{"id":708256,"date":"2026-04-11T15:19:02","date_gmt":"2026-04-11T15:19:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/708256\/"},"modified":"2026-04-11T15:19:02","modified_gmt":"2026-04-11T15:19:02","slug":"hawks-clinch-easts-top-4-set","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/708256\/","title":{"rendered":"Hawks clinch, East’s top-4 set"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

Jonathan Kuminga and the Atlanta Hawks defeated the Cavaliers to move into the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference Friday.<\/p>\n

A high-flying Friday decided four more postseason seeds.<\/p>\n

Coming up Sunday?<\/p>\n

A regular season finale stacked with suspense, with 15 games tipping off<\/a> \u2014 2 on ESPN \u2014 and 10 seeds still up for grabs.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

5 STORIES IN TODAY\u2019S EDITION \ud83c\udfc0<\/p>\n

April 11, 2026<\/p>\n

Sunday\u2019s Stakes: A breakdown of what Friday\u2019s 15 games decided, and what\u2019s still at stake for the finale<\/p>\n

Stars Settle West: Wemby\u2019s 40, Ant & KD\u2019s duel locks 5th, LeBron keeps Lakers in hunt for 3rd<\/p>\n

East Playoff: Hawks clinch top-6 seed, Celtics, Knicks & Cavs lock in seeds 2-4<\/p>\n

East Play-In: Raptors\u2019 loss sets up final day 3-team melee for 6-seed with Magic & Sixers<\/p>\n

Friday Roundup: Blazers pass Clips in West Play-In seeding while Warriors tune up, history for Bucks & Jazz<\/p>\n

1. PLAYOFF PICTURE: FRIDAY\u2019S IMPACTS & WHAT\u2019S STILL AT STAKE SUNDAY<\/p>\n

\"Friday's<\/p>\n

What we learned from Friday\u2019s 15-game slate:<\/p>\n

The 5th-place Hawks clinched a Playoff spot, with a 1 game lead over the 6th-place Raptors
\nThe Raptors dropped from 5th to 6th, holding the East\u2019s final Playoff spot via tiebreaker over the 7th-place Magic, and stayed 1 game up on the 8th-place Sixers
\nThe Hornets remained in 9th and are locked into the SoFi NBA Play-in Tournament, a game up on the 10-seed Heat
\nThe East\u2019s top-4 is now set, with the Celtics clinching the 2nd seed, and the Knicks and Cavaliers slotting behind
\nThe Nuggets earned their 11th straight win to remain in 3rd place, a game up on the victorious 4th-place Lakers
\nThe Rockets\u2019 eight-game win streak ended, locking them into the West\u2019s 5-seed
\nThe Blazers\u2019 win moved them above the Clippers for 8th via a better conference record, as both teams are 41-40 and split their season series 2-2<\/p>\n

\"Standings\"\/<\/p>\n

Eastern Conference Snapshot:<\/p>\n

Playoff Seeds Set: (1) Pistons, (2) Celtics, (3) Knicks, (4) Cavaliers
\nPlayoff Teams: Hawks
\nPlay-In Teams: Hornets, Heat
\nTo Be Determined: Raptors, Magic, Sixers
\nPostseason Seeds Open: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10<\/p>\n

Western Conference Snapshot:<\/p>\n

Postseason Seeds Set: (1) Thunder, (2) Spurs, (5) Rockets, (6) Wolves, (7) Suns, (10) Warriors
\nPlayoff Teams: Nuggets, Lakers
\nPlay-In Teams: Blazers, Clippers
\nPostseason Seeds Open: 3, 4, 8, 9<\/p>\n

\"Sunday's<\/p>\n

What\u2019s at stake Sunday in the regular-season finale after today\u2019s off-day:<\/p>\n

3 Teams, 1 Spot: The Raptors, Magic and Sixers all have a shot at the East\u2019s final Playoff spot:<\/p>\n

Raptors: Win and in, it\u2019s that simple. Toronto can also move up to 5th with help
\nMagic: Can clinch 6th with a win and a Raptors loss
\nSixers: Can clinch 6th with a win and losses from the Raptors and Magic<\/p>\n

