The Atlanta Hawks secured their spot in the NBA play-offs and claimed the Southeast Division title with a decisive 124-102 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.
Needing just one win from their final two regular-season fixtures to guarantee a top-six finish in the Eastern Conference, the home side comfortably dismantled their already-qualified opponents.
A dominant third-quarter performance saw the divisional champions score 35 points, stretching a 61-48 half-time advantage into an insurmountable 96-65 lead.
Guard CJ McCollum paced the offense with a game-high 29 points, ensuring his team bypassed the play-in tournament for the first time in five seasons.
James enters exclusive assist club
Over in the Western Conference, veteran superstar LeBron James etched his name further into the history books during a 101-73 rout of the Phoenix Suns.
The iconic forward became only the fourth player in the history of the league to record 12,000 career assists.
His stellar individual output of 28 points, 12 assists and six rebounds helped the Los Angeles Lakers secure crucial home-court advantage for the upcoming post-season.
The dominant victory marked a 15th win in 19 outings for the California franchise, officially locking in a top-four finish in the standings.
Former Utah Jazz maestro John Stockton remains the undisputed all-time assist leader with 15,806, while Chris Paul and Jason Kidd are the only other individuals ahead of James.
Celtics tie three-point record
Elsewhere, the Boston Celtics cemented the second seed in the East by wrapping up the Atlantic Division with an emphatic 144-118 win against the New Orleans Pelicans.
The 18-time champions were devastating from beyond the arc, sinking a record-equalling 29 three-pointers as forward Sam Hauser contributed eight of his own.
That historic shooting display forced the New York Knicks to settle for the third seed, despite finishing their campaign with a 112-95 triumph over the Toronto Raptors.
Defeat for the Canadian outfit caused them to slip down into sixth place, leaving them tied with the Orlando Magic after the Florida franchise beat the Chicago Bulls 127-103 for a fifth consecutive win.
Wembanyama shines on return
Rising star Victor Wembanyama returned from a brief injury absence to guide the second-seeded San Antonio Spurs past the Dallas Mavericks with a 139-120 win.
The 22-year-old Most Valuable Player contender strengthened his credentials by amassing a staggering 40 points, 13 rebounds and five assists.
Meanwhile, the Denver Nuggets kept their hopes of securing third place in the West alive by defeating reigning champions and top seeds Oklahoma City Thunder 127-107.
Victor Wembanyama has secured his eligibility for NBA postseason awards by playing his 65th game of the season during a 139-120 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.
The French centre delivered a dominant 40-point performance, adding 13 rebounds, five assists and two blocks to seal the win.
Despite returning from a bruised left rib, the 22-year-old showed no signs of slowing down during his 26 minutes on the court.
“I tried to protect the injured rib as much as possible while still being respectful of the game,”
the towering defender explained to reporters after the match.
“It didn’t bother me that much, just a few times where it was a specific moment or specific hit where it was painful.”
Matching a Spurs legend
The basketball prodigy’s latest display marks his fifth game this season with at least 40 points and 10 rebounds.
That achievement ties him with Hall of Famer David Robinson, who set the franchise record during the 1993-94 campaign.
San Antonio have been in formidable form recently, boasting an impressive 24-3 record since the mid-season All-Star break.
“I’m sure he’ll be sore tomorrow, but he made it out good,”
stated Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson, praising his star player’s resilience following the commanding victory.
Questioning the 65-game rule
Reaching the mandatory appearance threshold makes the French international the clear favourite for the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award.
However, he expressed empathy for peers like Luka Doncic and Anthony Edwards, who currently fall short of the required game count due to injuries.
Engaging with the media, the former top draft pick questioned whether total minutes played might offer a fairer metric than total games.
“Because a guy that plays 50 games, 35 minutes a game, that’s 50 times 35. That’s 1,750 minutes, right? And if a guy plays 75 games at 20 minutes, it’s 1,500 minutes.”
He then suggested that a threshold of 75% of the season, or approximately 62 games, might be a more logical benchmark for future campaigns.
At least 168 players, including recent Most Valuable Player award winners Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic, were held out of Friday’s penultimate NBA regular-season fixtures.
All 30 franchises were in action for game 81 of the gruelling 82-game basketball schedule.
However, the Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets opted to rest all of their regular starters.
The Memphis Grizzlies were among the most severely depleted rosters, with 14 squad members absent through injury or illness.
