NBA News NBA News, Match Reports and Updates
Luka throws the pass. LeBron finishes with a powerful dunk. The Lakers secure the third seed.
**April 12, 2025 – 5 KEY STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀**
**Saturday’s Highlights:** Insights from Friday’s games & what’s on the line in the season finale on Sunday.
**Shifting Dynamics in the West:** Lakers lock in the third seed, Grizzlies secure a Play-In spot, leaving four teams vying for three remaining playoff spots.
**Eastern Conference Playoff Picture Finalized:** A victory for the Bucks and a loss for the Pacers solidify the top six seeds in the East.
**Eastern Play-In Teams Confirmed:** The Hawks and Bulls’ victories guarantee them the 8th and 9th seeds, relegating the Heat to the 10th position.
**Summary:** The Mavs still have a chance for the 9 seed, while the Celtics, Thunder, and Suns continue their winning streaks.
### 1. INSIGHTS FROM LAST NIGHT AND WHAT’S AHEAD TONIGHT
**What we gleaned from Friday’s packed 15-game schedule:**
**Eastern Conference Overview**
**Western Conference Overview**
**What’s at stake in the Sunday season finale:**
In tomorrow’s Starting 5, we will explore every potential outcome for Sunday’s 15-game lineup to finalize the regular season.
**Next Up:** The SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament begins on Tuesday.
### 2. CLARITY EMERGES IN THE WEST’S RACE FOR 3-8 SEEDINGS
How tight is the race for the last three playoff berths in the West?
With every team in action on Friday, we took note of how the standings evolved throughout the night.
– **Nuggets 117, Grizzlies 109:** After trailing by five with under five minutes left, the Nuggets rallied to finish the game with a 14-1 run, with Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray contributing 12 of those points. Murray’s stepback jumper at 2:46 marked their permanent lead. | **Recap**
– **Dunking Sensation:** Aaron Gordon was on fire, scoring a game-high 33 points—including a season-best eight dunks, one coming from a slick assist by Murray.
– **Timberwolves 117, Nets 91:** Rudy Gobert shone with 35 points and 11 rebounds, while Julius Randle added 21, leading the Wolves to their 7th win out of the last eight. | **Recap**
– **Clippers 101, Kings 100:** After a narrow victory decided by a Kawhi Leonard buzzer-beater last time, the Kings had a shot at revenge. However, DeMar DeRozan’s missed potential game-winner allowed LA to sweep the season series. | **Recap**
– **Lakers 140, Rockets 109:** Following his outstanding performance in Dallas, Luka Dončić dazzled again with 39 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, and 5 three-pointers, guiding the Lakers to their 50th win and the West’s third seed. | **Recap**
### 3. EASTERN PLAYOFF BRACKET FINALIZED AFTER FRIDAY
– **Bucks 125, Pistons 119:** Giannis Antetokounmpo achieved his 11th triple-double of the year (32 pts, 11 reb, 15 ast), leading the Bucks to a vital win against Cade Cunningham (36 pts, 12 ast) and securing the 5th seed in the East. | **Recap**
– **Cavaliers 108, Knicks 102:** Darius Garland scored 13 of his team-leading 26 points in the final quarter as the Cavs outpaced the Knicks 30-16, completing a significant 23-point comeback— their largest of the season. | **Recap**
### 4. EASTERN PLAY-IN POSITION CONFIRMED AFTER WINS BY HAWKS, BULLS & HEAT
The Hawks, Bulls, and Heat were ranked 8th, 9th, and 10th in the Play-In race entering Friday. With victories from all three, those positions are now set, along with the 7th-place Magic.
– **Hawks 124, Sixers 110:** Trae Young (36 pts, 11 ast, 6 3-pointers) and Caris LeVert (a season-high 31 pts) combined for 67 points to propel the Hawks past the Sixers and secure the 8 seed in the East Play-In. | **Recap**
*Trae Day: Young records his 25th career game of 35+ points, 10+ assists, and 5+ threes, tying Luka Dončić for the second-most such games in NBA history, following James Harden (35).*
– **Bulls 119, Wizards 89:** Nikola Vučević came close to a triple-double (15 pts, 12 reb, 8 ast), supported by 43 points from Julian Phillips and Matas Buzelis, as the Bulls secured the 9 seed. | **Recap**
– **Heat 153, Pelicans 104:** Bam Adebayo (23), Tyler Herro (22), and Duncan Robinson (21) combined for 66 points, leading 10 Heat players in double figures for the franchise’s second-largest victory (+49). | **Recap**
### 5. SUMMARY: MAVS MAINTAIN HOPE FOR 9 SEED, CELTICS, THUNDER & SUNS DOMINATE
Home-court advantage in the 9 vs. 10 Play-In game between the Kings and Mavs remains undecided as Sacramento fell to the Clippers while Dallas triumphed against the Raptors.
– **Mavericks 124, Raptors 102:** Anthony Davis demonstrated an all-around performance with 23 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists, and 7 blocks in just over 30 minutes, leading the Mavs past the Raptors, who had 50 points from Scottie Barnes and Ochai Agbaji combined. | **Recap**
– **Suns 117, Spurs 98:** Ryan Dunn, a rookie for the Suns, achieved a career-high with 26 points and 11 boards, while Bradley Beal contributed 21 points and 6 assists, helping the Suns end an eight-game losing streak. | **Recap**
– **Thunder 145, Jazz 111:** Thanks to a joint effort of 67 points and 14 three-pointers from Aaron Wiggins (35 pts) and Isaiah Joe (32 pts, career-high 10 threes), along with Jaylin Williams’ third career triple-double (15 pts, 11 reb, 10 ast), the OKC cruised to their 67th victory of the season. | **Recap**
– **Celtics 130, Hornets 94:** With 42 combined points from Sam Hauser and Payton Pritchard off the bench, along with Jayson Tatum’s 16 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists, the Celtics notched their 60th win of the season. | **Recap**