A Hornets win would secure home court vs. the Heat in the 9\/10 Play-In game. A Heat win and a Hornets loss would give Miami the 9-seed and home court
\nA Hawks win clinches the 5-seed and a date with the Cavs in the First Round. A Hawks loss and a Raptors win would move Atlanta to 6th, facing the Knicks
\nIf the Nuggets close the season on a 12-game winning streak, they\u2019d secure 3rd
\nIf the Lakers win and the Nuggets lose, L.A. claims the 3-seed via tiebreaker, while Denver drops to 4th
\nIf the Blazers win, they\u2019ll finish 8th and visit the Suns in the SoFi NBA Play-in Tournament
\nThe Clippers need a win and a Blazers loss to jump back into 8th. Otherwise, they\u2019ll host the Warriors in the West\u2019s 9\/10 game<\/p>\n

\"Playoffs<\/p>\n

In tomorrow\u2019s Starting 5, we\u2019ll break down every potential scenario for Sunday\u2019s 15-game slate to close out the regular season.<\/p>\n

Up Next: The SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament<\/a> tips off on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

Tuesday: No. 7 vs. No. 8 in each conference with the winner earning the No. 7 seed in the Playoffs and the loser living to play on Friday
\nWednesday: No. 9 vs. No. 10 in each conference with the winner still alive and loser eliminated
\nFriday: 7\/8 Loser vs. 9\/10 Winner in each conference face off \u2013 the winner earning the No. 8 seed in the Playoffs
\nOne Week Away: The 2026 NBA Playoffs<\/a> presented by Google tip off on Saturday, April 18<\/p>\n

2. SUPERSTARS SHINE AS WEST PLAYOFF SEEDING TAKES SHAPE<\/p>\n

\"Anthony<\/p>\n

As the last team to have beaten the Rockets, Minnesota bookended Houston\u2019s eight-game win streak Friday with another clutch takedown.<\/p>\n

Wolves 136, Rockets 132: Terrence Shannon Jr. (23 pts, 5 3s) led Minnesota scorers<\/a> for a second straight game, this time pacing seven Wolves in double figures, overcoming a career-high 41<\/a> from Amen Thompson (9 reb, 7 ast) and 33 more from Kevin Durant. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

Anthony Edwards (22 pts) and KD dueled back-and-forth<\/a> in the 3rd, each netting 12 points, with Houston building a 10-point lead and Minnesota erasing it in under 3 minutes with a 15-4 run
\nThe Wolves ran again in the 4th, taking their own 10-point lead with a 27-12 flurry. And with that edge cut to 4 with under a minute to play, Ant\u2019s triple sealed the win<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI was kinda cold, but it felt good to hit that one at the end,\u201d Ant said after pleading his case for a jersey swap<\/a> with KD, who had another noteworthy outing.<\/p>\n

Durant surpassed 2,000 points in a season for the 8th time, tied for 5th-most 2K+ point seasons ever. This is the first in NBA history for a player age 37 or older
\nMore History In Houston: Thompson logged the Rockets\u2019 first-ever 40+\/5+\/5+ game with 75+% shooting, going 17-for-22 (77.3 FG%) from the floor
\nAmen & The Dream: He also joined Hakeem Olajuwon as the only players in franchise history to score 40+ points on at least 75% shooting before age 24<\/p>\n

The 6-seed Wolves\u2019 win, paired with wins by Denver and L.A., locked the Rockets into the West\u2019s 5th seed.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

On the second night of a back-to-back, with seeding on the line, LeBron James set the tone early.<\/p>\n

L.A. reaped the benefits, securing a top-4 seed for home court advantage in the Western Conference\u2019s first round of the playoffs.<\/p>\n

Lakers 101, Suns 73: LeBron (28 pts, 6 reb, 12 ast, 4 stl) scored or assisted on nine of the Lakers\u2019 first 10 field goals on the way to a 14-point 1st quarter and 16-point lead, as L.A. held Phoenix to season-lows with a 25-point 2nd half and 73-point total. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

King\u2019s Streak: James tallied 54 points on 63.6% shooting (21-33) in back-to-back wins, and is the first player age 40 or older to log three straight games with 25+ points and 10+ assists
\n\u201cI had to tap back into a role that I\u2019ve been accustomed to in the past,\u201d James said postgame. \u201cI\u2019m just trying to feed off my teammates.\u201d
\nFeeding History: Among the opening flurry was the 12,000th assist of LeBron\u2019s career<\/a>, becoming just the fourth player ever to reach that milestone<\/p>\n

\"Denver<\/p>\n

Denver showcased its depth to stay ahead a game up on the Lakers in 3rd.<\/p>\n

Nuggets 127, Thunder 107: Jonas Valan\u010di\u016bnas (17 reb) and Branden Carlson (12 reb) each scored season-highs of 23 points to lead their squads, with Denver\u2019s 21-5 start to a 37-22 4th quarter making the difference to clinch home court advantage in its 11th straight win. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