Focus shifts to the postseason
The Thunder have already secured the number one overall seed for the upcoming Western Conference playoffs.
Head coach Mark Daigneault insisted his squad had earned the right to manage their physical workloads.
“If we didn’t clinch coming into tonight, everybody would be playing.”
Mark Daigneault explained to reporters before tip-off.
The situation remains slightly different for the Nuggets and their Serbian superstar.
Award eligibility drives playing time
Denver entered the weekend still battling for vital playoff seeding.
Furthermore, their three-time league MVP requires one more appearance to meet the NBA’s strict 65-game threshold for end-of-season awards.
It is widely expected he will feature in Sunday’s finale to ensure his name remains on the official ballot.
San Antonio Spurs phenomenon Victor Wembanyama successfully cleared that identical hurdle on Friday night.
The French rookie needed to play precisely 20 minutes to reach his required 65-game total.
“If I had 65 games before, I for sure wouldn’t have played.”
Victor Wembanyama admitted after logging 26 minutes on the court.
The towering center still managed to deliver a breathtaking performance, finishing with 40 points, 13 rebounds and five assists.
Record-breaking shooting in Boston
Elsewhere across the league, the Boston Celtics equalled an all-time NBA record by sinking 29 three-pointers.
It marks only the fourth time in league history a franchise has hit that astonishing number from beyond the arc.
“Hopefully, we didn’t use them all up in one game.”
Joked Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla following the historic shooting display.
Meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors utilised their penultimate fixture to fine-tune their starting lineup.
Head coach Steve Kerr reunited veteran mainstays Stephen Curry and Draymond Green as the team prepares for the high-stakes play-in tournament.
Two-time WNBA scoring champion Brittney Griner is finalising a seven-figure deal to join the Connecticut Sun ahead of their 2027 relocation to Houston.
The blockbuster transfer was initially reported by Sun sideline reporter Terrika Foster-Brasby and subsequently confirmed by multiple sources.
This move carries added significance for the 35-year-old, as the Connecticut franchise is currently preparing to move to her Texan hometown in three years.
A fresh start after statistical dip
The impending transfer marks the beginning of another transitional phase for the 6-foot-9 forward.
She departed the Phoenix Mercury last season to join the Atlanta Dream, leaving the only WNBA organisation she had ever previously represented.
However, her recent stint in Georgia proved challenging within an offensive system that prioritised a rapid pace and high-volume perimeter shooting.
The 10-time All-Star recorded career lows across almost every major statistical category, averaging just 9.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.
An elite basketball pedigree
Despite a quieter recent campaign, the three-time Olympic gold medallist boasts one of the most decorated resumes in women’s basketball history.
Over her 12-year professional career, she has secured a WNBA championship and consecutive Defensive Player of the Year awards.
The Sun will now hope her formidable interior presence can propel them toward championship contention before their permanent move to the South.
Philadelphia 76ers centre Joel Embiid has been discharged from hospital following emergency appendicitis surgery, with no established timeline for his return to the court.
The 32-year-old was admitted to a Houston medical facility on Thursday after his condition suddenly deteriorated overnight.
Team physicians and his surgeon will now manage the recovery process as the Eastern Conference standout travels back to Pennsylvania.
Playoff picture remains uncertain for Philadelphia
His unexpected absence is a significant setback for a franchise desperately fighting for optimal post-season positioning.
Philadelphia suffered a 113-102 defeat against the Houston Rockets on Thursday evening without their primary offensive weapon.
The team currently occupies eighth place in the Eastern Conference with only two regular-season fixtures remaining against the Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks.
Depending on weekend results, the Sixers could still secure the sixth seed to guarantee a playoff berth or plummet to tenth ahead of Tuesday’s play-in tournament.
Nurse laments unexpected setback for 76ers
Head coach Nick Nurse revealed the reigning league MVP had participated normally in Wednesday’s practice session before falling ill.
“It is a tough blow,” Nurse said.
“I think that the biggest thing right now is that Joel comes out of the surgery as best as possible and all that goes well.”
“That’s where most of my thoughts are right now.”
The towering centre has been highly productive when available this season, averaging 26.9 points and 7.7 rebounds across 38 appearances.
The Los Angeles Lakers face a daunting first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets without star guards Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves following significant muscle injuries.
The 2025-26 NBA regular season concludes this weekend with severe roster concerns for the Western Conference franchise.
