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Grizzlies' loss vs. Raptors ensures play-in game for last West playoff spot

6 years ago
Jesse D. Garrabrant / National Basketball Association / Getty

There will be a thrilling finale to the NBA's 2019-20 regular season.

At least one play-in game for the Western Conference's final playoff spot is required after the Memphis Grizzlies fell 108-99 to the Toronto Raptors on Sunday.

Memphis' defeat ensures the West's eighth-place team won't finish more than four games ahead of the ninth-place squad.

The eighth-seeded club will be in the driver's seat for the play-in games, as it only needs one victory to secure a postseason berth. Meanwhile, the No. 9 seed must win back-to-back games against the eighth-place team to advance.

Team Record GB
8. Memphis 33-38 --
9. Portland 33-39 0.5
10. San Antonio 31-38 1.0
11. Phoenix 31-39 1.5

Game 1 is scheduled for Saturday at 2:30 p.m ET. Game 2 will be played the following day at 4:30 p.m. ET if the ninth-place team prevails in the first matchup.

The winner of the play-in tournament will square off against the Los Angeles Lakers in the opening round of the playoffs.

The Washington Wizards, who have dropped all of their seeding games thus far, were unable to force a play-in tournament in the East.

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