PORTLAND, Ore. -- When the Los Angeles Lakers traded for Luka Doncic in February, little did coach JJ Redick know that his club was acquiring not just a superstar player but also a precious resource for his scouting department's playoff preparation.

Sunday, shortly after Redick and his players and coaching staff watched the LA Clippers beat the Golden State Warriors in overtime and, as a result, lock in the No. 3 seed Lakers' first-round opponent as the No. 6 seed Minnesota Timberwolves, the coach said he will tap into Doncic's experience against the Wolves last spring.

"There are nuances to what teams are trying to do against certain opponents," Redick said when asked about the benefit of discussing the result of last year's Western Conference finals with Doncic to get the Lakers ready for Minnesota next weekend.

Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Wolves 4-1, with Doncic averaging 32.4 points, 9.6 rebounds, 8.2 assists and 2.2 steals to earn series MVP.

While what worked for Doncic's Mavs will be informative for Redick, so too will what didn't work for Lakers assistant coach Greg St. Jean, who was swept out of the first round of the playoffs last year by the Wolves while on staff with the Phoenix Suns.

"We have a lot of work," Redick said. "They're a really good basketball team."

Minnesota went 9-2 to close out the season and move up from No. 8 to No. 6 in the West, finishing with a 49-33 record, one fewer win than Los Angeles.

The Wolves finished with the No. 8 offense in the league, averaging 115.7 points per 100 possessions, and also had the No. 6 defensive rating, allowing 110.8 points per 100 possessions.

"It's a very difficult opponent," Redick said. "They've played as well as anyone lately, and I believe they're one of four teams in the top 10 in offense and defense. So, they present a lot of problems."

The Wolves are led by 23-year-old All-Star Anthony Edwards, who averaged a career-best 27.4 points per game in his fifth season and led the league in 3-point makes with 320 in the 79 games he played.

With the Lakers not hosting Game 1 until next weekend, Redick has been mindful to manage the break as best as possible to allow his team to recharge without getting out of rhythm.

Redick said the Lakers will have Monday off and then gather for a late afternoon practice Tuesday, followed by a team viewing of the Warriors-Memphis Grizzlies play-in tournament game.

"It's not necessarily going to be everything at once this week. We'll have to slow drip, and I think that's the approach that I think is going to work best for our group," Redick said. "Tuesday will be more about us. Wednesday, we'll introduce Minnesota."

The Lakers have plenty of recent experience against the Wolves. They opened the preseason against them and played them on opening night of the regular season before the teams split the season series 2-2. However only one of those games came after Los Angeles traded for Doncic; the Lakers won that contest 111-102 on Feb. 27.

Los Angeles closed out the regular season with a 109-81 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday, with Doncic and LeBron James not joining the road trip and staying back to rest and rehabilitate their respective injuries -- James' left groin and right thumb and Doncic's left quad. Austin Reaves (right ankle sprain), Dorian Finney-Smith (left ankle effusion), Rui Hachimura (left patellar tendinopathy), Jaxson Hayes (right hand contusion), Jarred Vanderbilt (left foot injury management), Gabe Vincent (left knee effusion) and Maxi Kleber (right foot surgery recovery) were also held out of the lineup.

The Lakers who did make the trip sat in a semicircle around a television in the visitors locker room at Moda Center on Sunday, watching the end of the Warriors-Clippers game with keen interest.

After Buddy Hield missed a last-second shot in OT to wrap up the game and finally sort out the seeding, Vanderbilt got up from his chair, gathered his belongings and made his way out of the locker room with an announcement: "We're going to Minnesota, boys!"

PHILADELPHIA -- After the Philadelphia 76ers concluded their disastrous, injury-riddled season with a 122-102 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Sunday, president of basketball operations Daryl Morey said he and coach Nick Nurse would be back next season and "assess everything" to avoid it happening again.

"Obviously a tough season ... not where we expected to be," Morey said in his end-of-season news conference, conducted alongside Nurse about 90 minutes after Philadelphia's loss at Wells Fargo Center.

"We expect more. We really feel for the fans who put their heart and soul into this team, and we know we've let you down," Morey said. "Ownership gave us the resources to make aggressive moves this offseason to put a championship roster around Joel [Embiid] and Tyrese [Maxey] and sometimes, those aggressive moves don't initially work out, but we feel good about [them]."

Not surprisingly, after Philadelphia had one of the league's worst records (24-58) despite a roster that initially believed and expected to compete for a championship, the news conference was filled with reasons for the poor season and lessons learned.

The biggest reason, of course, was injuries, which limited Embiid -- who underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee at NYU Langone Sports Medicine Center on Friday -- to only 19 games, Paul George to 41 and Maxey to 52. The three stars shared the court in only 15 games and for less than 300 minutes overall.

Still, Morey expressed optimism about the health of all three players, insisting all would be "100%" next season. That included Embiid, who has been dealing with nagging knee issues for over a year.

"This has been a very complex situation for Joel, for our medical staff, for outside folks like Dr. Glashow and others, figuring out exactly the right next step to make sure we can put him in the best way to help our team win a championship," Morey said. "It is not straightforward, and that's why you do get different reports because it's one where you do need to gather a lot of data and a lot of opinions and then make the right choice, and we feel good about the choice."

Though Morey is optimistic about the health of his stars, he acknowledged he made mistakes last summer in his team-building strategy. Morey said he was focused on the playoffs in going after veteran, experienced players last summer, but it took his mind off the rigors of an 82-game regular season.

Morey and Nurse said that with teams putting a larger emphasis on offensive rebounding and the amount of energy and effort needed for high-level defense on top players, it has made building a roster to survive the regular season sometimes different than using the same approach for winning in the playoffs.

But with a roster featuring older and more injury-prone stars in Embiid and George, Morey said several times that next season's roster will be younger and more dynamic to make up for that.

"In my opinion, when you have an MVP-level talent, you need to make aggressive moves to upgrade around that talent in that window," Morey said. "That's what we did last offseason, and we feel good about it going forward. I think it's such a unique thing to have a player of that caliber.

"Are we somewhat indexed to talented players who are a little bit more injured? Yes, but that's why we need to have a younger, deeper roster on them and then have them healthy going into the playoffs next year."

Then, there's Philadelphia's top-six protected first-round pick -- one that, heading into the season, seemed destined to go to the West-leading Oklahoma City Thunder, a relic of a trade to send Al Horford to the Thunder in exchange for Danny Green five years ago in one of Morey's first moves upon arriving in Philadelphia.

But after the 76ers closed the season with a 5-31 record, the 76ers earned the fifth spot in the NBA draft lottery next month -- meaning they'll have a 64% chance of hanging on to the pick.

Morey said that his plan for that pick, which he called a "tool" to improve the roster, was clear: to take the best player available, regardless of position, age or NBA readiness.

"Definitely best player available," Morey said. "It has to be that high in the draft, for sure. Obviously, there's a good chance we'll take someone, and in that case, it will just be the best player. I've never shied away from that."

The ultimate takeaway, though, was that despite all of the frustrations and disappointments of the past several months, Morey, Nurse and the rest of the franchise -- like Maxey and George had said earlier Sunday before the game -- believe that, with some health and better roster planning this offseason, things can look a lot different in a year.

"If everything sets up well, we'll have a younger, more dynamic roster around a healthy Joel, Tyrese and Paul," Morey said. "I never felt like Coach had a healthy literally one game with all three of them. I know they played some games together, but they didn't finish all of them and even the ones where it was like their first game back.

"It was tough ... for me personally, it was obviously the toughest season of my career, and I'll just say personally, I will spend every waking hour figuring out how to turn this team around going into next season."

SAN FRANCISCO --- With 7:36 remaining in the third quarter, Jimmy Butler III was hunched over at the free throw line trying to catch his breath, looking very much like "Playoff Jimmy" as he and the Golden State Warriors were locked into a battle with Kawhi Leonard, James Harden and the LA Clippers.

For several West teams, the final day of the regular season felt like the playoffs had already begun. And it required overtime to determine the Western Conference playoff picture. The Clippers outlasted the Warriors 124-119 in overtime at Chase Center to settle one of the most chaotic regular-season finishes in recent memory.

