Breaking down NBA playoff schedule

Fifteen of the 20 playoff seeds were undetermined headed into the final day of the NBA regular season, and 11 of the final 15 regular-season games had a direct impact on the standings and playoff matchups. As Sunday’s afternoon games concluded, the playoff picture started to become more clear in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference.

With the No. 2 seed on the line in the East, the Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers all had a shot at second place.

The Knicks took advantage and claimed the No. 2 seed – because the Knicks beat the Chicago Bulls in overtime, Milwaukee (playing without Giannis Antetokounmpo) lost to the Orlando Magic and Cleveland (playing without Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland) fell to Charlotte.

The Knicks (50-32) finished with a better record than the Bucks (49-33), who finished with a better record than Cleveland (48-34).

Rounding out the East, the Magic earned the No. 5 seed with their victory, The Indiana Pacers claimed No. 6 with their victory, the Philadelphia 76ers ended up No. 7, and the Miami Heat No. 8. The Chicago Bulls as the No. 9 seed and the No. 10 Atlanta Hawks were settled before Sunday’s games. The Boston Celtics earned the No. 1 seed three weeks ago.

Even though three teams went into the final day tied for first place in the West, it turned out to be anticlimactic because of the blowouts.

The Oklahoma City Thunder captured the No. 1 seed with a 135-86 victory against the Dallas Mavericks; The Denver Nuggets finished No. 2 with a 126-111 victory against the Memphis

See NBA PLAYOFFS, Page 2B