NBA playoff matchups set: Rockets get Lakers, Nuggets-Wolves rematch

The NBA playoff picture is complete following a frenetic final day of the regular season where all 30 teams were in action.

While most of the East was settled heading into Sunday's finale, the Toronto Raptors nabbed the conference's final playoff spot while simultaneously vaulting the Atlanta Hawks for fifth. The Raptors' win meant the Orlando Magic were destined for the play-in regardless, but they dropped a spot further to eighth thanks to the Philadelphia 76ers routing the Milwaukee Bucks.

There was less to figure out in the West, but one of the unknowns involved who would visit the Phoenix Suns with the No. 7 seed on the line. The upstart Portland Trail Blazers won that right by taking care of business against the second-worst Sacramento Kings.

The play-in tournament runs Tuesday through Friday, affording the top-six teams in both conferences plenty of rest before the first round tips off.

Western Conference play-in tournament

Had the Blazers lost to Sacramento, it would have allowed the Los Angeles Clippers to move into the No. 7 vs. 8 matchup thanks to their own win Sunday at home to the Golden State Warriors. In a "life comes at you fast" moment for both teams, they'll meet again Wednesday with someone's season on the line.

Eastern Conference play-in tournament

Toronto's lopsided win over the lowly Brooklyn Nets took the Magic's playoff hopes out of their hands, but Orlando's comeback against the Boston Celtics fell short, meaning Jamahl Mosley's men now have to travel to Philly to battle for the No. 7 seed when they could have played at home.

Western Conference

• (1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (8) TBD
• (2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (7) PHX/POR
• (3) Denver Nuggets vs. (6) Minnesota Timberwolves
• (4) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (5) Houston Rockets

Oklahoma City didn't replicate its 68-win total from last season but still did enough to secure home-court advantage in the Finals - if the defending champs can get back there. While they won't immediately know their opponents in the first round, the bracket worked out pretty well overall for the West's No. 1 seed; the Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, and San Antonio Spurs all fell on the other side, leaving the unsteady Houston Rockets or undermanned Los Angeles Lakers in the Thunder's sights for Round 2.

Eastern Conference

• (1) Detroit Pistons vs. (8) TBD
• (2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) ORL/PHI
• (3) New York Knicks vs. (6) Atlanta Hawks
• (4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) Toronto Raptors

Thanks to Atlanta falling to Miami on Sunday, Toronto was able to clinch its first playoffs since 2022 while also jumping up to fifth. That puts Darko Rajakovic's squad up against the Cavaliers rather than the New York Knicks - who they haven't beaten in 13 straight meetings - and also avoids what will potentially be a healthy Celtics squad in the conference semifinals.