Sports
Starting 5, April 4: Celtics clinch best record in NBA – NBA.com
Boston clinches the league’s top record for the first time since 2007-08 while standings continue to shift out West. 
When you move up to 6th & into guaranteed Playoff berth territory, with 10 days left to play…
THE LINEUP 🏀
What’s inside today’s edition?
Boston’s Best: Boston clinched the best record in the NBA, while Minnesota is No. 1 in the West again
Suns Rise: Phoenix jumped from eighth to sixth in the West, while NOLA and Indy fell into the Play-In
Lakers Stay Hot: L.A. won for the eighth time in nine games, while Atlanta clinched a Play-In berth
Playoff Race Updates: The East postseason teams are set, but there are still seeds to be determined
Playoff Feel: The Rockets (vs. Warriors) and Sixers (at Heat) face near must-win games tonight
BUT FIRST … ⏰
Last night’s scores & what to watch today.
Kings-Knicks (7:30 ET, TNT): The Kings look for their third straight win while the Knicks try to snap a three-game slide with both teams battling for postseason position
Nuggets-Clippers (10 ET, TNT): Denver can take back first place in the West with a win, while LA looks to solidify its top-four position
1. CELTICS CLINCH BEST RECORD IN NBA, WOLVES BACK ATOP WEST
For the first time since 2007-08, the Celtics will finish the regular season with the best record in the NBA following their 135-100 win over the shorthanded Thunder. The Celtics improved to 60-16 on the season, their first 60+ win season since 2008-09. Recap
Wolves Back On Top: Minnesota’s largest win of the season (48 points) helped them return to the top of the West.
Anthony Edwards (28 pts, including two on this smooth stepback) and Naz Reid (23 pts, 7 reb) led the way as the Wolves took control in the second quarter and rolled to a 133-85 win over Toronto. | Recap
2. SUNS CLIMB TO 6TH, PELICANS & PACERS DROP INTO PLAY-IN
Booker Leads Suns To Sixth: After Cleveland led 12-7, the Suns closed the first quarter on a 27-8 run, building a double-digit lead that they never relinquished. Devin Booker (40 pts, 8 ast) and Kevin Durant (32 pts) combined for 72 in a 122-101 win to lift Phoenix into the Playoff field. | Recap
Nets Drop Pacers: Cam Thomas (27 pts) and Noah Clowney (career-high 22 pts, 10 reb) led the Nets to a 115-111 win over the Pacers. Despite the win, Brooklyn was eliminated from postseason contention due to Atlanta’s win. | Recap
Magic Win 3rd Straight: Paolo Banchero (32 pts, 6 reb, 4 ast) and Franz Wagner (24 pts, 5 ast) combined for 56 points to lead the Magic to a 117-108 win over the Pelicans. NOLA lost its third straight, falling into the Play-In field despite CJ McCollum’s game-high 36 points. | Recap
Grizzlies Pull Away Late: Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 12 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter as the Grizzlies outscored the Bucks 24-12 over the final 7:56 to earn a 111-101 win. Brook Lopez (25 pts, 10 reb) and Giannis (21 pts, 7 reb, 8 ast, 5 blk) combined for 46 in the loss. | Recap
3. LAKERS STAY HOT, HAWKS CLINCH PLAY-IN BERTH
Lakers Win 3rd Straight: Anthony Davis scored 19 in the first quarter and finished with 35 points, 18 boards and three blocks to lead the Lakers to a 125-120 win over the Wizards for their eighth win in their last nine games.
