NBA's West spots set, with the Nuggets, Clippers and Timberwolves in and the Warriors play-in bound
Associated Press
The Los Angeles Clippers worked overtime to clinch a playoff spot — and send the Golden State Warriors to the NBA's play-in tournament.
The final game to end the regular season was a big one for seeding in the Western Conference, with the Clippers beating the Warriors 124-119 in overtime Sunday to clinch the No. 5 seed.
The Warriors fell to No. 7 and will host No. 8 Memphis on Tuesday, with the winner earning the No. 7 seed.
The West bracket wasn't set until a final day that had numerous teams in the running for numerous positions after the top three of Oklahoma City, Houston and the Los Angeles Lakers was already determined.
The Denver Nuggets regrouped after their chaotic final week that included the firing of coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth to secure the No. 4 seed and home-court advantage in the first round against the Clippers by beating the Rockets 126-111.
The Timberwolves — who could have slipped all the way to eighth in some scenarios — instead landed in the No. 6 spot following their 116-105 victory over Utah.
Sacramento is No. 9 and Dallas No. 10 in the West. They will play Wednesday in Sacramento, with the winner having to beat the loser of the Golden State-Memphis game to face the top-seeded Thunder in the first round.
There was no final-day drama in the East, where everything had already been decided.
Cleveland is No. 1 and Boston is No. 2, and they will await the two teams to advance from the play-in. The No. 3 New York Knicks will face the No. 6 Detroit Pistons, and No. 4 Indiana will meet No. 5 Milwaukee.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
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