The Oklahoma City Thunder concluded a historic matchup for the top spot in the Western Conference. The team triumphantly secured the top spot going into the playoffs by beating the Dallas Mavericks 135-86.
For the first time in the NBA, three teams had the same record after 81 games at the top of their conference. The defending champion Denver Nuggets secured the second spot while the Minnesota Timberwolves were defeated.
Thunder defeated Dallas, who rested the majority of their starters, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scoring 15 points in just 15 minutes. As a result, Oklahoma City finished first in their conference for the first time since the 2012-13 campaign, finishing the regular season with a 57-25 record and a five-game winning streak.
Position in the Western Conference
Moreover, Denver tied the team record for most victories (57-25) with a 126-111 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, but the Thunder prevailed due to a head-to-head tie-breaker.
On the other hand, after the Pelicans’ 124-108 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Phoenix Suns advanced past New Orleans to claim the sixth position in the Western Conference, leaving Minnesota to settle for the third spot. This means that Phoenix will automatically qualify for the playoffs, while New Orleans will need to win two games in the play-in round for the team to advance.
As for the Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics had won their games decisively. With Payton Pritchard posting a career-high 38 points, they defeated the Washington Wizards 132-122 despite resting most of their players and ending with the NBA’s best record (64-18). The Miami Heat were one win behind the Orlando Magic, Indiana Pacers, and Philadelphia 76ers as they entered the final round with 46-35.
The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 124-108 to win the eighth seed in the Western Conference, and LeBron James wrapped up his 21st NBA regular season with a dominant effort that included 28 points, 17 assists, 11 rebounds, and five steals.
James cemented his legacy as a basketball superstar with his all-around brilliance, which both helped the Lakers qualify for the playoffs and kept the Pelicans out of the coveted top six.
“All I want is to succeed. Therefore, I will be whatever the game asks me to be.” James said to US News, who backs up Pelicans star power forward Zion Williamson as his starting defense. I’m a cutlery from Switzerland. Nothing is set in stone, but I have to do it all on the floor.
Anthony Davis put on a spectacular show against the team that selected him first overall in the 2012 NBA Draft, leading to an exciting conference play-in match on Tuesday night in the same stadium with 30 points and 11 rebounds.
Skilful Lakers
Even though Davis had to leave the game in the last minutes because of a lower back injury sustained while being shoved in the air, he assured fans that it was “nothing concerning.” In their impending rematch, his talent and tenacity guarantee an exciting battle.
James demonstrated his skill on the court by recording his fifth triple-double of the year and leading Los Angeles to a decisive win over New Orleans that was characterized by their dominance in the paint, outscoring them 68-42.
In recognition of the Lakers’ dominating performance, Williamson said, “They got whatever they wanted in the paint.” James stressed that he focused on identifying open teammates, attributing his success to his acute sense of game reading and facilitation abilities.
Zion Williamson averages 23 points a game, so the Lakers holding him to just 12 points in a nail-biting match is impressive. LeBron James emphasized their defensive approach, which tried to limit Williamson’s influence. Though he was criticized for his play for being too submissive, Williamson recognized the Lakers’ strong defense.
With his impressive 20 points and D’Angelo Russell’s 19 assists, Austin Reaves and the Lakers won eight of their final 11 regular-season games. This combination of attacking skill and defensive tenacity prepares them for the battles ahead.
The Minnesota Timberwolves, who boast an incredible 19-5 record and a defense that restricts opponents to 106.6 points per 100 possessions, are the shining light of the Western Conference. Their prowess is demonstrated by victories over formidable opponents like Denver, Boston, Philadelphia, Oklahoma City, and Dallas.
Karl-Anthony Towns shines with 22.4 points and 9.5 rebounds, shooting 43% from 3-point range and 51.6% from the field. Anthony Edwards shows his flexibility with an average of 24.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. an article from USA Todays shared.
With 12.7 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks a game, Rudy Gobert’s defensive prowess anchors the group. In addition to winning, the Wolves are dominating the league and sending a strong message to the rest of the league thanks to a deep roster that includes Shake Milton, Mike Conley, Jaden McDaniels, Troy Brown Jr., Shaz Reid, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
The USA TODAY NBA power rankings
The newly appointed president of the Timberwolves, Tim Connelly, caused a stir in July 2022 when he dealt Walker Kessler of 2022, four future first-round picks, and maybe a 2026 first-round pick to Utah in exchange for Rudy Gobert.
