The Five: Everything to know for Week 25

LeBron James looks to lead the Lakers to the play-in tournament.

Every Monday we will tell you what you need to know heading into a new week of NBA action.

1. Play-In Tournament praise and breakdown

Are there still detractors to the concept of the Play-In Tournament? As the final week of the regular season begins, there is still so much up in the air in terms of securing a Playoff berth (top six) or a Play-In berth (7-10), which means more meaningful games with postseason implications every single night.

As a reminder, in July 2022, the NBA Board of Governors approved the adoption of the NBA Play-In Tournament on a full-time basis using the same format that was in place the previous two seasons. The No. 7-10 teams in each conference based on winning percentage will play a three-game tournament to determine which teams secure the Nos. 7 and 8 seeds in their conference playoff bracket.

Game 1: No. 7 vs. No. 8

• Winner earns the No. 7 seed in the playoffs
• Loser moves on to play Game 3 at home

Game 2: No. 9 vs. No. 10

• Winner moves to play Game 3 on the road
• Loser is eliminated

Game 3: Loser Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2

• Winner earns the No. 8 seed in the playoffs
• Loser is eliminated

When looking at the conference standings, the line of delineation had traditionally been between No. 8 (last team in the playoffs) and No. 9 (first team out). Now there are two lines: the first between No. 6 (last guaranteed playoff berth) and No. 7 (beginning of Play-In field); the second between No. 10 (end of Play-In field) and No. 11 (first team out of postseason entirely).

But there should also be a major distinction between Nos. 8 and 9 because the top two seeds in the Play-In Tournament hold a major advantage. The teams that finish the regular season in seventh or eighth place, have two chances (Game 1 and Game 3) to win one game in order to secure a playoff berth (winner of Game 1 gets No. 7 seed; winner of Game 3 gets No. 8 seed). The seventh-place team has Game 1 at home and the loser of Game 1 gets Game 3 at home as well.

On the other hand, the teams that finish in ninth or 10th place must win two games in order to secure the No. 8 spot in the playoff bracket, and must win at least one game on the road to do so. The ninth-place team has Game 2 at home against the 10th-place team, but whichever team wins that game must go on the road to face the loser of Game 1.

2. Western Conference Chaos

The Pelicans and the Clippers are both on the hunt for a postseason appearance.

The drama is especially thick in the Western Conference as four teams sitting between fifth and eighth place in the standings all have 38 losses entering the final week of play. The No. 5 Clippers (41-38) and No. 6 Warriors (41-38) hold a half-game lead over the No. 7 Lakers (40-38) and No. 8 Pelicans (40-38).

The Lakers (winners of six of their last seven games) and Pelicans (winners of seven of their last eight games) have both gotten hot at the right time as they have not only put themselves in a strong standing for the top two spots in the Play-In Tournament — they both have a two-game advantage in the loss column on No. 9 Minnesota and a three-game advantage over No. 10 OKC – but also are in position to challenge the Clippers and Warriors and rise out of the Play-In and into a guaranteed playoff berth.

Tiebreaker Cheat Sheet:

No. 5 LA Clippers (41-38)

• Head-to-Head: 2-2 vs. Golden State; 3-0 vs. L.A. Lakers; 0-3 vs. New Orleans; 1-2 vs. Minnesota; 1-3 vs. OKC
• Division Win%: 7-7 (.500), 2 games left
• Conference Win%: 24-25 (.489), 3 games left
• Remaining Schedule: Wednesday vs. L.A. Lakers; Saturday vs. Portland, Sunday at Phoenix

No. 6 Golden State Warriors (41-38)

• Head-to-Head: 2-2 vs LA Clippers; 1-3 vs. L.A. Lakers; 2-2 vs. New Orleans; 2-2 vs. Minnesota; 2-1 (1H) vs. OKC
• Division Win%: 6-9 (.400), 1 game left
• Conference Win%: 27-22 (.551), 3 games left
• Remaining Schedule: Tuesday vs. OKC; Friday at Sacramento; Sunday at Portland

No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers (40-38)

• Head-to-Head: 0-3 vs LA Clippers; 3-1 vs. Golden State; 3-1 vs. New Orleans; 1-2 vs. Minnesota; 2-1 vs. OKC
• Division Win%: 5-9 (.357), 2 games left
• Conference Win%: 24-24 (.500), 4 games left
• Remaining Schedule: Tuesday at Utah, Wednesday at LA Clippers, Friday vs. Phoenix, Sunday vs. Utah

No. 8 New Orleans Pelicans (40-38)

• Head-to-Head: 3-0 vs LA Clippers; 2-2 vs. Golden State; 1-3 vs. LA Lakers; 1-1 (1A) vs. Minnesota; 3-1 vs. OKC
• Division Win%: 10-5 (.667), 1 game left
• Conference Win%: 28-21 (.571), 3 games left
• Remaining Schedule: Tuesday vs. Sacramento; Wednesday vs. Memphis; Friday vs. New York; Sunday at Minnesota

With only a half game separating these four teams and head-to-head tiebreakers all over the place, expect these standings to shake up at a moment’s notice over the final week of the regular season.

