The final day of the 2024-25 NBA regular season will undoubtedly shape the playoff picture in the Eastern and Western Conference, as all 30 teams will play on Sunday night. The Hawks, Celtics, Nets, Cavaliers, Heat, Sixers, Bucks, Rockets, Grizzlies, Timberwolves, Pelicans, Spurs, Warriors, Blazers, and Kings will host the Magic, Hornets, Knicks, Pacers, Wizards, Bulls, Pistons, Nuggets, Mavericks, Jazz, Thunder, Raptors, Clippers, Lakers, and Suns.
Unlike in the Eastern Conference, where everything is set from 1 to 10, The 4 to 8 spots in the Western Conference remain up for grabs. The Nuggets, Clippers, Warriors, Grizzlies, and Timberwolves have nearly identical records, and they could switch places (for better or worse), depending on the next NBA 2025 results.
Today, we will examine the top three games from Sunday’s jam-packed schedule, focusing on the middling teams in the Western Conference. Learn more by reading our SBOTOP preview below.
Denver Nuggets @ Houston Rockets
The Nuggets have won their first two games with David Adelman as the interim head coach. After recording a 124-116 win against the Kings last Wednesday, they followed it up with a 117-109 victory over the Grizzlies last night. Denver maintained its hold of the fourth seed with a 49-32 slate.
Nikola Jokic recorded his 34th triple-double of the 2024-25 campaign with 26 points, 16 rebounds, 13 assists, and two steals on 11-for-19 shooting from the field, becoming the third player in NBA history to average a triple-double for a season. Fortunately for Jokic, his Herculean efforts weren’t wasted, as he received enough support from his teammates.
Aaron Gordon led all scorers with 33 points and five rebounds on 13-for-23 shooting from the field. Jamal Murray returned from an ankle injury and registered 15 points. Russell Westbrook and Christian Braun added 14 and 12 points.
The Rockets have already clinched the second seed in the Western Conference and are coming off a 140-109 loss against the Lakers. As expected, head coach Ime Udoka gave his key players the night off in Los Angeles, except for Jalen Green, who only had seven points in 15 minutes.
Cam Whitmore posted 34 points, eight rebounds, and seven three-pointers on 13-for-19 shooting from the field. Reed Sheppard, Nate Williams, and Aaron Holiday added 14, 12, and 11 points.
LA Clippers @ Golden State Warriors
Sitting behind the fourth-seeded Nuggets are the Clippers, who also have a 49-32 record. The Steve Ballmer-owned franchise is one of the most in-form teams in the NBA with a seven-game winning streak, boosting their confidence ahead of the postseason.
The Clippers secured a 101-100 win over the Kings yesterday after surviving a late flurry from the hosts. Kawhi Leonard led all scorers with 28 points, seven rebounds, and three assists on 10-for-21 shooting from the field. James Harden had 23 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists, and two steals on 8-for-15 shooting. Ivica Zubac, Norman Powell, and Derrick Jones Jr. added 17, 16, and 11 points.
The Warriors are the sixth seed in the Western Conference with a 48-33 record, level with the seventh-seeded Timberwolves after notching a 103-86 road win over the Blazers last night. Despite this, Golden State need one more game to clinch their playoff spot.
Jimmy Butler posted 24 points, five rebounds, seven assists, and two steals on 6-for-10 shooting from the field and a perfect 11-for-11 from the free throw line. Buddy Hield, Stephen Curry, Quinten Post, and Brandin Podziemski added 16, 14, 10, and 10 points.
Dallas Mavericks @ Memphis Grizzlies
The Mavericks recently secured their spot in the play-in tournament despite the NBA 2025 odds stacked against them following the blockbuster Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis trade last February. Dallas improved to a 39-42 record after blowing out Toronto yesterday. Regardless of what happens on Sunday, they will take on the Kings in the nine versus 10 matchup since they have identical win-loss records.
Anthony Davis almost had a rare quadruple-double with 23 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists, and seven blocks on 10-for-18 shooting from the field. More importantly, he looked spry throughout the match. Max Christie, Brandon Williams, PJ Washington, Daniel Gafford, and Dereck Lively II added 17, 17, 14, 12, and 10 points.
As mentioned, the Grizzlies are fresh from a 117-109 loss against the Nuggets, extending their losing streak to two games. Desmond Bane top-scored for Memphis in the losing effort with 24 points and six rebounds on 9-for-19 shooting from the field. Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr. Luke Kennard, and Scotty Pippen Jr. added 21, 18, 12, and 11 points.
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