The Timberwolves had a modest 16-21 record at the beginning of 2023, but they came together for a 42-40 finish to guarantee a play-in tournament position. They made a strong run, but they lost to Denver in the opening round of the playoffs. Connelly’s audacious decision brought Minnesota’s aspirations to light, creating a season full of suspense and critical moments.
Rank
Team
Record
Note
Previous Ranking
1
Minnesota Timberwolves
19-5
Nine victories by at least 15 points in 24 games, three more than their total in 82 games last season.
2
2
Boston Celtics
20-5
Sam Hauser, the reserve, averages 15.1 points per 36 minutes and shoots an impressive 45.8% on 3-pointers, bolstering the Celtics’ depth.
1
3
Milwaukee Bucks
19-7
Despite their winning record, the Bucks sit at No. 22 defensively, indicating room for improvement to reach their best potential.
5
4
Philadelphia 76ers
18-7
Sporting the No. 2 offense, No. 7 defense, and No. 1 net rating, the Sixers have clinched six consecutive wins, albeit against teams with losing records.
10
5
Oklahoma City Thunder
16-8
Rookie guard Cason Wallace boasts a remarkable 58.4% field goal shooting and an impressive 52% accuracy from beyond the arc, contributing to the Thunder’s depth.
Jayson Tatum scored 37 points and grabbed 13 rebounds Wednesday to spark the NBA-leading Boston Celtics to a 125-112 victory over visiting Dallas despite 42 points from Luka Doncic.
The Celtics, whose nine-game win streak was snapped Monday at Chicago, bounced back by dominating the Mavericks, improving to 7-1 in Boston and an NBA-best 14-4 overall.
Tatum’s remarks
“I think we were locked in from the beginning,” Tatum said. “Losing to Chicago made us regroup and refocus.
“We just knew they were a really talented team. Luka is the head of the snake. It was good to come home and get back in the win column.”
It was Tatum’s 10th career game with 35 points and 10 rebounds. He made 11-of-24 from the floor and 13-of-15 from the free throw line.
Image of Jayson Tatum (right), from Wikipedia.
In a showdown of early season NBA Most Valuable Player candidates, league scoring leader Doncic countered with a game-high point total on 17-of-28 shooting and 5=of-9 from the line. The Slovenian guard also had nine assists and eight rebounds.
“Everybody knows how talented and special he is,” Tatum said. “He can do so many things on the court. He’s somebody I respect and like competing against.”
The Celtics led 70-49 at halftime and by double figures from late in the first quarter until Doncic sparked a late rally to pull Dallas within 114-105 with 3:43 remaining.
Al Horford answered with a 3-pointer to ignite a 10-2 Boston run and Dallas never came within 13 again.
The Sacramento Kings saw their seven-game win streak snapped as Trae Young scored 35 points to lead the host Atlanta Hawks to a 115-106 victory.
Domantas Sabonis had 15 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists to spark Sacramento (10-7). Clint Capela pulled down 14 rebounds for the Hawks (11-7).
Donovan Mitchell scored 34 points to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers over Portland 114-96 and stretch their win streak to four games.
The Cavs improved to 8-1 at home and 12-6 overall as Darius Garland had 24 points and 12 assists while Jarrett Allen added 24 points and 13 rebounds.
DeMar DeRozan scored 36 points and added eight assists to lead the Chicago Bulls over host Milwaukee 118-113, dropping the Bucks to 12-5 despite 36 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists from Greek star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Colby White and Nikola Vucevic sank back-to-back 3-pointers to give Chicago a 115-109 lead and DeRozan and Patrick Williams sank late free throws to seal the triumph.
T-Wolves defeat Pacers
Karl-Anthony Towns had 23 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists while Frenchman Rudy Gobert contributed 21 points and 16 rebounds in Minnesota’s 115-101 victory at Indiana.
Myles Turner scored a game-high 31 points for the Pacers, whose five-game win streak ended.
Zion Williamson scored 32 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to power the New Orleans Pelicans to a 129-110 victory at San Antonio. He shot 14-of-18 from the floor and 4-of-8 from the free throw line.
At Miami, Kyle Lowry scored 28 points and Caleb Martin had 24 to power the host Heat over Washington 113-105. Kyle Kuzman had a game-high 33 points for the Wizards.