Entering Game No. 82, the Western Conference's fourth through 10th spots were up in the air. Only Oklahoma City, Houston and the Los Angeles Lakers had secured the top three spots.

The Denver Nuggets, despite a chaotic final week in which they fired their head coach and general manager, rallied to secure the fourth seed with a 126-111 win over the Rockets. It was their third straight victory under interim coach David Adelman. Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets will now host the Clippers, who secured the fifth seed with their massive win at Golden State.

The third-seeded Lakers and LeBron James will play Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves, who handled business with a 116-105 win over Utah. Heading into Sunday, Minnesota was at risk to drop as far as the eighth seed in some scenarios. Edwards scored 43 points after stressing to his teammates the importance of avoiding having to play at minimum one additional game.

"Like, we don't want to play in the play-in, because I've been in both situations," Edwards said. "We want to be fully prepared going into the playoffs. We want that whole week."

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, this is the first time three teams from a single conference clinched a playoff spot on the final day of the season since conferences were established in 1970-71.

Top-seeded Oklahoma City and second-seeded Houston will wait for the play-in to determine whom they will face.

Due to Golden State's loss, the Warriors will be in the play-in tournament and host Memphis in the 7-8 game. The Kings and Mavericks will square off in the 9-10 game.

The Clippers and Warriors were in the spotlight on Sunday afternoon, and the game didn't disappoint with a thrilling finish. Leonard is nearing the form that made him a two-time Finals MVP, finishing with 33 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds. Harden hit two big 3-pointers at the start of overtime to help the Clippers win. He finished with 39 points, 10 assists and 7 rebounds.

"We're a good team, and we're excited to show the world, but we're a good team," Harden said in a postgame interview with ESPN on the court.

Stephen Curry, playing with an injured shooting thumb, finished with 36 points, and Butler had 30 points and nine rebounds. Butler also came up gimpy after Leonard drove into him late in the game but remained in the game.

"I'll be alright," Butler said. "Go home and play some dominoes and drink some coffee. That will help me feel better."

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

The 2025 NBA playoffs are set! An exciting final week saw the Eastern Conference bracket finalized on Friday. The West wasn't set until the last game, an overtime clash between Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors and Kawhi Leonard and the LA Clippers. There are now officially 20 teams fighting for a chance to win the Larry O'Brien trophy, five of which have never won it all.

In the East, the Cleveland Cavaliers claimed the top seed after a dominating, 64-win regular season. But the reigning champions, the Boston Celtics, landed close behind in the No. 2 spot, hungry for a back-to-back Finals win. No team has repeated since the Warriors in 2017 and 2018, making this one of the longest droughts without a repeat champion in NBA history.

The West was a chaotic mess down to the final minute of the regular season. When the Clippers took down the Warriors, claiming the No. 5 seed, and the "opportunity" to face three-time MVP Nikola Jokic's Denver Nuggets, the No. 6 seed and guaranteed playoff spot went to the Minnesota Timberwolves, who will face off against LeBron James and the No. 3 Los Angeles Lakers. The 7-seed Warriors now have to face Ja Morant and the 8-seed Memphis Grizzlies in the play-in..

The play-in tournament begins Tuesday, with the two No. 7 vs. 8 games, and the first round starts Saturday. Until then, our NBA insiders break down all 20 teams -- the good, bad and ugly: their seasons in review, best-case scenarios and key aspects to watch for the play-in and first round.

Note: NBA title and first-round odds for 2025 provided by ESPN BET.

Jump to a team:
ATL | BOS | CHI | CLE | DAL
DEN | DET | GS | HOU | IND
LAC | LAL | MEM | MIA | MIL
MIN | NYK | OKC | ORL | SAC

MORE: Play-in tournament coverage | Playoff news, schedules and results | Offseason guides

EASTERN CONFERENCE

1. Cleveland Cavaliers

Cleveland's road to the postseason:
The Cavs are built on depth and teamwide shooting, with All-Star guards and elite, defensive-minded bigs. In that way, they are a very modern team, and they've just crushed opponent after opponent for months on end running their system. That system is designed to be able to switch on defense with multidimensional players who can play different positions, and coach Kenny Atkinson has worked on various alignments and lineups throughout the season to prepare for playoffs.

But they don't have great perimeter size, which is a concerning vulnerability and especially so against Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and East nemesis Boston. That's why the Cavs made a midseason trade for De'Andre Hunter. But they finished the season going 8-8 over their final 16 games. Not exactly the type of momentum a team wants heading into the postseason. -- Brian Windhorst

Will they be elite from 3?
Before March 11, the Cavs were No. 1 in 3-point shooting percentage and had been on top for months. Since then, they are 19th. Which will it be when it matters?

Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland are great playmakers and shotmakers, and the Cavs cover for their defensive shortcomings with a great defensive back line in Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. But it works a lot better when their lead guards are making 3s. Mitchell shot 39% before the All-Star break and 30% after. Garland shot 43% before and 34% after. They combine to take 16 triples a game, so these percentage swings make a big difference in their margin for error. -- Windhorst

Best-case scenario:
Any team with Cleveland's regular-season résumé belongs in the top tier of title contenders. And if Kenny Atkinson plays his starters more in the playoffs -- no Cavalier reached even 32 minutes per game this season -- his team might reach another gear this spring. The Cavaliers are deep, balanced and electric on offense, and nine years after the first championship in franchise history, they have a legitimate chance to win another. -- Zach Kram

Net points X factor:
The Cavaliers have easily been the best clutch team in the league. Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell use the most possessions, averaging plus-10.2 and plus-4.6 offensive net points per 48 minutes, respectively. -- Dean Oliver

2. Boston Celtics

Boston's road to the postseason:
The defending champions cruised through the season with relative ease, despite dealing with a series of extended injury absences, particularly for Kristaps Porzingis. While Cleveland ran away with the conference's top seed, Boston cruised to a fourth consecutive 50-win season and will enter the playoffs as the odds-on favorite to return to the NBA Finals for a third time in four seasons. -- Tim Bontemps

Can the Celtics stay healthy in the postseason?
Yes, Boston shoots a lot of 3-pointers and is a high-variance team as a result. But if the Celtics can have a healthy playoff run from all eight of their key rotation players, they will be the clear favorites to defend their title. But getting that is far from a sure thing. Porzingis was out for most of last year's playoff run with injuries, and he has missed more games than he has played this season. Jrue Holiday has been in and out of the lineup, and Al Horford -- while consistently available and reliable -- is 38. All of which is why, if the Celtics can stay healthy, no one should be able to handle them in the East, and a second straight title easily could be theirs. -- Bontemps

Best-case scenario:
Boston has a strong chance to become the first repeat champion of the 2020s. Only four teams have gone back-to-back in the entire 21st century: the Shaq-and-Kobe Lakers (who won a three-peat), the Kobe-and-Gasol Lakers, the LeBron-and-Wade Heatand the Durant-era Warriors. No Celtics squad has repeated since the 1960s! Jayson Tatum and Co. can make history this spring. -- Kram

Net points X factor:
Luke Kornet adds more net points per 100 possessions on offensive rebounds and putbacks than any player in the league at plus-3.7. -- Oliver

3. New York Knicks

New York's road to the postseason:
The Knicks are really good. They're in the midst of their best campaign in more than a decade but there's just one huge problem: All season long, they've looked one, sometimes two, steps behind Boston and Cleveland. Against the two best teams in the East, the Knicks have gone 0-8, with a number of those losses coming in huge routs. (And the last two -- this past week -- coming after enjoying big leads, then ultimately faltering down the stretch.) It's a frustrating dichotomy for the franchise and its fanbase: to be vastly better than most, and a top-five team perhaps, but still far from title contention.-- Chris Herring

Can the Knicks level up now that the postseason has arrived?
It's a yearly question for Tom Thibodeau-coached clubs, given the extensive minutes his starters play relative to the rest of the NBA. And this team -- with Mikal Bridges (first in the league in total minutes), Josh Hart (second) and OG Anunoby (ninth) -- it's no different. Perhaps Jalen Brunson's time off rehabbing his injured ankle for nearly a month turns out to be a good thing, as, in a counterintuitive way, it potentially saved his body from additional nicks and bruises he might have racked up. With an average of 8.6 minutes of possession, Brunson handled the ball more per game than any NBA player. -- Herring

