through 10th will play play-offs, for the last two tickets up for grabs in each conference.
Suspense revived in the West
Three days before the end of the regular season, there are only two play-off spots left to be allocated, one in each conference.
In the West, the Lakers, who would like to avoid going through it, on the road to a hypothetical double, can still be granted.
Because Portland gave in in the last seconds to Phoenix (118-117).
Unlike those of Damian Lillard (41 pts), hands shook on both sides in the last minute.
In the Suns, Dario Saric missed three of four free throws and Devin Booker lost a ball before making a walk.
Among the Blazers, who had the victory at the end, Robert Covington also missed two free throws.
Finally, Booker put his own to 2.4 seconds from the buzzer to turn the situation around.
Consequence: Portland (6th), with one game to play, leaves its 5th place to Dallas which has two. Scenario: If the Lakers (7th) win their last two matches and their rivals lose theirs, LeBron James and his team will finish in the top 6. In the meantime, like Golden State (8th) and Memphis (9th), San Antonio (10th) is very happy to play these dams. His loss at the end of the game to the Knicks (102-98), carried by Alec Burks (30 pts) and Julius Randle (25 pts, 9 assists, 9 rebounds) had no unfortunate consequences, because the Grizzlies beat the Kings (116-110), who had no room for error. Dillon Brooks (30 pts) definitively pushed Sacramento back into the money-time.
On the East side, Chicago has given itself the right to hope to grab 10th place in Washington, by beating Toronto (114-102), thanks in particular to Zach LaVine (24) and Nikola Vucevic (16 pts, 16 rebounds, 6 assists ). The Bulls must win their last two games, hoping the Wizards lose theirs. They would then have the same record, but Chicago would finish ahead, to the benefit of their direct confrontations,
Above it takes shape: Boston, already play-off, is sure to receive, by virtue of its 7th place.
And this, thanks to the defeats of Charlotte at the Clippers (113-90) and Indiana against Milwaukee (142-133).
The Hornets (8th) suffered the law of the collective angeleno (Kawhi Leonard 16 pts; Paul George 20 pts; Reggie Jackson 19 pts), skilful at long distance (21/45).
The Pacers (9th) could not do anything against the Bucks (3rd) of Giannis Antetokounmpo, in double MVP mode (40 pts, 15 rebounds, 6 assists).
Giannis drops 4⃣0⃣ in the @Bucks W!
pic.twitter.com/WQPZ5w3jeI
- NBA (@NBA) May 14, 2021
Status quo in the heights
Philadelphia could sit its first place in the East. The clear defeat conceded to Miami (106-94) postponed this deadline. And his runner-up Brooklyn to get closer to a victory. If the Sixers, who twice host Orlando, win once, they will finish seeded number 1 for the first time since 2001. That year, Allen Iverson & co had lost the final to the Lakers of Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant.
A last effort must therefore be made, because, like the difficulties of Joel Embiid (6 pts), they struggled with the Heat, which is ramping up at the best time.
“I like our chances against any opponent, frankly, no one is intimidating us.
It will be difficult to beat us four times, ”warned Jimmy Butler (21 pts).
With this 4th success in a row, Miami remains 5th, ahead of New York (6th) but behind Atlanta (4th) which easily disposed of Orlando (116-93), in the wake of Bogdan Bogdanovich (27 pts).
In the West, Denver won in Minnesota (114-103) relying on Nikola Jokic (31 pts, 14 rebounds) and remains 4th, behind the Clippers (3rd) and Phoenix (2nd) who can still steal Utah's first place.
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