Both the Slovenian playmaker and his American backcourt partner have been diagnosed with Grade 2 strains.
Medical staff will evaluate Doncic’s hamstring and Reaves’ oblique issues, but the team must prepare for their absence throughout the upcoming series.
LeBron James shoulders the burden
These devastating injuries force 41-year-old LeBron James back into a primary shot-creation role.
The four-time NBA champion had recently thrived by sacrificing offensive touches to accommodate a third star in the starting lineup.
Head coach JJ Redick and his staff are currently examining tactical adjustments to survive without their primary ballhandlers.
“Honestly, the Lakers need LeBron to have a hot shooting series and for the Rockets to have a cold shooting series,” an Eastern Conference scout told ESPN.
Houston defense poses severe threat
The Texas outfit presents a formidable challenge for a severely depleted Los Angeles rotation.
“Houston’s defense will just swallow them up,” warned one Western Conference executive.
To stand any chance of advancing, the Lakers also desperately need sidelined point-of-attack defender Marcus Smart to return to full fitness.
A heavy reliance on veteran leadership is now the only remaining strategy for the 17-time NBA champions as they enter the postseason.
Bronny James recorded the first son-to-father assist in NBA history by setting up his dad LeBron during the Los Angeles Lakers’ 119-103 victory over the Golden State Warriors.
The 19-year-old rookie stole possession before perfectly finding the four-time NBA champion.
Running the length of the court, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer finished the spectacular sequence with an uncontested dunk.
It marked a standout moment in a dominant 26-point and 11-assist performance from the 41-year-old veteran.
This milestone comes just one month after the duo combined for the league’s first father-to-son assist against the Brooklyn Nets.
Lakers secure crucial post-season momentum
The historic familial connection helped the franchise see off their Californian state rivals in comprehensive fashion.
Adding to the family’s impressive night, the younger James contributed 10 points and three assists to the winning effort.
The result leaves Los Angeles sitting fourth in the standings while Golden State remain in 10th position.
Both heavyweight sides have already guaranteed their places in the upcoming play-offs, which are scheduled to begin on 18 April.
Knicks and Raptors claim vital league victories
Elsewhere, the New York Knicks applied pressure near the top of the table with a 112-106 triumph over the Boston Celtics.
Josh Hart led the charge for the third-placed franchise by scoring 26 points against their second-placed opponents.
The Toronto Raptors also kept their hopes alive by securing a crucial 128-114 victory over the Miami Heat.
Similarly, the Houston Rockets solidified their own play-off chances after dispatching the Philadelphia 76ers 113-102.
In matches featuring already-eliminated sides, the Chicago Bulls beat the Washington Wizards 119-108, while the Indiana Pacers dismantled the Brooklyn Nets 123-94.
WNBA announces three-team league expansion
In other basketball news, the WNBA has officially approved new expansion franchises in Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia.
This ambitious project will see the premier women’s basketball competition grow into an 18-team league by the year 2030.
Cleveland will be the first of the new trio to make their debut in 2028, followed by Detroit in 2029 and Philadelphia a year later.
This continues a rapid period of growth for the competition, with the Golden State Valkyries set to join in 2025.
The Toronto Tempo and the Portland Fire will also enter the league this year, ahead of the new season tipping off on 8 May.
Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid is undergoing surgery for appendicitis in Houston on Thursday afternoon, dealing a significant blow to the team’s automatic playoff ambitions.
The 32-year-old was diagnosed with the condition just hours before his team’s scheduled evening fixture against the Houston Rockets.
It marks another frustrating setback for the dominant big man, who has been restricted to just 38 appearances during the current campaign.
Injury woes continue for key talisman
The franchise centerpiece had only recently returned to the court following a right oblique strain suffered against the Miami Heat in late February.
That specific ailment forced him to miss 13 games, compounding the extensive time he has already lost to ongoing knee management.
Despite his heavily fragmented season, the veteran forward has remained highly effective whenever available for selection.
He delivered a remarkable 34-point and 12-rebound performance during Monday’s defeat to the San Antonio Spurs.
Play-in tournament looms for Philadelphia
This unexpected medical emergency arrives at the worst possible time for the Eastern Conference franchise.
Entering Thursday’s fixtures, Philadelphia hold a 43-36 record and sit exactly one game behind the sixth-place Toronto Raptors.
With only three regular-season matches remaining, they are desperately attempting to secure a guaranteed playoff spot and avoid the unpredictable play-in tournament.