Driver\u2019s Seat: A 12th straight win Sunday in San Antonio to finish the regular season would clinch the 3-seed for Denver and lock the Lakers into 4th<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Victor Wembanyama (ribs) was strong in his return<\/a> Friday, dropping 40 on fellow top-pick Cooper Flagg\u2019s Mavs for the second time this season.<\/p>\n

Spurs 139, Mavericks 120: Wemby (40 pts, 13 reb, 5 ast) and Flagg (33 pts, 6 reb, 5 ast) dueled early<\/a>, with 16 points in the 1st quarter<\/a> and 24 in the half for Wemby, and 16 in the 2nd and 25 before halftime for Coop.<\/p>\n

De\u2019Aaron Fox (18 pts, 10 ast) then took over with 14 points in a 40-point Spurs 3rd that decided the game. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

Alongside The Admiral: Wemby joined David Robinson as the only Spurs players with multiple 40+\/10+\/5+ games in franchise history
\nCoop, Melo & LBJ: Flagg passed Carmelo Anthony with his 11th 30+ point game as a teenager, 2nd-most ever behind only LeBron (20)<\/p>\n

3. EAST PLAYOFF TEAMS LOCK IN SPOTS AND SEEDS\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Hawks<\/p>\n

Following four straight seasons in the Play-In tournament, Atlanta has earned a top 6 Eastern Conference seed and a First Round series.<\/p>\n

Hawks 124, Cavaliers 102: After CJ McCollum drained six 1st-half triples<\/a> and piled up 25 of his 29 points by halftime, Atlanta took off with a 35-17 3rd quarter to avenge Wednesday\u2019s loss in Cleveland. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

TD For DD: Dyson Daniels (13 pts, 10 reb, 12 ast) collected his 2nd-career triple-double, both coming this season
\nThe Land Will Host: James Harden (20 pts, 5 ast) led the way for Cleveland without Donovan Mitchell (ankle), as the Cavs lock into the East\u2019s 4th seed<\/p>\n

\"Jalen<\/p>\n

Brock Williams-Smith\/NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n

With the league\u2019s 3-point leaders needing a win to stay in the mix for a Playoff seed, the East\u2019s top rated defense (108.9) flexed its top-seed strength.<\/p>\n

Pistons 118, Hornets 100: Leading by 3 to start the 4th quarter, Detroit\u2019s 18-2 run broke the game open, as the defense held Charlotte to its lowest-scoring quarter (10 pts) of the season. Jalen Duren (20 pts, 9 reb) and Duncan Robinson (19 pts) led the way. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

One Hot Hornet: LaMelo Ball scored 20 of his game-high 27 points in the 1st half, and sank six of Charlotte\u2019s 13 triples (27.7 3P%)
\nHistoric Hive: Brandon Miller (22 pts) hit two triples to cross the 200 mark, making Charlotte the fourth team in NBA history to have three players make 200+ 3s each in a season (Kon Knueppel: 268, Ball: 261)
\nHandling Business: Top-seed Detroit goes for a 60th win Sunday in Indy, and could see Charlotte again soon, as the loss locks the Hornets into the Play-In tournament<\/p>\n

\"Jaylen<\/p>\n

Brian Fluharty + Pamela Smith \/NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Rebounding from Thursday\u2019s loss in New York that kept the door open for the Knicks, Boston put an end to its battle for the 2-seed Friday.<\/p>\n

Celtics 144, Pelicans 118: Jaylen Brown (23 pts) returned with a 10-point 1st quarter, matching Payton Pritchard (21 pts, 10 ast, 5 3s) as Boston dropped 44 in the first frame and 100 the rest of the way, powered by an NBA record-tying 29 made 3s<\/a>, to clinch the East 2-seed. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

Fears Joins Flagg: Jeremiah Fears followed up Tuesday\u2019s franchise rookie record 40-point outing with 36 in Boston, joining Cooper Flagg as the only rookies since 2020 to total 76+ points over a two-game span<\/p>\n

With Boston clinching 2nd, New York locked in the 3-seed by dealing out the only loss to a top-6 East team Friday.<\/p>\n

Knicks 112, Raptors 95: New York started the 2nd quarter with a 10-0 run and won the period 29-15 to stay ahead for good for a 5th consecutive win and 13th straight over Toronto. Jalen Brunson (29 pts) and Karl-Anthony Towns (22 pts, 10 reb, 5 ast) fueled the W<\/a>. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