3. Eastern Conference Snapshot

Can Milwaukee hold their top spot in the Eastern Conference as the season comes to a close?

While we frantically shake the Polaroid picture that is the Western Conference, things are coming into much clearer focus in the East. The Milwaukee Bucks (56-22) remain in the driver’s seat to secure the top record in the NBA as they hold a two-game lead over Boston with both teams having four games to play. Boston does hold the head-to-head tiebreaker following last Thursday’s shellacking in Milwaukee, but will need some help from the Wizards, Bulls, Grizzlies and Raptors to hand the Bucks at least two more losses in order to have a chance at the No. 1 seed.

Overall, five of the six guaranteed playoff spots have been clinched as New York earned their spot on Sunday. Brooklyn currently holds the No. 6 spot with a two-game lead over No. 7 Miami. The Nets have won three in a row to maintain their lead and hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Heat, so they are in a strong position to clinch that final guaranteed spot this week.

The four teams in the Play-In Tournament are nearly locked up: No. 7 Miami (41-37), No. 8 Atlanta (39-39), No. 9 Toronto (39-39) and No. 10 Chicago (38-40). Orlando is the only team outside the top 10 in the East that has not been mathematically eliminated from the postseason, but the Magic are one loss or one Bulls win from joining the lottery.

The drama here lies between No. 8 Atlanta and No. 9 Toronto, who enter the week with matching 39-39 records and four games remaining in the regular season to try to get some separation. As noted above, the difference between No. 8 and No. 9 in this Play-In Tournament format is massive.

This week, Atlanta will be at Chicago, vs. Washington, vs. Philadelphia, at Boston – those four teams combine for a win percentage of 56.7%. Meanwhile, Toronto will be at Charlotte, at Boston twice and close out the season at home vs. Milwaukee – those three teams combined for a win percentage of 60.7%.

4. Scoring title on the line in final week

Luka Doncic and Joel Embiid prove to be the biggest scoring threats in the 22-23 season.

Joel Embiid (33.0 ppg) enters the final week of the regular season with a 0.2 points per game advantage over Luka Doncic (32.8 ppg) as Embiid looks to secure his second consecutive scoring title.

After scoring at least 30 points for a franchise record 10 straight games – a streak that was snapped when Embiid left Philly’s March 22 game at Chicago after scoring 12 points in just 16 minutes with a calf injury – Embiid has reached 30 points only once in his past six games. This recent six-game span has seen Embiid’s scoring average drop from 33.6 to 33.0 points per game and opened the door for Doncic to swoop in and steal the scoring title.

Joel Embiid: Last three games

Luka Doncic: Last three games

Doncic has three games remaining on the schedule and Dallas needs every win it can get as the Mavericks try to climb back into the Play-In Tournament. Dallas has lost three straight and seven of their last eight games; could a few big scoring efforts from Luka help get the Mavericks back in the Play-In Field (they are one game behind OKC) and possibly get Doncic his first scoring title in the process – over The Process?

Luka and Embiid: Final games of the season

Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks

• Wednesday vs. Sacramento, 8:30 p.m. ET, League Pass
  • 2/11: 27 points, 11-20 FG, 2-9 3P, 3-5 FT
• Friday vs. Chicago, 8:30 p.m. ET, League Pass
  • Has not played this season
• Sunday vs. San Antonio, 3:30 p.m. ET, League Pass
  • 2/23: 28 points, 8-16 FG, 1-6 3P, 11-12 FT
  • 12/31: 51 points, 18-29 FG, 6-10 3P, 9-15 FT

Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers

• Tuesday vs. Boston, 8 p.m. ET, TNT
  • 2/25: 41 points, 12-21 FG, 0-1 3P, 17-18 FT
  • 2/8: 28 points, 11-21 FG, 1-3 3P, 5-7 FT
  • 10/18: 26 points, 9-18 FG, 1-6 3P, 7-9 FT
• Thursday vs. Miami, 7:30 p.m. ET, TNT
  • 2/27: 27 points, 10-17 FG, 0-1 3P, 7-7 FT
• Friday at Atlanta, 7:30 p.m. ET, League Pass
  • 11/28: 30 points, 9-18 FG, 0-1 3P, 12-13 FT
  • 11/12: 42 points, 14-25 FG, 1-6 3P, 13-16 FT
  • 11/10: 26 points, 9-18 FG, 0-3 3P, 8-10 FT
• Sunday at Brooklyn, 1 p.m. ET, League Pass
  • 2/11: 37 points, 12-18 FG, 1-2 3P, 12-13 FT
  • 1/25: 26 points, 6-18 FG, 1-5 3P, 13-13 FT

5. Marquee matchups: 10 must-see games

Jaylen Brown and the Celtics face a tough 76ers squad on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET.