What to watch in Round 1:
Aside from how Brunson looks now that he has returned, one of the most compelling things to watch will be how often Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson share the court. The Knicks haven't found their defensive groove yet, getting burned against a number of the league's best offenses with Towns defending the paint and Robinson alongside him -- similar to how the Wolves used Rudy Gobert with Towns. Towns and Robinson shared only 47 minutes of court time, outscoring opponents by 9.2 points per 100 possessions but surrendering a quite-high 118.8 points in that span. But if the big-man duo can figure things out, it would go a long way toward tightening up the team's screen-and-roll defense. -- Herring

If New York is healthy, it has the talent to beat anyone in a series. The starting five is that good. But there's little reliable depth beyond that group. The defense has struggled to slow the NBA's best opposing offenses and, most of all, the bracket won't do them any favors. The Knicks should advance to the second round, but once there, it would be a massive surprise if they managed to push the Celtics into a long series, let alone upset the defending champs. -- Kram

Net points X factor:
Jalen Brunson uses 45% of possessions in clutch situations and generates plus-13 offensive net points per 100 possessions then, both league highs. -- Oliver

4. Indiana Pacers

Indiana's road to the postseason:
On Jan. 1, the Pacers were 16-18 and seemed like a far cry from their appearance in the Eastern Conference finals one season ago. Indiana has been one of the hottest teams in the league since, however, finishing the season 50-32 since then while Tyrese Haliburton looks like one of the best young point guards in the NBA. The Pacers will take home court in the first round against the Bucks, a rematch of last season's first-round series, and try to build on last year's surprising playoff run. -- Jamal Collier

Can Haliburton keep up his production?
The biggest key for the Pacers' turnaround over the past few months has been Haliburton's return not just to All-Star level but potentially All-NBA as a guard with his elite offensive ability. He is averaging 18.6 points and 9.2 assists on 51% shooting, including 44% from 3 on 7.2 attempts, while leading Indiana to sixth best offense in the league since the beginning of January. -- Collier

What to watch in Round 1:
This is a rematch from the first round of the 2024 playoffs when the No. 6 seed Pacers upset the No. 3 seed Bucks. Indiana enters this year's matchup as the higher seed but has not had as much success against Milwaukee this season, dropping three of four regular-season meetings. Still, the biggest difference from last year is the Bucks will have a healthy Giannis Antetokounmpo for the postseason after injuries limited him in the past two first-round exits. -- Collier

Best-case scenario:
It hinges largely on whether the Cavaliers' late-season swoon is real or a false alarm. If Cleveland plays up to its full potential, Indiana's ceiling is a second-round exit. If the Cavaliers are more vulnerable than their excellent record and point differential suggest, then the Pacers have a chance to upset the East's No. 1 seed and race back to the conference finals. Who would have imagined that Boston-Indiana could be a realistic conference finals matchup two years in a row? -- Kram

Net points X factor:
The smallest guy on the Pacers team, T.J. McConnell, gives them the most net points on half-court layups -- plus-1.1 per 48 minutes. Bennedict Mathurin and Aaron Nesmith contribute layups in transition at plus-1.4 each. -- Oliver

5. Milwaukee Bucks

Milwaukee's road to the postseason:
Year 2 for the Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard era in Milwaukee has been as inconsistent as the first season. The Bucks recovered from a disastrous 2-8 start to win the NBA Cup in December, then changed their team by sending Khris Middleton to the Wizards for Kyle Kuzma at the trade deadline. Injuries have depleted the Bucks roster down the stretch, putting Lillard's playoff status in jeopardy while leaving Antetokounmpo, who is still playing at an MVP level, to carry the team. -- Collier

Will Lillard be able to get on the floor, and will it be enough?
If the Bucks are going to have any chance at a deep playoff run, they are going to need a healthy Lillard. He was ruled out indefinitely with a blood clot issue in his right calf on March 25, but the blood thinners have helped, leading to optimism about a potential return this season. Together, Lillard and Antetokounmpo were the highest-scoring duo in the NBA this season, and their chemistry has improved in their second year as teammates. -- Collier

What to watch in Round 1:
As the injuries have piled up for Milwaukee, the team has slid in the standings and will enter its first-round matchup as a lower seed. This sets the Bucks up for a first-round rematch with the Pacers, who beat them in six games in the first round last season. Antetokounmpo's dominance has helped the Bucks enter the playoffs playing some of their best basketball of the season, winning eight consecutive games to close the season even without Lillard. But the Pacers have been rolling for months, behind Tyrese Halliburton's return to All-Star form, putting up the fourth-best record in the NBA (behind Oklahoma City, Cleveland and Boston) since Jan. 1. -- Collier

Best-case scenario:
In theory, Antetokounmpo is so sensational he can propel a team to the Finals by himself. But in reality, the rest of the Bucks are so limited -- especially with Lillard's health uncertain -- and the East's top teams so dominant that it seems exceedingly unlikely Milwaukee can make a run to June. The Bucks' best-case scenario in this postseason might involve a long-term concern more than a short-term focus on the 2025 title: remaining competitive enough that Antetokounmpo doesn't get dispirited and start angling for a trade this summer. -- Kram

Net points X factor:
Antetokounmpo adds plus-2.7 net points per 48 minutes on his half-court layups alone, easily the best in the league. -- Oliver

6. Detroit Pistons

Detroit's road to the postseason:
The Pistons put together one of the most remarkable turnarounds in NBA history, going from 14-68 last season -- the worst record ever the year before a playoff berth -- to the No. 6 seed in the East. Under new coach J.B. Bickerstaff, Detroit surpassed that win total by New Year's Day. -- Kevin Pelton

How will the Pistons' young stars fare in the postseason?
The veterans Detroit added last summer (Malik Beasley, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Tobias Harris) bring plenty of playoff experience, but this will be the postseason debut for All-Star Cade Cunningham and fellow starters Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson, all recent lottery picks.

The way Cunningham in particular performs could help shape the Pistons' decision on how aggressively to approach this offseason and beyond. If Cunningham remains the All-NBA contributor he has been during the regular season, Detroit could soon make a run like the Indiana Pacers had in the 2024 playoffs. -- Pelton

What to watch in Round 1:
Can Cunningham steal the show the way he frequently did during his regular-season matchups against the Knicks? The guard, who should be an All-NBA lock this season, saved some of his best showings of the season for the Knicks, averaging 30.8 points and 8.3 assists in four games against New York, while shooting 56% overall and 52% on 3-pointers. The Knicks had little answer for Cunningham, especially late in games -- a big part of why Detroit won three of those four games. It will be interesting to see whether the Knicks use 6-7 standout defender OG Anunoby at times to try to slow down Cunningham, a bigger ball handler. -- Herring

Best-case scenario:
This season has already been a complete success for the Pistons, no matter what happens in the playoffs. But why not win some more games while they're at it? After all, Detroit hasn't won a single playoff game since 2008. They should stop that drought this month, and they have the potential to pull a first-round upset and reach the conference semifinals. It's difficult to imagine a team with such little experience doing any real damage against the Knicks, but the Pistons will scrap for every point until their magical season comes to an end. -- Kram

Net points X factor:
Detroit is second in fast-break points and has four players adding at least plus-1 net point per 48 minutes in transition: Cunningham, Thompson, Beasley and Ronald Holland II. -- Oliver

7. Orlando Magic

Orlando's road to the postseason:
What was once a promising season for the Magic turned as the injury bug hit hard in Orlando. Two months into the season, the Magic were in third place in the East, trailing only the Cavs and Celtics Then, they lost their three best players for extended periods -- Paolo Banchero (for 34 games), Franz Wagner (20) and Jalen Suggs (out for season after playing in only 31 games). They've secured the No. 7 seed, and there should be an abundance of hope for 2025-26. But this season never fully got back on track after injuries derailed things. -- Herring

Can the Magic rely on their elite defense to compete in a potential first-round series?
The Magic won two of their three games against the Celtics and limited a depleted Boston side to a season-low 76 points on April 9. If the Magic slip in Tuesday's play-in game against Atlanta but make it out of Friday's game as an No. 8 seed, it would set up a rematch from last spring's clash with Cleveland. The No. 1 seed Cavs took off this season, but that seven-game series in 2024 should give Orlando confidence it can hang, even with this being a far better version of Cleveland. -- Herring

