NBA Set for Final Day, and West Race Will Go to the Wire

NBA gets what they wanted - drama at the end of regular season.

Sunday will see all 30 teams play their 82nd match of the season. Four matches -- New Orleans vs. Minnesota, Utah vs. Los Angeles Lakers; Golden State vs. Portland; and Los Angeles Clippers versus Phoenix -- will determine the Western Conference play-in and playoff bracket.

Based on the results of these four games, there are 16 different seeding scenarios. All four games will start at 3:30 pm Eastern time, and no later games are scheduled. This means that it is possible that the last shot of the regular-season could be the one to fill out the bracket.

The math for the Warriors, who are the defending NBA champions, and the Clippers is simple: If they win Sunday, they will be in the playoffs, and have a full week to prepare for their Round 1 matchups with either Sacramento or Phoenix. If you lose Sunday, the play-in tourney -- which begins Tuesday -- could be the consolation prize.

Steve Kerr, Golden State coach, said: 'It is the only thing we can control.' There are other games that could factor in but it does not matter to us so long as we win. It's an excellent position to be in, and we need to do something to change it.

Denver is No. 1 seed, Memphis is No. Memphis is the No. Sacramento is No. 2. Phoenix is No. Oklahoma City is No. The play-in tournament will be held on 10th April.

The rest is left to the last minute.

The Clippers may be fifth, sixth, or seventh. The Warriors could be in fifth, sixth or seventh place. The Lakers can be in sixth, seventh or even eighth place. The Timberwolves can be seventh, eight or ninth, and the Pelicans have covered all bases. When the final whistle blows on Sunday, you can choose between No. When the final whistle blows Sunday, the West will be at 9.

Willie Green, Pelicans' coach, told his team on Friday night: "We have one more match to take care of our business."

You can do some simple things on Sunday.

The No. 9 seed will host Oklahoma City in an elimination game on Wednesday. Oklahoma City, the No. 9 seed, will host a game against them on Wednesday.

With a win, the Clippers will be seeded No. The Clippers, with their win, will play the Suns again in the first round after having played them also in Sunday's final.

New Orleans will be ranked No. If it wins and Phoenix and Portland also win, then New Orleans will be the No.

If they lose to Utah, the Lakers will fall into the 8th seed and be on their way for a play-in game Tuesday. If they lose to Utah, the Lakers will be No. The team would then be No. If they win, they would be No. If the Pelicans win, then 7 with a victory, except in case the Warriors, Suns, and Pelicans all win. This scenario would place the Lakers at No. 8.

Tuesday night, there is a possibility that a Clippers-Lakers playoff game will be played. New Orleans and Phoenix both would need to win to qualify, as would Lakers-Warriors and Jazz-Warriors.

The Warriors are either the No. The Warriors are the No. With a win, the 6 seed will be facing Sacramento (in a matchup between teams located about 90 miles apart). If the Warriors win, they will be ranked No. 5 seed.

Warriors guard Donte DiVincenzo stated, 'I think we will be ready to play any team that we face.

EAST BRACKET

New York, No. No. Chicago plays No. 10 in an elimination game on Wednesday. The Heat and Hawks loser will face the Raptors or Bulls winner of the Heat-Hawks matchup.

The Heat-Hawks game winner will face Boston in the Round 1 of the playoffs. The winner of Friday's game will face Milwaukee in Round 1.

Score RACE

Joel Embiid, a Philadelphian who averages 33.1 points per match, will win the scoring title for a second year in a row. Dallas' Luka Dnicic (32.4) is his closest competitor, followed by Portland's Damian Lillard (32.2). Embiid will not play in Sunday's meaningless final for Philadelphia.

Doncic and Lillard did something together this season which only one player in the previous 59 seasons had done.

Only two players in history had averaged 32 points per game but not won the scoring title. Allen Iverson (34.0) finished second in 2005-06 to Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant's (35.4). Elgin Baylor was also on the list, with averages of 34.0 in 1962-63 (38.3 in 1961-60 and 34.8 in 1960-61).