NBA Basketball 24 Hours

Last updated: April 11, 2026, 8:30 PM ET

Playoff Seeding & Regular Season Conclusions

The Celtics tied the franchise record by draining 29 three-pointers in a dominant victory over the Pelicans, officially securing the Eastern Conference's No. 2 playoff seed as regular season play winds down. Meanwhile, in the West, Lakers coach JJ Redick suggested opponents would prefer playing Los Angeles in the first round, indicating that despite their standing, other contenders view the hobbled Lakers as a more manageable matchup than fully healthy seeding rivals. This late-season framing comes as massive load management decisions sideline major stars; on Friday alone, at least 168 players sat out, including MVP frontrunners Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic, alongside 14 members of the Memphis Grizzlies roster.

Player Milestones & Offseason Outlook

Rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama continued to meet expectations, dropping 40 points and grabbing 13 boards in a 139-120 victory against Dallas, crucially allowing him to surpass the 65-game threshold required for year-end awards consideration. As the postseason push finalizes, attention is already shifting toward the summer for the ten teams that missed the cut, with Milwaukee and Dallas facing immediate offseason decisions regarding their personnel and trade targets. Separately, an interesting off-court trend is emerging, with reports indicating that NBA athletes are increasingly dedicating time to studying chess, suggesting a broader focus on strategic mental preparation beyond traditional on-court drills.