What to watch for in the play-in:
Will the NBA's worst 3-point shooting club remain ice cold from deep when it matters most? Because of the team's suffocating defense, Orlando still finished with a stellar 12-2 mark in games in which it managed to knock down 15 triples or more. The flipside is ghastly: The Magic have gone 5-29 this season when hitting fewer than 10 3s. One of those five victories came against the Hawks, whom they'll be facing in Tuesday's play-in game. -- Herring

Best-case scenario:
Even if the Magic advance out of the play-in round, they will almost certainly lose against the Cavaliers or Celtics. But their manner of defeat could matter in terms of positioning themselves for the offseason and beyond. A play-in collapse or listless first-round sweep would tie the bow on a disappointing season; conversely, a competitive effort led by Banchero and Wagner could build momentum for the future and help the Magic return to contention in 2025-26. -- Kram

Net points X factor:
The Magic have the worst offense of any of the 20 postseason teams. Wagner and Banchero each carry over 30% of the offense, but they each add about only plus-1.5 offensive net points per 48 minutes. -- Oliver

8. Atlanta Hawks

Atlanta's road to the postseason:
After drafting Zaccharie Risacher with the No. 1 pick, trading for Dyson Daniels and extending the contract of Jalen Johnson, this season felt like the beginning of a new age for the Hawks. Trae Young remains a wizard with the ball in his hands and made his fourth All-Star team, but Johnson's season-ending shoulder injury in January limited this group's upside. That said, the No. 8 seed Hawks will have two shots to reach the playoffs via the play-in tournament. -- Bontemps

Can Young work some magic?
We saw him do some wild things in 2021 when he and the Hawks dispatched the Knicks and the 76ers en route to reaching the Eastern Conference finals. For all of the talk about Atlanta transitioning around its collection of young wings, Young is still the straw that stirs the drink -- especially with Johnson out. If the Hawks are going to make any sort of noise, Young will need to lead them. -- Bontemps

What to watch for in the play-in:
With Orlando's Jalen Suggs out, Young should be able to wreak havoc in the 7-8 game. If he can, Atlanta has a chance to score enough to put Orlando on its heels. The Magic are a bottom-five offensive team, which should prevent them from being able to take advantage of Young's defensive deficiencies. And the absence of Suggs should allow Young to create enough offensive advantages for the Hawks. -- Bontemps

Best-case scenario:
The last time the Hawks reached the playoffs was in 2022-23, when they earned the No. 7 seed through the play-in, giving the Celtics a bit of a scare in the first round before succumbing in six games That exact scenario could recur as their most optimistic outcome: a win in the 7-8 game, then a spirited loss against Boston in the first round. -- Kram

Net points X factor:
Daniels guards a player plus-1.6 net points per 48 minutes better than who Young defends. That's close to the difference between a low-end All-Star and an average player (using Second Spectrum matchup data). -- Oliver

9. Chicago Bulls

Chicago's road to the postseason:
The Bulls retooled their roster on the fly, trading away key defender Alex Caruso last summer and leading scorer Zach LaVine before the deadline while matching last season's 39-43 record. It's now a younger Chicago team making a third consecutive play-in appearance. -- Pelton

Can the Bulls get enough stops?
Their 115 points allowed per 100 possessions ranked 23rd in the league, last among postseason teams.

Getting Lonzo Ball back healthy after he sat out 47 games with a variety of injuries should help. Chicago gave up eight fewer points per 100 possessions with Ball on the court, per NBA Advanced Stats. Still, the Bulls struggle to protect the rim without a strong shot blocker -- no other team allowed more attempts per game in the restricted area this season -- and rarely force turnovers. -- Pelton

What to watch for in the play-in:
Keep an eye on how Miami defends Josh Giddey. Much of the reason Oklahoma City traded Giddey last year stemmed from his struggles from deep and the fact that opposing clubs were content to let him shoot in the postseason. (OKC coach Mark Daigneault opted to sit him as the defensive strategy persisted and strangled spacing.) Yes, Giddey has been a good, improved shooter this season for Chicago, knocking down a career-best 37.8% from deep, but it wouldn't be shocking if the Heat tested his jumper in the play-in game. -- Herring

Best-case scenario:
The Bulls' up-tempo, 3-point-happy approach increases the variance in their games. It's a solid recipe for winning a game against a superior opponent. But is it enough to win a series against one of the East's top teams? There's no chance. Chicago could make it to the first round of the playoffs this year -- the Bulls fell short in the play-in the past two seasons -- but that's as far as this fun group should go. -- Kram

Net points X factor:
Chicago loses its games by an average of about two points per game, but their advantage from 3 is not the problem. The Bulls gain plus-2.0 net points per game, fifth best in the league. -- Oliver

10. Miami Heat

Miami's road to the postseason:
This season in Miami was defined by Jimmy Butler III. First, it was Butler's messy divorce from the franchise. Then, after he was eventually traded to Golden State, it was Miami's complete collapse after the trade deadline -- in particular, its consistently horrific performances in the fourth quarter, which is why the Heat find themselves battling it out in the play-in. -- Bontemps

How far can Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo take this group?
Even before the Butler situation blew up, Miami was moving toward its young guard-big combo becoming the fulcrum of the franchise. And while Herro has taken some massive steps forward, dramatically increasing his 3-point volume, overall efficiency and making his first All-Star team, Adebayo's performance has been a disappointment. For Miami to make it to the playoffs, it's going to need Herro and Adebayo to play their best ball of the season. -- Bontemps

What to watch for in the play-in:
Can Miami close games? The struggle to finish games has consistently prevented the Heat from climbing the standings. The Heat can no longer afford to have a bad quarter or their season will be over. -- Bontemps

Best-case scenario:
The Heat have recently made a habit of playoff upsets and Cinderella runs. But this version of the team doesn't appear nearly talented or consistent enough to continue that legacy. Given the way they've played since trading Butler, the Heat will be fortunate just to make it out of the play-in rounds, with no realistic chance to go any further if they have to face the Cavaliers or Celtics in the first round. -- Kram

Net points X factor:
The Heat are the worst playoff/play-in team in the fourth quarter. Duncan Robinson particularly drops off, from averaging plus-0.1 net points per 48 minutes in the first and third quarters to minus-4.8 in the fourth. -- Oliver

WESTERN CONFERENCE

1. Oklahoma City Thunder

Oklahoma City's road to the postseason:
The Thunder improved significantly after becoming the youngest No. 1 seed in NBA history a year ago. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has positioned himself as the MVP favorite by efficiently leading the league in scoring while consistently stuffing the box score. Luguentz Dort leads the league's stingiest defense. Summer additions Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso, a couple of unselfish veteran role players, fit in as seamlessly as anticipated. OKC broke the NBA record for point differential despite Chet Holmgren, arguably the Thunder's second-best player, missing the majority of the season. -- Tim MacMahon

Will a secondary scorer step up?
Gilgeous-Alexander starred in the second round last season, when he averaged 32.2 points on .507/.550/.833 shooting splits, but Oklahoma City still was eliminated by Dallas in six games. It was a rough series for Jalen Williams, who shot only 42.4% from the field. Williams has continued his ascent to stardom this season, making his first All-Star appearance while averaging career bests of 21.6 points and 5.3 assists. The Thunder have plenty of reason to believe he'll be ready for the challenge in his second playoff appearance. -- MacMahon

Best-case scenario:
Given we're talking about a team that came just two wins short of 70 wins and finished with the best point differential in NBA history, the best-case scenario is winning the championship with ease. The two largest margins of victory in recent vintage came from the 2016-17 Golden State Warriors, who went a record 16-1 in the playoffs, and last year's Boston Celtics, who finished 16-3. That kind of dominance is hardly out of the question for Oklahoma City, although the Thunder are all but certain to face stiffer postseason competition than last year's Celtics did. -- Pelton

Net points X factor:
No player in the league gets more of their productivity from free throws than Gilgeous-Alexander, who generates plus-3.2 net points per game, well ahead of James Harden at plus-2.8. -- Oliver