LeBron added 25 points and nine assists, while Jordan Poole led the Wizards with 29 points. | Recap
Hawks Clinch Play-In: Jalen Johnson (28 pts, 14 reb, 11 ast) posted his first career triple-double, while DeAndre Hunter (26 pts) and Dejounte Murray (24 pts, 11 ast) combined for 50 to offset Malachi Flynn’s career night (50 pts, 6 reb, 5 ast, 3 stl) and beat the Pistons 121-113. | Recap
Blazers Snap 10-Game Slide: Deandre Ayton (24 pts, 16 reb) and Scoot Henderson (22 pts, 10 ast) posted double-doubles to lead the Blazers to an 89-86 win over the Hornets for their first win since March 13. Brandon Miller led the Hornets with 21 points. | Recap
4. PLAYOFF PICTURE: EAST TEAMS SET
The race for the 2024 NBA Playoffs has reached the home stretch with teams looking to secure their spot over the season’s final 10 days.
With so many races to watch, we’ll highlight all the team movement from each day here in the Starting 5.
Let’s begin in the East, where the 10 teams that have qualified for the Playoffs or SoFi Play-In Tournament have been determined, but seeding is still in flux for most teams.
In the West…
Following Wednesday’s games, the updated bracket below looks at the matchups if the postseason began today.
5. CRUNCHTIME FOR ROCKETS, SIXERS
If the Rockets want to keep their hopes of reaching the postseason alive, they’ll need to do something they have not done since Feb. 20, 2020…
Beat the Warriors.
Houston has lost 12 straight games to Golden State – tied for the third-longest active win streak vs. a single opponent – and enters tonight’s game (8 ET, NBA App) three games back of the No. 10 Warriors for the final spot in the SoFi Play-In Tournament in the West.
The Rockets face as close to a must-win game as possible without mathematically being eliminated with a loss
With so much on the line, this game should give as much of a Playoff or Play-In feel that a regular-season game can deliver.
Houston caught fire with an 11-game win streak to put the pressure on Golden State, but the Warriors have responded with five straight wins and a chance to deliver a crushing blow to Houston’s hopes tonight.
With Joel Embiid back, do the Sixers have enough time – with only six games to play – to climb out of the Play-In field and secure a guaranteed Playoff berth with a top six finish?
Tonight’s game against Miami (7:30 ET, NBA App) will go a long way toward answering that question.
Embiid shined with 24 points, six rebounds, seven assists and three steals (including the game-sealer) in Philly’s win over OKC on Tuesday. He was visibly spent in the game’s closing moments after giving everything he had in his 29:21 minutes on the court.
Can he conjure up another winning effort tonight to help the Sixers improve their playoff hopes? Both Embiid and fellow All-Star Tyrese Maxey (who’s missed the last two games with a hip injury) are listed as questionable.
The 20-team postseason field is set after a busy final day of the regular season that featured all 30 teams in action.
Malachi Flynn joins Nick Anderson (1993) and Jamal Crawford (2019) as the only players in NBA history to score 50 as a reserve.
The No. 1 overall pick holds the top spot after a 9-block outing against Nikola Jokic on Tuesday.
The Thunder's high-scoring Kia MVP candidate is not a secret anymore. How great has he been this season?
The 20-team postseason field is set after a busy final day of the regular season that featured all 30 teams in action.
Malachi Flynn joins Nick Anderson (1993) and Jamal Crawford (2019) as the only players in NBA history to score 50 as a reserve.
The No. 1 overall pick holds the top spot after a 9-block outing against Nikola Jokic on Tuesday.
The Thunder's high-scoring Kia MVP candidate is not a secret anymore. How great has he been this season?
Our writers reveal which players should start for Team USA at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Opening weekend of the California Classic is in the books, Salt Lake City Summer League tips off today, while Paris Olympics prep continues in Las Vegas.
The three-time All-Star and five-time All-Defensive big man signs a contract extension to stay with Miami.
No. 15 pick Kel'el Ware dominates for Miami, while G League vet Ethan Thompson continues to shine for Golden State.
Boogie Ellis scores a game-high 17 points, hitting three 3s off the bench and Keon Ellis adds 13 as the Kings cruise past the Spurs.
Bryce McGowens scores a game-high 20 points and Jake Stephens adds 14 points off the bench as Charlotte improves to 2-0 in Summer League play.