The Brooklyn Nets, humbled by a loss Tuesday to a Philadelphia team lacking three top starters, bounced back by winning at Toronto 112-98.
Kyrie Irving scored 29 points, Ben Simmons and Nic Claxton each added 14 points and Kevin Durant had 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists for the Nets.
Terry Rozier scored 22 points and P.J. Washington added 19 to spark the Charlotte Hornets over visiting Philadelphia 107-101.
Shake Milton led the 76ers with 22 points, nine assists and seven rebounds. Mason Plumlee and Nick Richards each had 13 rebounds for the Hornets.
The Denver Nuggets rallied from 13 points down in the fourth quarter to win in overtime at Oklahoma City 131-126.
Nikola Jokic had a game-high 39 points plus 10 rebounds and nine assists for Denver and sank two clinching free throws with 8.3 seconds remaining in overtime.
Bruce Brown had a triple double with 17 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists for the Nuggets while Aaron Gordon had 30 points for Denver. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 31 points.
In a commanding performance, the Los Angeles Lakers secured their fourth consecutive victory with a 116-97 triumph over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday.
D’Angelo Russell led the charge with an impressive 28 points, complemented by Anthony Davis’s double-double of 22 points and 13 rebounds.
LeBron James also made his mark with 24 points and 12 assists. The win marks a significant ascent for the Lakers, propelling them to eighth place in the Western Conference, a position they haven’t held since December 29.
Despite being in contention for a play-in tournament spot, securing seventh or eighth place would require only one win to secure a playoff berth.
On the other side, despite a strong effort from Darius Garland and Caris LeVert, who scored 26 and 21 points respectively, the Cavaliers fell short, suffering their third loss in four games.
Although Cleveland briefly held a lead in the third quarter, a dominant 19-0 run by the Lakers, spurred by Davis, secured their victory with a comfortable lead maintained throughout the game.
Lakers in form
LeBron James and Anthony Davis both had double-doubles, while D’Angelo Russell scored 28 points to lead the Lakers to a 116-97 victory. The Lakers, who had a 16-point lead at the half, watched it all slip in the third quarter, but a 17-0 surge spearheaded by Davis allowed their defense to regroup and regain possession.
In detail, James set the tone of the game with his 24 points and 12 assists. Meanwhile, Davis had 13 rebounds and 22 points. Lakers’ Taurean Prince also experienced one of his best games by scoring 18 points and missed only two of his nine shots.
“We’re confident, very confident in our ballclub and any time we step on the floor. I think the biggest difference is just that we’re just having fun… We’re holding each other accountable. If somebody messes up we’re yelling, screaming at him. But nobody is taking it personal. Because we all know what we’re here for, to try to win,” Coach Darvin Ham stated.
With four games remaining in the regular season, the Lakers’ victory has put them in eighth position in the West.
Jimmy Butler dismissed any reservations about his team’s potential when he was questioned earlier this month about his feelings over the team’s dreadful 1-4 record and three-game losing streak. Instead, he said that this time he felt confident in their team and knew they could win.
Well, it turns out Butler was right. After losing to Brooklyn Nets 105-109 and plummeting near the bottom of the Eastern Conference rankings, the Heat swiftly changed their trajectory and bagged a W in their next match-up against the Washington Wizards, 121-114.
The team then achieved back-to-back wins against the Los Angeles Lakers and the Memphis Grizzlies, both of which were led by Butler and Herro.
However, after Herro went down with an ankle injury during the Grizzlies match, the team experienced a period of uncertainty, as they were now without one of their primary scorers.
Fortunately, this was soon alleviated when they were able to secure a victory against the Memphis Grizzlies 108-102, and the team subsequently won four more times on their way.
In total, the Miami Heat have now achieved a total of seven consecutive victories, which is the longest winning run of any team at the moment, and as a result, this brought their record to 3-8 and has propelled them to the third position in the Eastern Conference standings.
So far, the Heat have proven that their roster this year has some of the most powerful teamwork.
In their latest win against the Nets, all of the members played superbly, with Butler posting 36 points, Robinson with 26 points, Adebayo with 20 points, and Jaquez with 10 points.
At one point during the fourth quarter, the players were observed in perfect coordination even though they were far apart, passing around the ball on court and confusing the Nets players as to who to guard. In the end, it was Robinson, who played in place of Herro, who took the shot and made the three-pointer.