2. Houston Rockets

Houston's road to the postseason:
Houston coach Ime Udoka turned heads before this season when he stated the postseason was the goal for a team coming off a 41-win campaign. When Houston reached 50 wins on April 2, Udoka called the mark "a good barometer of where you should be on a yearly basis at minimum." The Rockets finished with 52 wins and accomplished that as a team built in Udoka's image: gritty and tough with an emphasis on hustle, physicality and lockdown defense. Star guard Jalen Green credited Udoka with "bringing the dog out of us." After a three-game skid to start March, the Rockets won nine in a row and 15 of the next 17 while leaning heavily into their identity in preparation for the postseason. Houston ranked near the middle of the pack offensively most of the season, finishing 12th in offensive rating. Defensively, the Rockets have ranked consistently in the top five. -- Michael C. Wright

How will Houston overcome their lack of playoff experience?
Only two players in Houston's starting five (Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks) have competed in the postseason. But the team's physicality and style of play could make up for that. The most pressing issue for the Rockets is whether they can consistently generate solid half-court offense when the games slow down and every possession matters. Houston gives itself a fighting shot there, considering it led the league in offensive rebounding, which should allow for plenty of second-chance scoring opportunities. Green is the Rockets' most dangerous scorer, but to make a run, this team needs consistent contributions from VanVleet, Brooks and first-time All-Star Alperen Sengun to keep opponents from loading up on the guard. -- Wright

Best-case scenario:
The Rockets overcome their difficulty scoring in the half court by mauling opponents on the offensive glass and taking advantage of their speed and depth to outrun them. Houston reaches the conference finals. And while the first of perhaps many matchups to come goes Oklahoma City's favor, the Rockets win the lottery with the Phoenix Suns' pick. -- Pelton

Net points X factor:
Brooks has averaged plus-1.5 net points per game when getting at least two days off between games -- compared to minus-3.2 in back-to-backs. There are no back-to-backs in the playoffs, which should help. -- Oliver

3. Los Angeles Lakers

Los Angeles' road to the postseason:
Luka Doncic is a Los Angeles Laker. No matter what happens this postseason, the 2024-25 campaign will be remembered as a smashing success for the franchise. Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka looked outside the box to hire a young coach in JJ Redick and then landed Doncic in one of the most shocking trades in league history.

As with any Lakers season, there was a fair share of drama -- from LeBron James taking time away from the team to heal physically (and mentally) after a brutal shooting slump in early December, to parting with standout rookie Dalton Knecht in a trade for Hornets big man Mark Williams only for the trade to be rescinded -- but there were far more successes than failures. Austin Reaves emerged as a borderline All-Star, and Dorian Finney-Smith fit in almost immediately as a switchable 3-and-D wing and popular locker room figure. Both Knecht and Bronny James showed flashes of promise, too, further validating the team's scouting department as a strength.

And LeBron and Doncic showed signs of chemistry that will allow them both to lead. -- Dave McMenamin

How will the trio of Doncic, James and Reaves fare in the postseason together?
James, Doncic and Reaves have played just 21 games together. That's it. And Redick is relying on the three of them to know what buttons to push to keep the Lakers' offense humming in the playoffs, when their opponents will be game-planning to attack their vulnerabilities.

Redick, however, dismissed experience as a necessary ingredient for a team to break through with a championship. "I don't buy the theory, I just don't," Redick said. "I think you got to prepare. You got to control what you control. You got to play hard. You got to try to execute. And if you do that, you give yourselves a chance to win." -- McMenamin

What to watch in Round 1:
The Lakers opened the preseason against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Then they played them to start the regular season. And now they'll get the Wolves in the first round of the playoffs. Since the rescinded trade for Williams, L.A.'s size has been questioned. Minnesota ranked 15th in rebounds per game this season (44.3); L.A. ranked 26th (42.4). The Lakers will need to rebound with their wings and guards and not solely rely on center Jaxson Hayes to control that responsibility. As far as motivation goes, the storyline is pretty rich: Doncic faces the team he eliminated from the Western Conference finals a year ago, while the Wolves will look to exact some revenge on the conference finals MVP, now in a different uniform. -- McMenamin

Best-case scenario:
Doncic and James dial in their chemistry just in time for another deep playoff run. With opponents continuing to struggle from 3-point range, as they did in the second half of the season against the Lakers, they beat Minnesota in Round 1 and upset an inexperienced Houston team in Round 2. As in last year's matchup with Oklahoma City, Doncic sees his teammates get hot from 3-point range at the right time as the Lakers make their first Finals appearance since 2020. -- Pelton

Net points X factor:
James and Doncic both add plus-2.3 offensive net points per 48 minutes to their teammates' shooting, either by passing or spacing, the best of any combo in the league. -- Oliver

4. Denver Nuggets

Denver's road to the postseason:
Sputtering since a 37-19 start, the Nuggets made seismic changes, parting ways with coach Michael Malone and GM Calvin Booth with only three games to go in the regular season. With David Adelman taking over as interim coach, the Nuggets responded to the shakeup by winning their final three games to secure the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference. Adelman is emphasizing that players speak up more, and Nikola Jokic and other players could be seen being more vocal on the sideline. Ownership made the Malone and Booth moves to end the "cold war" that had been going on between the men and unite the franchise while giving Jokic the best chance for a deep playoff run. Ownership felt the players were not responding before the changes, particularly on defense. The Nuggets understand they have the best player in the world playing his best basketball, averaging a triple-double for the first time in his career. Denver ownership knows it needs to maximize these Jokic prime years. The move to Adelman, the architect of the offense, also gives the Nuggets a chance to get an early look at the longtime assistant before other coach openings pop up around the league. -- Ohm Youngmisuk

Can Jamal Murray be Playoff Murray again?
With Jokic playing his best basketball, the Nuggets will need Murray to find the playoff form that made Denver NBA champions in 2023. Murray has dealt with injuries, most recently a hamstring injury that went from being day-to-day to keeping him out for six games, but he returned for the final two of the regular season. Murray didn't look like himself during part of last postseason and last summer with the Canadian Olympic team. He averaged 21.4 points, 6.0 assists and shot 47.4% this season. When healthy, Murray is one half of one of the most prolific duos with Jokic, particularly in the postseason. The Nuggets need that Murray in the playoffs, hitting clutch shots in the fourth quarter, if they are going to make a deep run again. -- Youngmisuk

What to watch in Round 1:
Plenty of eyes will be on Russell Westbrook facing his old team and former teammate James Harden in the playoffs. But the matchup that could very well determine the series is the Clippers' Ivica Zubac on Jokic. Zubac has taken great strides at ends of the court, averaging 16.8 points, 12.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks. He has become the anchor of the Clippers' elite defense and will be paramount in stopping Jokic. Since Jokic entered the league in 2015-16, there have been 20 players to defend him for 100-plus shots as the closest defender. Zubac is the only player from that group to hold Jokic below 45% shooting, in both the regular season and playoffs, according to ESPN Research. If Zubac can manage to defend Jokic, and the Clippers don't have to double team and make Jokic work on the defensive end, that will help Kawhi Leonard and Harden a great deal. -- Youngmisuk

Best-case scenario:
The Nuggets come together just in time for another run like 2023 under Adelman. Denver continues to control what has been a favorable matchup with the Clippers dating to the 2020 bubble, and overwhelm Oklahoma City with size and experience. A conference finals rematch against the Lakers once again goes the Nuggets' way. In a battle of the past two champions, Jokic overpowers the Celtics' post defenders and Denver takes advantage of poor shooting by Boston to win a second title in three years. -- Pelton

Net points X factor:
Denver has the biggest drop-off between starters and bench. Their starters add a plus-7.5 net points per game and their bench adds minus-3.8. The starters' number is third in the league behind OKC and Cleveland. -- Oliver

5. LA Clippers

L.A.'s road to the postseason:
After Paul George walked in free agency without anything in return, the Clippers entered the season without title expectations for the first time in the Kawhi Leonard era. Still, they defied lowered expectations despite Leonard missing the first two-plus months due to inflammation in his knee. James Harden has looked like his vintage self with the ball in his hands. Harden has become a leader on the team, even pleasantly exceeding the Clippers' expectations when they acquired him early last season. Norman Powell had a legit case to be an All-Star next season and Ivica Zubac has been a force in the paint on both ends. Plus, new assistant Jeff Van Gundy helped Ty Lue transform the Clippers into an elite defense. L.A. made key trades before the deadline for Bogdan Bogdanovic and Ben Simmons which strengthened it's bench for the playoffs. But most importantly, Leonard is working his way back to his superstar form after a shaky start to the season. -- Youngmisuk

