The Oklahoma City Thunder have clinched the first seed. Not surprising considering they've held a double-digit game lead in the standings for most of the season. But let's look at the rest of the West playoff picture.
The Los Angeles Lakers blew out the Thunder on Sunday in a 126-99 game. Luka Doncic and LeBron James sent a message to the West's top seed with a dominating win and led by as many as 29 points.
Only one week remains in the 2024-25 regular season. Even though the Thunder aren't involved, plenty of heated races for seeding have ramped up as the margin for error gets thinner. Thunder Wire will conduct daily updates on the West's standings until the season ends:
What happened last night?
Lakers 126, Thunder 99: This was a beating and a message sent to the West's top seed. The only bright spots for the Thunder were that nothing was on the line for them and that the game was broadcast on NBA TV instead of national airwaves. Luka Doncic had a monster 30 points and Los Angeles couldn't miss from the outside.
Kings 120, Cavaliers 113: The NBA season is so long that you're bound for some funny storylines. One is the Kings sweeping their two-game series against the Cavaliers. Trying to salvage a lost season, Sacramento will need to survive the play-in tournament to make the playoffs. Zach LaVine had 37 points against Cleveland to lead to the win.
Knicks 112, Suns 98: It's all but over for the Suns. While still mathematically in it, they look like a squad that's checked out. Kevin Durant's ankle sprain was truly a season-ender in terms of vibes. Devin Booker had 40 points but that wasn't enough to beat the Knicks.
Pacers 125, Nuggets 120: Oh how quickly a season can fall apart. Just a month ago, the Nuggets aggressively campaigned for Nikola Jokic to win his fourth MVP. Now, they're hoping to avoid the play-in range altogether. The reigning MVP had a 41-point triple-double but nobody cared at this point. Denver has fallen off in recent weeks.
Rockets 106, Warriors 98: Out of all the teams in the West, the Rockets have had the most doubters. A mixture of youth and absent top-scoring talent has made them the team others have circled to face. Despite that, they continue to win and play their best basketball. A gusty win over the Warriors is the latest example in a matchup of two of the hottest teams. Stephen Curry was limited to an eye-popping three points.
Apr. 7 playoff standings
- 1. Oklahoma City Thunder 64-14 — GB
- 2. Houston Rockets 52-27 — 12.5 GB
- 3. Los Angeles ...
