2024 NBA Regular Season Final Day Scenarios: Lakers keep 8th? How can Nuggets steal #1 spot? All possibilities explored
The exciting 2023-24 NBA regular season is down to just one more game, yet many of the playoff or Play-In Tournament-bound teams are still unaware of where they'll stand once the postseason begins. Aside from the Boston Celtics, who hold the league-best 63-18 record, the field can still shift dramatically for all the franchises involved in the playoff race.
The landscape can shift dramatically in either conference, even with just one matchup remaining. Most of the teams are separated by just one game, and the final day of this season could prove to be the most exciting one that fans have seen in a long time.
To help you keep track of what might happen in the NBA's Eastern and Western conferences, here are some of the most compelling things to look out for.
NBA Western Conference scenarios
The NBA's Western Conference is as tight as ever, with three teams tied for No. 1 with a 56-25 record. Aside from the battle at the top, the sixth seed, which is the final guaranteed playoff spot, is also up for grabs. There are also some interesting possibilities regarding the play-in teams.
Battle for No. 1:
With the San Antonio Spurs stunning the Denver Nuggets with a comeback win in their last game, the fight for the top spot in the West became even more interesting. The OKC Thunder, the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Nuggets are once again tied, and there are several ways in which this three-way tie could go.
The most simple scenario would be if only one of these three teams wins their final matchup of the season. Whoever that team is gets the No. 1 seed, while the other two will have a tiebreaker based on their winning percentage against each other. This is the only way for Denver to get the No. 1 seed.
If all three teams somehow end up losing, then the Thunder will end up as the top Western Conference team due to their record. The same happens if all three teams win.
The Timberwolves can get the number one seed if they win, and only one of the other two wins their respective game.
Here is each team's final game of the 2023-2024 NBA season:
- Dallas Mavericks vs. OKC Thunder
- Phoenix Suns vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
- Denver Nuggets vs. Memphis Grizzlies
Sixth seed scenarios:
The game between the Suns and the Wolves does not just determine the top of the conference, it also has a bearing on who lands with the sixth seed. Kevin Durant and Co. have a chance to avoid the Play-In Tournament but they will need to wrestle it away from the New Orleans Pelicans' grip.
As it stands, the Pelicans (49-32) are only one game ahead of the Phoenix Suns (48-33). A Pelicans loss combined with a Suns victory will lead to a 49-33 tie. In this case, the Suns end up with the sixth seed since they won their three-game regular-season matchup over New Orleans (2-1).
If both teams win or lose, then the Pelicans get to hold on to the sixth seed.
The LA Lakers' Play-in Tournament spot:
The LA Lakers will need to survive the Play-In Tournament but they could land anywhere from eighth to 10th place.
Suppose the Sacramento Kings, Golden State Warriors and Lakers end up tied after the final regular-season games conclude. In that case, LeBron James will need to lead his team to a playoff berth from the 10th seed since it lost the regular season series matchup to both of these teams.
If LA loses and one other team between the Warriors and the Kings suffers the same fate, then the Lakers land at nine. They can also remain at No. 8 by simply beating the Pelicans in their final game of the season.
NBA Eastern Conference second seed is up for grabs
There is no drama with the No. 1 seed in the East. The Boston Celtics took the best record in the NBA this season and ran away with it, ending up as the only team with more than 60 wins. However, the landscape beneath them could still shift.
The No. 2 and 3 seeds are still contested in the NBA's East, with the Milwaukee Bucks and the New York Knicks tied at 49-32, while the Cleveland Cavaliers are only one game back (48-33).
If the Bucks remain tied with the Knicks, they will remain No. 2 due to who won their regular season series matchups. If the Bucks lose and both the Cavaliers and the Knicks win, then coach Doc Rivers' squad will fight out of the fourth seed.
If the Knicks, Bucks and Cavs end up in a three-way tie, then the Cavs will be No. 2 due to their division record, while the Bucks and Knicks end up third and fourth, respectively, due to their regular season head-to-head record.