Can Kawhi stay healthy -- especially when it matters most?
This has been the biggest question since the start of training camp. The Clippers and Leonard spent months working to get the inflammation out of his surgically-repaired knee that knocked him out of the postseason last year after he was able to play in just two games in the first-round loss to Dallas. Leonard didn't return until Jan. 4 of this season and the Clippers have kept him out of back-to-backs, ramping up his workload and even playing 40 minutes in three games in March. The two-time Finals MVP looked like his dominant self in delivering 33 points, seven assists, six rebounds and three steals in 47 minutes in what was basically a playoff game to beat Golden State and secure the fifth seed on Sunday. Of course, as Leonard says himself, the most important thing is finding a way to stay healthy through the playoffs. Leonard has been limited to just two games in each of the Clippers' last two playoff series. -- Youngmisuk

What to watch in Round 1:
This is a rematch of the 2020 conference semis when the Clippers collapsed in the bubble and blew a 3-1 lead to the Nuggets. But this is a much different Clippers team than that one. George is gone, and Harden is on this squad. The Clippers will need Harden to be the better playmaker and more clutch point guard than Jamal Murray. Harden has had a terrific season and emerged as a leader for the Clippers. He will have to be better than he was in the Clippers' final two playoff games last postseason when he shot a combined 7-for-28, including 1-for-13 from 3, and scored a total of 23 points in LA's Game 5 and 6 losses to Dallas in the first round. Harden has shot 20% or worse in 13 career playoff games in which he took 10 or more shots, the second-most such games in postseason history. The Clippers will need more of the Harden who hit two big 3-pointers at the start of overtime and finished with 39 points, 10 assists and 7 rebounds in Sunday's big win at Golden State to clinch the fifth seed. -- Youngmisuk

Best-case scenario:
The Clippers' late-season run led by Leonard getting back to All-Star form carries over to the playoffs. Marrying one of the NBA's best defenses with the ability for Leonard to make difficult shots in isolation overcomes a relatively quiet postseason from Harden and the Clippers upset the Nuggets in the first round and the inexperienced Thunder in round two. Facing the Rockets in a defensive-minded conference finals matchup, the Clippers ride their isolation scoring and veteran savvy to a first Finals trip in franchise history before the run comes to an end. -- Pelton

Net points X factor:
James Harden benefits tremendously from home cooking, averaging plus-5.0 net points per 48 minutes on their home court and just plus-0.5 on the road. -- Oliver

6. Minnesota Timberwolves

Minnesota's road to the postseason:
After their most successful season in two decades and a trip to the Western Conference finals, the Timberwolves made a shocking, financially motivated trade in September, sending Karl-Anthony Towns to New York in exchange for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo. Early returns weren't favorable; both new players struggled to fit in, and Minnesota started 22-21. But a second-half surge -- featuring better all-around play from Randle (18.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game post-All-Star; 38% from 3) and hot shooting from DiVincenzo (45% from 3 post-All-Star) -- has the Timberwolves looking like a contender again, even if they'll have to maneuver from the bottom of the playoff bracket this year instead of the top. -- Kram

Who is Minnesota's second scorer and creator behind Anthony Edwards?
Towns filled that role last year, but now the answer is much less clear. It could be Randle, but he has a brutal playoff track record, shooting 34% from the field with more turnovers than assists, albeit in a small sample. DiVincenzo and Naz Reid are role players more than secondary stars. Rudy Gobert, Jaden McDaniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker are defense-first contributors. And Mike Conley, while scorching hot of late, is 37, with the lowest scoring average of his career. Any good playoff defense is going to tilt its coverages to slow Edwards as much as possible; Minnesota's playoff fortunes may rest on whether his teammates take advantage when he's doubled. -- Kram

What to watch in Round 1:
Pay close attention to Conley's minutes, particularly on the defensive end. The Lakers' ball handlers -- Doncic, James and Reaves -- comprise one of the NBA's best trios and are extremely aggressive at drawing contact and getting to the basket. If Conley isn't holding up well there, reserve Nickeil Alexander-Walker -- five inches taller at 6-foot-5 -- figures to be in line for substantial minutes off the pine. -- Herring

Best-case scenario:
The Timberwolves channel the energy of last season's run to the conference finals they've been unable to sustain in the regular season without Karl-Anthony Towns. After upsetting the Lakers in round one, Minnesota takes down the Warriors in round two. This time, Minnesota comes out on the right side of the conference finals against Oklahoma City, with Edwards winning MVP of the series. The Timberwolves' run ends in the NBA Finals, but it's still the most playoff wins in franchise history. -- Pelton

Net points X factor:
Minnesota ranks in the NBA's top seven in 3-point attempts, makes, denying 3-point shots to opponents, and reducing opponent 3-point percentage, which adds up to a plus-3.7 net points per game advantage overall on 3s -- best in the league. -- Oliver

7. Golden State Warriors

Golden State's road to the postseason:
In their first season without Klay Thompson, the Warriors jumped out to a 12-3 start and looked like they would be serious contenders in the West. But they stumbled, going 13-21 before pulling the trigger on a trade for Jimmy Butler. The move has completely altered their season, rejuvenating Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Steve Kerr while making role players like Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody better. Jonathan Kuminga missed two months due to a severe ankle injury but has shown flashes of giving the Warriors a different element with his athleticism. Golden State has been one of the hottest teams in the league since Butler made his Warriors' debut in Chicago on Feb. 8, and the Warriors are now a threat to make a deep run. -- Youngmisuk

What can Playoff Jimmy do for Golden State?
Curry told ESPN in January that he felt that if the Warriors can avoid the play-in tournament, they can beat anyone in a seven-game series. They'll now have to come out of the play-in as the No. 7 seed but the Warriors have "Playoff Jimmy", who took the Miami Heat to two NBA Finals appearances in four seasons. The Warriors won't need Butler to carry them the same way he did with Miami. But if he can help Curry with the offensive load and close games while providing Green with a dynamic defensive duo that Kerr has likened to "Pippen and Jordan," the Warriors could make a run like they did in 2022, when they won their last title. -- Youngmisuk

What to watch for in the play-in:
The Warriors and Grizzlies have built a little rivalry over the years. Just ask the Grizzlies and Warriors about "the code." While this play-in will likely be determined by the two biggest stars on both teams in Curry and Ja Morant, the Warriors will need Green to slow down fellow Michigan State product Jaren Jackson Jr. Green is a leading candidate for Defensive Player of the Year and will need to play at that level to contain Jackson, who averaged 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in the regular season. The Warriors will certainly try to get Jackson into foul trouble. Jackson is averaging 3.5 personal fouls this season. -- Youngmisuk

Best-case scenario:
"Playoff Jimmy" reappears in conjunction with two of the other greatest postseason overachievers of the past two decades, Curry and Green. After beating Memphis in the opening play-in game, the Warriors upset the youthful Rockets and win a rematch against the Lakers in round two, then find themselves with a huge experience edge against Oklahoma City in the Thunder's first conference finals appearance since losing to the Warriors in 2016. Reversing that series, Golden State closes out the series at home in Game 6 with Curry channeling Klay Thompson by scoring 41 points to send the Warriors to a seventh Finals appearance in his career. -- Pelton

Net points X factor:
The Golden State bench has actually outperformed its starters this season, contributing plus-1.6 net points per game to the starters' plus-1.2. The Warriors are the only playoff/play-in team doing so. -- Oliver

8. Memphis Grizzlies

Memphis' road to the postseason:
With a new staff of assistant coaches and an innovative equal-opportunity offense that virtually eliminated ball screens and dribble handoffs, Memphis worked through all the potential kinks to rack up a record of 36-18 going into All-Star break. The Grizzlies accomplished that feat despite star guard Ja Morant missing 21 games due to injury. By the time March rolled around Memphis was starting to slide, losing its first three games to start the month and eventually dropping 10 of 16 games. That led to the firing on Mar. 28 of Taylor Jenkins, the winningest coach in franchise history, and the promotion of new staffer Tuomas Iisalo to interim head coach. The move was made to optimize Morant, who thrives with the ball in his hands. Memphis lost its first three games under the new regime. But the team appears lately to be adjusting to Iisalo and his vision of the offense. -- Wright

