Patryk Stachowiak
NBA Regular Season Concludes: Playoff Bracket Set as Teams Battle for Position
The 2025-26 NBA regular season reached its conclusion Sunday with 15 games determining the final playoff seeding across both conferences. Detroit Pistons secured the East’s top seed, while Denver edged the Lakers for the 3-seed in the West. The Toronto Raptors claimed the final guaranteed playoff spot in the East after their loss to Brooklyn. The postseason bracket is now locked, with the Play-In Tournament set to begin Tuesday, April 14, and first-round playoff action commencing Saturday, April 18.
Eastern Conference Seeding Finalized
Boston Celtics reserves delivered a standout performance to defeat Orlando Magic 113-108, securing the 2-seed. The Celtics rested their entire starting lineup while the Magic fought to maintain positioning. New York Knicks hold the 3-seed, Cleveland Cavaliers sit at 4, and Atlanta Hawks secured the 6-seed following an impressive late-season surge.
Philadelphia 76ers defeated Milwaukee Bucks 126-106, earning a spot in the Play-In Tournament. Orlando dropped to 8th after losing to Boston, forcing a 7-8 matchup with Philadelphia in the Play-In. Charlotte Hornets defeated New York 110-96, and Miami Heat routed Atlanta 143-117 in Sunday’s later games.
Western Conference: Nuggets Edge Lakers for 3-Seed
Denver Nuggets secured the 3-seed, setting up a first-round matchup with Minnesota Timberwolves, who eliminated Denver from the playoffs last year. Houston Rockets claimed the 4-seed and will face the Lakers, reuniting LeBron James and Kevin Durant in what could be one final matchup between the future Hall of Famers.
Phoenix Suns dominated Oklahoma City Thunder 135-103. Minnesota edged New Orleans 132-126. Dallas Mavericks dismantled Chicago 149-128, while Los Angeles defeated Utah 131-107. Los Angeles Clippers edged Golden State Warriors 115-110 in a potential Play-In preview.
Trail Blazers Secure 8-Seed After Four-Year Drought
Portland Trail Blazers defeated Sacramento 122-110 to secure the 8-seed, ending a four-year playoff absence. Portland will face Phoenix for one final chance to clinch a guaranteed playoff spot. Houston defeated Memphis 132-101.
Rookie Performances Shine in Season Finale
Ryan Nembhard set a Mavericks rookie assists record with 18 helpers before finishing with 23 assists against Chicago, surpassing coach Jason Kidd’s previous mark of 17 set in 1995. Kon Knueppel became the first rookie in NBA history to lead the league in three-pointers made with 273, finishing ahead of teammate LaMelo Ball‘s 272. The pair joins Steph Curry and Klay Thompson as only the second set of teammates to finish 1-2 in three-pointers made in a season.
Detroit posted 81 points in the first half against Indiana, the most any Pistons team has scored in a single half since 1997-98. Cade Cunningham orchestrated the offense with 14 assists as Detroit won 133-121. Tobias Harris and Paul Reed combined for 50 points.
Notable Individual Performances
LeBron James, at 41 years old, displayed elite conditioning with 18 points, four rebounds, and six assists at halftime against Utah. Rui Hachimura matched James with 18 points after knocking down three first-half three-pointers.
Ron Harper Jr. and Baylor Scheirman both recorded career highs for Boston‘s reserve unit, with 27 and 30 points respectively. The duo combined for 11 made three-pointers as Boston outscored Orlando 42-20 in the third quarter.
AJ Green set a single-season Bucks record for made three-pointers with 230, finishing with 19 points in the first half against Philadelphia. Mikal Bridges maintained his iron-man streak by playing in his 638th consecutive game for New York, checking out after 23 seconds. Desmond Bane appeared in his 82nd game for Orlando, becoming the first Magic player since Dwight Howard in 2009-10 to start all 82 games in a season.
Play-In and Playoff Schedule
The SoFi Play-In Tournament begins Tuesday, April 14, determining the 7th and 8th seeds in each conference. NBA Playoffs presented by Google tip off Saturday, April 18. Cleveland decimated Washington 130-117, Detroit beat Indiana 133-121, and Denver edged San Antonio 128-118 in other Sunday action.
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Read also: NBA Play-In Tournament 2026: Complete Schedule, Times, TV Channels and First-Round Bracket