Whether he can help the Mavericks in the first game of the playoffs once morest the Utah Jazz next Saturday is open. National player Maxi Kleber was missing for the fourth time in a row with problems with his ankle, but according to coach Jason Kidd he should be ready for action at the weekend. Dallas finished the season fourth in the Western Conference, with Utah fifth.
The Golden State Warriors in third place meet the Denver Nuggets in the first round. The Minnesota Timberwolves, the Los Angeles Clippers, the New Orleans Pelicans and the Spurs are fighting for the last two tickets in the west. The winner of the duel between the Clippers and the Timberwolves meets the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round. The loser gets one last chance once morest the Spurs vs. Pelicans winner. This encounter determines the Phoenix Suns opponent.
Celtics climb to two
In the east, the Boston Celtics around national basketball player Daniel Theis climbed to second place. The team is threatened with a first-round duel in the playoffs with the Brooklyn Nets around Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. The Celtcis went 139-110 once morest the Memphis Grizzlies, overtaking the Milwaukee Bucks, who lost 115-133 to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Miami Heat mightn’t be relegated from first place on the last day of the game and lost 111:125 without their top players at the Orlando Magic. Moritz Wagner had 14 points, eleven rebounds and five assists for Orlando in his last game of the season.
Fourth in the Eastern Conference went to the Philadelphia 76ers, fifth are the Toronto Raptors and sixth are the Chicago Bulls. The Brooklyn Nets secured seventh place with a 134:126 once morest the Indiana Pacers. The Cavaliers are eighth, the Atlanta Hawks are ninth, and the Charlotte Hornets are tenth.
The top six of the Eastern Conference have their playoff ticket secured. The teams in places seven to ten play two more tickets in a so-called play-in. The Nets meet the Cavaliers. The winner of this duel is opponent of the Celtics. The loser plays the winner of the Hornets vs. Hawks game for the final ticket. Whoever advances meets Miami.
Defending champion Milwaukee Bucks plays the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the playoffs. The 76ers face the Toronto Raptors.
Source: dpa