One Day Left and the East Is Still a Complete Mess: Everything on the Line for Sunday's Final NBA Games

Sunday is the last day of the regular season, and we still don't know a single first-round matchup. Not one. In the Eastern Conference, the top-seeded Detroit Pistons could draw anyone from the Toronto Raptors to the Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, Charlotte Hornets, or Miami Heat. Out West, most of the bracket is locked, but Denver and LA are still fighting for the 3 and 4 seeds, and Portland is battling LA Clippers for spots 8 and 9. There is a ton still to be decided, and we're breaking it all down for you.

The East's Top Four Are Set, Everything Else Is Chaos

The Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, and Cleveland Cavaliers have locked down the top four seeds. Detroit's 59-22 record and 8.2 net rating gave them the No. 1 seed. Boston is a 55-26 team with an 8.1 net rating. The Knicks at 53-28 grabbed No. 3, and Cleveland's 51-30 is good for No. 4. Those four teams know where they're headed. Everyone else? Buckle up.

The Atlanta Hawks clinched a playoff berth and can lock the No. 5 seed with a win over Miami or if Toronto loses to Brooklyn. Toronto can secure No. 5 by beating Brooklyn and having Atlanta fall to Miami, or they can clinch a guaranteed playoff spot with a win regardless of other results. Orlando needs a win over Boston and a Raptors loss to guarantee finishing at No. 6 or better. Philadelphia, sitting at 44-37, is watching everything unfold and hoping for the best.

The Play-In Picture: Who Plays Who?

If the dust settles as expected, the 7-8 play-in game will feature one of Toronto, Orlando, or Philadelphia facing off. The Hornets and Heat will battle in the 9-10 game, though which team gets to host hasn't been determined yet.

The Hawks hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over Orlando but lose it to Toronto. The Raptors beat Orlando head-to-head but fall to Philadelphia in that tiebreaker. The Magic lose head-to-head to Hawks, Raptors, and 76ers. These details matter when the final buzzer sounds Sunday night.

Out West: Denver and LA Still Dancing for the 3 Seed

While most of the Western Conference is settled, the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers are still jockeying for No. 3 versus No. 4. Portland and the Clippers continue their fight for the final two play-in spots as well.

Sunday's games kick off at the same time, and every result will ripple through the bracket. Welcome to the final day of the regular season. Buckle in.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.