Was nine games enough to tweak a system that took most of the season to become accustomed to?
General manager Zach Kleiman said his "expectations are clarity and direction" moving forward for the Grizzlies, but that's difficult to accomplish much with so little time. Memphis' decision to fire Jenkins and assistant Noah LaRoche, who was largely the architect of the Grizzlies' offense, indicates a level of trust in Morant to play at an elite level throughout the playoffs. The brass is well-aware of the optics of such a significant move, but the Grizzlies also feel they've built a deep enough roster to compete at the highest levels with Morant as the floor general. We've seen that in spurts throughout the regular season, but it's unclear if the team can sustain it through the playoffs. -- Wright

What to watch for in the play-in:
The Warriors own a 3-1 lead over the Grizzlies in the regular-season series, and they've bested Memphis in seven out of the past 11 matchups. Given all the turmoil the Grizzlies have endured recently, along with their lack of deep postseason experience, they could struggle against a Golden State team anchored with championship experience in Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. Then again, it's worth noting the Warriors have never won a game in the play-in tournament despite three opportunities, the last coming in 2021 when ninth-seeded Memphis defeated them in overtime behind a 35-point effort from Morant. Memphis has now played nine games under interim coach Tuomas Iisalo, and Morant appears to be getting back into a groove now that the Grizzlies are using a style of play catered toward optimizing the point guard's ability. Expect Morant's fingerprints to be all over this matchup, but this game could come down to big performances from Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane. -- Wright

Best case scenario:
Iisalo's reemphasis on the pick-and-roll unlocks the version of Morant we saw in 2021-22 and 2022-23, giving the Grizzlies two elite offensive creators (alongside Jackson) just in time to make a run through the weaker half of the West bracket after beating the Warriors in the play-in tournament as they did in 2021. Memphis rides its depth and versatility to a pair of upset wins and reaches the conference finals for just the second time in franchise history. The Grizzlies give the Thunder a tough battle there in a preview of the battle for Western Conference supremacy over the next several seasons, while Iisalo earns the permanent role of head coach. -- Pelton

Net points x-factor:
Santi Aldama has added plus-3.2 net points per 48 minutes off the bench, the fifth best mark in the league.-- Oliver

9. Sacramento Kings

Sacramento's road to the postseason:
Since the end of last season, the Kings have traded De'Aaron Fox, Harrison Barnes, Kevin Hurter and Davion Mitchell -- four of their top eight players in minutes in 2023-24 -- and replaced them with DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, Jonas Valanciunas and Jake LaRavia. Yet despite all that movement, Sacramento is right back where it started: in the 9 vs. 10 play-in game, a fringe contender just hoping to make the playoffs in a competitive West. -- Kram

Was the Kings' playoff trip in 2022-23 a fluke rather than the new norm?
It's impossible to overstate how much Sacramento's run two years ago meant to the franchise, which had gone 16 consecutive seasons without a playoff trip. For one magical season, the Kings were competitive again, and they lit the beam all the way through a seven-game loss to the rival Warriors in the first round. But in a more competitive Western Conference last year, the Kings dropped from third to ninth, despite just two fewer wins, and fell in the play-in round. And this season, they've taken another step back, trading Fox and gliding to a losing record as they face another play-in gauntlet. Unless Sacramento can win two play-in games and put up a surprising fight against the Thunder in the first round, the team might have to confront larger existential questions this offseason. That seven-game clash against the Warriors was so cathartic, but now it feels like it was so long ago. -- Kram

What to watch for in the play-in:
How well does Sacramento, the league's worst team against the 3, defend the arc during the play-in stage? The team pieced together a good mark of 38-11 when it managed to hold teams under 40% from deep. When opponents shot 40% or better, though, it almost always ended poorly for the Kings, who were just 7-26 in those games. The Kings went 3-0 against Dallas in the regular season, including a February game in which Sacramento squeaked out a one-point overtime win despite the Mavs hitting 40.5% of their tries from deep. -- Herring

Best-case scenario:
At this point, just making the playoffs is probably a best-case scenario for the Kings. Sacramento can only be the eighth seed, which would mean being overwhelming underdogs in the first round against the Thunder. The Kings lost all three head-to-head matchups between the teams by an average of nearly 24 PPG. -- Pelton

Net points X factor:
As a team, the Kings are plus-1.4 net points per game immediately after an offensive rebound, highest in the league. -- Oliver

10. Dallas Mavericks

Dallas' road to the postseason:
Neither of the stars from last season's Finals run will step onto the floor for the Mavs this postseason. Luka Doncic now plays for the Lakers after Mavs GM Nico Harrison made the shocking decision to trade a perennial MVP candidate as he approaches his prime. Kyrie Irving suffered a torn ACL on March 3, the most significant of a series of injuries that left the Mavs struggling to have the league minimum of eight available players for a stretch as Dallas fell below .500. -- MacMahon

Can Anthony Davis be dominant enough for the Mavs to pull off a massive upset?
It's not fair to expect this from Davis, a 10-time All-Star who was the headliner in Dallas' return for Doncic. That's especially true with Davis still ramping back up after missing six weeks due to a strained left adductor suffered in his Mavs debut. But the best-case scenario for the Mavs is a first-round matchup with the top-seeded Thunder. A historically spectacular series from Davis is the only way the Mavs would have any hope. -- MacMahon

What to watch for in the play-in:
Can the Mavs bully-ball their way to a pair of road wins? Dallas' guard depth is depleted, as Kyrie Irving has been out since March 3 and recent two-way conversion Brandon Williams, their most dynamic off-dribble creator down the stretch, exited the regular-season finale because of a strained left oblique. The Mavs' double-big lineups will have to do a lot of damage. Davis and Dereck Lively II have played only 54 minutes together, but the Mavs have outscored opponents by 13 points with that duo on the floor. -- MacMahon

Best-case scenario:
The Mavericks are the one team in the bottom half of the play-in tournament that can plausibly hope to make a run. Losing Irving took away Dallas' title-caliber upside, but the Mavericks' deep and versatile frontcourt could present some challenges for Oklahoma City in the first round. Realistically, however, Dallas would probably be hoping just for a long series that showcases how dangerous the Mavericks could be with Irving back for the 2026 playoffs. -- Pelton

Net points X factor:
Klay Thompson went to Dallas to play with Doncic and he added plus-1.1 offensive net points per 48 minutes when they were on the court together. But Doncic is gone, and Klay is averaging minus-1.4 without him. -- Oliver

CLEVELAND -- Cole Ragans managed to pitch through a left hamstring cramp for 7 innings and get his first win this season.

"The hammy started to tighten up and I just didn't want to push it," Ragans said after leading the Kansas City Royals over the Cleveland Guardians 4-2 on Sunday.

A 27-year-old left-hander who finished fourth in AL Cy Young Award voting last year, Ragans struck out 10 and walked none while allowing two runs -- one earned -- and four hits.

Ragans (1-0) felt a nagging pain in his hamstring throughout the game, but it intensified after he got Austin Hedges to pop out for the second out of the eighth inning. Lucas Erceg relieved and got the last out of the inning. Carlos Estevez allowed a leadoff single in the ninth, then struck out three straight batters for his fifth save in six chances.

"You don't want it to where it turns more serious than it actually is," Ragans said. "There was no reason to keep trying to pitch."

Kansas City was optimistic Ragans will take his next turn, likely Friday in Detroit.

"He was honest with us throughout the game and was honest with us when he started feeling in more in the eighth inning," Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. "He was trying to be smart and not push through it, which was the right thing to do."

Ragans threw 89 pitches and became the second pitcher in Royals' history to have 10 or more strikeouts in three consecutive starts after Kevin Appier in 1996.

Cleveland took a 2-0 lead in the second when Daniel Schneemann hit an RBI double and continued home on shortstop Bobby Witt Jr.'s throwing error. Ragans then retired nine straight batters and 17 of his last 18.