Brandon Ingram was held to 16 points after his season-high 38 Thursday, as the Raptors\u2019 loss sets up a three-team battle Sunday for the East\u2019s final Playoff spot<\/p>\n

4. THREE-FOR-ONE: EAST PLAY-IN COMES DOWN TO FINAL DAY
\n\"Franz<\/p>\n

NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n

A fifth straight win kept Orlando\u2019s Playoff series hopes alive.<\/p>\n

Magic 127, Bulls 103: Franz Wagner (25 pts) led all scorers and Jalen Suggs hit four triples for all 12 of his points in a decisive 3rd quarter that boosted Orlando\u2019s lead from 11 points to 20, as the 7th-place Magic pulled even (45-36) with the tiebreaker-owning Raptors in 6th. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

Philly kept pace in the 3-team race with a win in Indy.<\/p>\n

Sixers 105, Pacers 94: Not even the buzzer<\/a> could stop Tyrese Maxey (8 reb, 5 ast), who led the way with 32 points, with Paul George adding 21 more to stay ahead of Jarace Walker (17 pts) and the Pacers, as 8th-place Philly stays within reach of the 6th seed. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

10-seed Miami gained a game on 9th-place Charlotte and could still swap places with a win and some help Sunday.<\/p>\n

Heat 140, Wizards 117: All eight Miami scorers logged double figures, with Simone Fontecchio (24) tying his career-high for 3s in a game (6), as the Heat never trailed by more than 2 points. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

91 Combined: Fontecchio was one of four 20+ point scorers for the Heat, joining Bam Adebayo (20 pts, 11 reb, 8 ast) and reserves Jaime Jaquez Jr. (23 pts, 8 ast) and Pelle Larsson (24 pts)
\nRecord Heat: Miami surged to 140+ points for the 11th time this season, tying the 2023-24 Pacers for the most in a single season by any team in NBA history<\/p>\n

5. WEST PLAY-IN TUNES UP, RECORDS FOR JAZZ & BUCKS
\n\"Deni<\/p>\n

Cameron Browne\/NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Portland earned an edge in the West\u2019s other remaining seeding battle.<\/p>\n

Blazers 116, Clippers 97: With an 86-84 lead entering the final quarter, Portland limited LA to its lowest-scoring 4th since 2021, taking the period 30-13. Deni Avdija scored 15 of his game-high 35 there, outdueling Kawhi Leonard (24 pts, 8 reb, 5 ast). | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cSky\u2019s the limit. I know we\u2019ve had some downs, we\u2019ve had some ups. We have the talent, we have the players,\u201d Avdija said. \u201cHopefully we\u2019ll do a lot of great things.\u201d
\nWest Play-In Seeding: The win splits the season series between the Blazers and Clips 2-2. With identical 41-40 records, Portland moves up to 8th via conference record (28-23) with one deciding game left<\/p>\n

Portland or LA will host a 10-seed Warriors team that\u2019s getting healthy at the right time.<\/p>\n

Kings 124, Warriors 118: Devin Carter (29 pts, 9 reb, 6 3s) led four 20+ point Kings scorers to spoil Brandin Podziemski\u2019s career-high 30 points, as Steph Curry and Kristaps Porzi\u0146\u0123is added 11 apiece<\/a> in their second game together, tuning up for the Play-In tournament. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

Kings\u2019 Core: Maxime Raynaud (23 pts, 9 reb), Nique Clifford (20 pts, 6 reb, 6 ast) and Daeqwon Plowden (20 pts, 9 reb) combined with Carter for 92 points
\nCurry\u2019s Climb: Steph Curry (26,497 points) passed Tim Duncan to move into 19th place on the all-time scoring list<\/p>\n

\"Steph<\/p>\n

Jazz 148, Grizzlies 101: In a contest full of career-highs, Bez Mbeng (27 pts, 11 reb, 11 ast) and John Konchar (11 pts, 11 reb, 10 ast) became the first Utah teammates to record triple-doubles in the same game, overpowering a third from Memphis\u2019 Jahmai Mashack (13 pts, 15 reb, 14 ast). | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

Bucks 125, Nets 108: AJ Green hit a Bucks-record 11 3-pointers and notched a career-high 35 points, complimenting a career-high 28 from Cormac Ryan as Milwaukee took its home finale over Tyson Etienne (career-high 23 pts) and Brooklyn. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n