The NBA regular season came to a close on Sunday, with multiple playoff scenarios still up in the air for both the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Heading into the final day of the regular season, the Warriors and Lakers were both fighting for a playoff spot in the highly competitive Western Conference. The Warriors needed a win over the Memphis Grizzlies to secure a spot in the play-in tournament, while the Lakers needed a win over the New Orleans Pelicans and a Portland Trail Blazers loss to the Denver Nuggets to avoid the play-in tournament altogether.
In the end, the Warriors were able to secure a 113-101 victory over the Grizzlies, thanks to a dominant performance from Stephen Curry, who scored 46 points and set a new NBA record for the most three-pointers made in a single season. The win earned the Warriors a spot in the play-in tournament, where they will face off against the Lakers on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the Lakers were able to take care of business against the Pelicans, winning 110-98 behind a strong performance from LeBron James, who finished with 25 points, six rebounds, and seven assists. However, the Trail Blazers were able to secure a win over the Nuggets, meaning the Lakers will now have to compete in the play-in tournament.
The play-in tournament will feature a single-elimination format, with the seventh and eighth seeds in each conference facing off against each other, as well as the ninth and tenth seeds. The winners of the seventh vs. eighth seed matchup will earn a spot in the playoffs, while the losers will face off against the winners of the ninth vs. tenth seed matchup for the final playoff spot.
The playoff scenarios for the Warriors and Lakers may be complicated, but one thing is for sure: fans can expect some exciting and high-stakes basketball in the coming days as the teams battle it out for a chance to compete in the postseason.