Kansas City rallied when Salvador Perez hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning and Maikel Garcia had a two-run double in the fifth.

"I try to get quick outs," Ragans said. "If I'm filling up the strike zone, then [the hitters] are going to have to swing the bats. I just try to get ahead in the count and stay ahead and trust the guys behind me to make plays. If they are swinging early in the count, it might help you later to get them to chase some pitches."

Chicago Cubs pitcher Justin Steele will undergo season-ending surgery to repair the flexor tendon in his left elbow, manager Craig Counsell told reporters Sunday.

It was unclear whether Steele, who underwent Tommy John surgery in 2017, will need another full ligament-replacement procedure or a Tommy John revision with an internal brace. The 29-year-old left-hander will be sidelined until 2026.

"On a day like this, you feel for Justin," Counsell said before Sunday's series finale against the Los Angeles Dodgers. "It's kind of the life of a major league pitcher, these injuries that make you miss most of seasons.

"But I talked to him this morning, and he has a great attitude about it, as he always does. He knows that it's part of the career he's chosen, and he's going to take it a step at a time and do the best he can to come back even better."

Steele was placed on the injured list last week after feeling discomfort in his elbow following his last start. He threw seven shutout innings against the Texas Rangers on Monday but still felt pain after arriving at the stadium the next day for treatment.

He was 3-1 with a 4.76 ERA in four starts before going down.

Steele has had a history of minor elbow problems over the past couple of seasons, spending time on the injured list in each of them, including late last year before returning for two September outings. He started the second game of the season for the Cubs against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Japan last month.

Overall, Steele is 32-22 with a 3.30 ERA in 91 career starts, all with the Cubs.

The injury opens a huge hole in the team's rotation. Long reliever Colin Rea will take Steele's place in the rotation on Sunday night.

Counsell said right-hander Javier Assad, who will begin a minor league rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday, will be a candidate to fill Steele's spot when he returns from a left oblique strain. The team has several other in-house candidates who could also get a look, including lefty Jordan Wicks and righty Cade Horton.

Horton is one of the Cubs' top prospects but is still working back from an injury that kept him out of action last year. The team could also look to a possible trade, as Miami Marlins righty Sandy Alcantara is likely to be on the market this summer.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Blackhawks have agreed to terms with Ryan Greene on a three-year contract, adding another top prospect to their roster.

The entry-level deal for Greene runs through the 2026-27 season with a $950,000 salary cap hit. The 21-year-old forward likely will play in Chicago's last two games of the season.

The Blackhawks announced the deal on Sunday, a day after Greene and Boston University lost to Western Michigan in the NCAA championship in St. Louis. Greene had 13 goals and 25 assists in 40 games during his junior season with the Terriers.

The 6-foot-2 Greene was selected by Chicago in the second round of the 2022 draft. Before getting to BU, he played for the Green Bay Gamblers of the United States Hockey League.

The lowly Blackhawks are 3-11-3 in their past 17 games. They visit Montreal on Monday before their season finale at Ottawa on Tuesday night.

But there have been some positive signs for Chicago as some of its top prospects have been added to the team. Defenseman Artyom Levshunov made his NHL debut on March 10, and forward Oliver Moore and defenseman Sam Rinzel played in their first game with Chicago on March 30.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Wolverhampton Wanderers coach Vitor Pereira is happy to swap the wine of his native Portugal for the beer of England's Black Country to celebrate his side's 4-2 home win over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

Fans at Molineux brandished a banner with the legend "First the points, then the pints" following last week's 2-1 win over Ipswich Town, after which the 56-year-old coach was spotted in a pub in the town celebrating with fans.

Asked if he would be joining them for a beer again following their drubbing of Spurs, Pereira was emphatic.

"Every time! Work is work, but after the work we need to celebrate together. I need to feel the energy of these people and be part of the family," he told the BBC.

Pereira has become a popular figure with fans following his appointment in December when Wolves looked to be in serious danger of relegation.

He has since secured eight wins and two draws in his 16 league games, with four of those victories coming in their last four matches, the first time Wolves have won four in a row in the Premier League.

"This is good for us. We are consistent now. Now we know very well the moments of the game and how to deal with them," Pereira said. "Sometimes we need to wait and sometimes be compact and play on the counter, sometimes we have space to play with the ball, sometimes fast and sometimes slow down.

"In this moment, we have the tactical maturity."

With his team sitting 16th on 35 points, 14 points clear of Ipswich in 18th, Sunday's result means that Wolves will most likely retain their Premier League status for next season, and Pereira is already looking forward.

"I am [an] ambitious guy, I want more and more. This is the image I ask the players to send to the supporters -- we have a team that can reach other targets," he said.

In Year 20, Chris Paul started all 82. And he made some NBA history in the process.

Paul was in the San Antonio Spurs' starting lineup for their season finale Sunday, making him the first player to ever make 82 starts this deep into a career. The previous mark on that front was held by Utah's John Stockton, who started all 82 games in his 19th and final season.

Paul, who turns 40 in less than a month, is one of three players to have a season with 82 appearances at his age. Stockton did it in the seasons in which he turned 39 and 40, and Michael Jordan turned 39 in his final season while playing in all 82 games and starting 67 of them.

"It's crazy," Paul said. "I was talking to my wife about this. When you're sort of in it, you're not really thinking about it. It's like, 'OK, it's Game 30. OK, it's Game 40-something. It's game such and such.'"

It became Game 82. And Paul never missed a beat.

He's one of six players who made 82 starts in this NBA regular season, which ended Sunday. The others: the New York Knicks' Mikal Bridges, Minnesota Timberwolves' Jaden McDaniels, Houston Rockets' Jalen Green, Cleveland Cavaliers' Jarrett Allen and Paul's San Antonio teammate Harrison Barnes.

With Paul, Barnes and Julian Champagnie, the Spurs became the first team since the 2017-18 Minnesota Timberwolves with at least three players to appear in 82 games.

For Barnes, who is in his first year with the Spurs, Sunday's game was his 304th in a row. He and Paul are the first Spurs to play all 82 games since Bryn Forbes and Patty Mills in 2018-19 -- and the first Spurs to start all 82 games since Bruce Bowen in 2006-07.

"Year 20, this is only the second time in my career playing 82 games," Paul said. "And also playing as long as I have, I think I know how hard it is. That's why I have so much respect for Harrison, who is doing this for the third year in a row. And Mikal, who was my teammate, he never misses a game."

Bridges was playing in his 556th consecutive regular-season game Sunday -- out of a possible 556. He hasn't missed any game since his junior year of high school, including 116 at Villanova and 39 NBA playoff games. Add that up, and he has played in 711 consecutive games since entering college.

The Knicks held out four starters for a meaningless game standings-wise Sunday. Bridges was the exception.

"I think he's earned that right," Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. "It's a tribute to him. I think he's worked hard to put himself in that position. I've said this before: He should be commended for it."

Bridges played the first six seconds to extend the streak Sunday, took a foul, got subbed out by Landry Shamet and went to the bench. (He did something similar in the final game of the 2023-24 season, playing four seconds for Brooklyn against Philadelphia on the last day.) It happened elsewhere, too: Allen played 41 seconds for Cleveland on Sunday to get to 82 starts, then was subbed out.

The Sacramento Kings' Jonas Valanciunas appeared in 81 games this season, not 82, with a big caveat: he was inactive for two teams on the same day, which is the only reason why he didn't get to 82 this season. Valanciunas was traded by Washington to the Kings on Feb. 5; he appeared that night as inactive for both of those teams on the official NBA box scores because the trade was pending.

He played on Feb. 6 for the Kings and hasn't missed a game since.

Paul was the 11th player in NBA history to make it to 20 seasons in the league. LeBron James, if he plays next year as would be expected, will then become the first to make it to 23 seasons in the league, breaking the tie with Vince Carter.

Robert Parish, Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki and Kevin Willis all played 21 NBA seasons, which Paul will get to next year if he -- again, as expected -- returns. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant, Jamal Crawford and Udonis Haslem all played 20 seasons, a club that Kyle Lowry will join next season.

"I know there's stuff still in the tank," Paul said. "You know, I think for me, the summer will just be a really good time to just evaluate everything, the opportunities. But the love for the game is still there."