Unlike last year, the Oklahoma City Thunder will enjoy a front-row seat to what the regular-season finale usually brings. The last day of the five-month campaign is filled with several teams fighting for positions with exact or nearly identical records. It's one of the season's best days with a March-Madness-esque vibe.
For the Thunder, it'll be another year where they don't find out their Round 1 opponent until Friday night. They clinched the first seed nearly a month ago and have had little to play for since then sans franchise and NBA records.
As the NBA enters its final regular-season day, seven possibilities exist for the Thunder's first-round opponent. All 10 postseason spots in the West have been stamped. The Houston Rockets have clinched the second seed and the Los Angeles Lakers have clinched the third seed.
Meanwhile, the Dallas Mavericks and Sacramento Kings will be the 9th seed vs. 10th seed matchup. Homecourt is yet to be determined for that play-in tournament game. The winner will face the 7th seed vs. 8th seed matchup loser. The Memphis Grizzlies are stuck at one of those spots.
Who fills the final spot for the play-in tournament will be decided on Sunday. It could be the Denver Nuggets, LA Clippers, Golden State Warriors or Minnesota Timberwolves. That four-team jumble will determine who sits in 4th to 7th place.
As of Saturday, there are still several moving points. Even after Sunday's conclusion, the Thunder will spend their week off figuring out who of the four teams in the play-in tournament they could face in Round 1 of the 2025 NBA playoffs.
It's the one downside of being the first seed. But the Thunder will pay that tax for success. Regardless of who clinches the eighth seed, OKC should be heavily favored to win the first-round series.
This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Who could the OKC Thunder face in Round 1 of 2025 NBA playoffs?