Even with a Monday night featuring no games, this week features a ton of intriguing matchups full of playoff implications. Here are 10 games to check out this week before every team plays its regular season finale on Sunday. Check back later this week for a full breakdown of everything at stake on the busy final day of the regular season.

Tuesday: Boston at Philadelphia, 8 p.m. ET, TNT

This matchup features the Nos. 2 and 3 seeds in the Eastern Conference, which could turn out to be a second-round playoff preview should Boston and Philadelphia both make it past their opening-round opponents. Boston leads the season series 3-0 (securing the head-to-head tiebreaker) and has won four straight against Philadelphia.

Tuesday: Atlanta at Chicago, 8 p.m. ET, League Pass

Two teams currently in the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament field: No. 8 Atlanta against No. 10 Chicago. The Hawks hold a one-game advantage over the Bulls in the Eastern Conference so far this season. A Chicago win wound not only tie the teams in the standings with matching 39-40 records, it would also give the Bulls the head-to-head tiebreaker by winning the season series 3-1.

Tuesday: Sacramento at New Orleans, 8 p.m. ET, League Pass

The Pelicans have won seven of their last eight games entering the final week of the regular season as they look to keep rising up the standings and try to secure a guaranteed playoff spot. Should the Pelicans finish in sixth, this game would likely be a first-round playoff with the Kings securely holding the third spot.

Tuesday: Oklahoma City at Golden State, 10 p.m. ET, League Pass

This is a matchup between one team trying to hold the final spot in the Western Conference Play-In Tournament (Oklahoma City) and one team trying to hold the final guaranteed spot in the Western Conference Playoffs (Golden State). The Warriors are part of that cluster of Western Conference playoff contenders looking to avoid the Play-In Tournament altogether.

Wednesday: Chicago at Milwaukee, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

Another potential first round playoff matchup as the Bucks enter the week with the best overall record in the league and the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, while the Bulls sit in 10^th place, which means the only seed they could secure via the Play-In is No. 8 and a matchup with No. 1.

Wednesday: Los Angeles Lakers at LA Clippers, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN

The Clippers enter the fourth and final regular season meeting with the Lakers having won 10 straight games against their intra-city rival. That rivalry is only escalated by the fact that this game has playoff implications for both teams – the Clippers enter the Week at No. 5, but their grip on a guaranteed playoff berth is loosening. If the Lakers can snap this losing streak against the Clippers, it could also help the Lakers climb out of the Play-In and guarantee a playoff spot.

Thursday: Denver at Phoenix, 10 p.m. ET, TNT

This matchup features that team that has sat atop the Western Conference standings for much of the season (Denver) taking on a new-look Phoenix squad that added superstar Kevin Durant at the trade deadline; the Suns are a perfect 6-0 with Durant in the lineup; they also enter the final week of the regular season riding the longest active win streak in the league at five games.

Friday: Memphis at Milwaukee, 8 p.m. ET, NBA TV

Two of the top teams in the league close out the week at Milwaukee hosts Ja Morant the Grizzlies.

It will be interesting to see what is still on the line for both teams once this matchup arrives on Friday night in Milwaukee. If the Bucks have the top seed in the postseason wrapped up, will they choose to limit their players a bit to save them for a long postseason run? Will the Grizzlies do the same if they are locked into No. 2 by Friday?

Friday: Golden State at Sacramento, 10 p.m. ET, League Pass

If the playoffs started today, this would be a first-round matchup between the Northern California rivals. San Francisco and Sacramento are separated by less than 90 miles. Can this Friday night matchup give us a taste of an Interstate 80 playoff series?

Friday: Phoenix Suns at Los Angeles Lakers, 10:30 p.m. ET, NBA TV

Kevin Durant vs. LeBron James. It has been nearly 4 ½ years since two of the premiere superstars in the NBA have faced one another. Their last meeting came on Christmas Day 2018 when Durant was still a member of the Golden State Warriors. Since then, Durant tore his Achilles, signed with Brooklyn, formed a Big Three with the Nets that imploded, requested a trade and was moved to Phoenix at the trade deadline. Durant and LeBron have met 21 times in the regular season, with LeBron’s teams holding a decisive 15-6 edge in those games. Meanwhile, Durant has the advantage in the playoffs as he and LeBron met in three NBA Finals: 2012 (OKC vs. Cleveland), 2017 and 2018 (Golden State vs. Cleveland).

Bonus Trivia: Closing the season with a 15-game day

Since the league expanded to 30 teams in 2004-05, how many times have all 30 teams played on the same day?

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Sunday will mark the ninth time that the NBA has scheduled all 30 teams to play on the same day. It will be the second time this season; the first being the day before Election Day, which was an off day for the entire league to promote voting and civic engagement.

• Jan. 2, 2009
• April 13, 2011*
• April 17, 2013*
• April 16, 2014*
• Nov. 25, 2016
• May 16, 2021*
• April 10, 2022*
• Nov. 7, 2022
• April 9, 2023*

*six times it was the final day of the regular season

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