Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks have home-court advantage through the playoffs.Aaron Gash/Associated Press
The 82-game marathon that is the 2018-19 NBA regular season reached its conclusion Wednesday.
Now the real fun begins.
On the final night of the 2018-19 campaign, the Detroit Pistons clinched the last postseason spot. They’ll take on the Milwaukee Bucks, who earned the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference as well as home-court advantage for the playoffs.
However, no Eastern Conference franchise sans LeBron James has won the NBA Finals since 2007-08. The road to the Larry O’Brien Trophy runs through the West―and more specifically, through the Golden State Warriors.
The first-round series begin Saturday and Sunday.
Final NBA Standings
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
Toronto Raptors: 58-24
Philadelphia 76ers: 51-31
Boston Celtics: 49-33
Brooklyn Nets: 42-40
New York Knicks: 17-65
Central Division
Milwaukee Bucks: 60-22
Indiana Pacers: 48-34
Detroit Pistons: 41-41
Chicago Bulls: 22-60
Cleveland Cavaliers: 19-63
Southeast Division
Orlando Magic: 42-40
Charlotte Hornets: 39-43
Miami Heat: 39-43
Washington Wizards: 32-50
Atlanta Hawks: 29-53
Western Conference
David Zalubowski/Associated Press
Northwest Division
Denver Nuggets: 54-28
Portland Trail Blazers: 53-29
Utah Jazz: 50-32
Oklahoma City Thunder: 49-33
Minnesota Timberwolves: 36-46
Pacific Division
Golden State Warriors: 57-25
LA Clippers: 48-34
Sacramento Kings: 39-43
Los Angeles Lakers: 37-45
Phoenix Suns: 19-63
Southwest Division
Houston Rockets: 53-29
San Antonio Spurs: 48-34
Memphis Grizzlies: 33-49
New Orleans Pelicans: 33-49
Dallas Mavericks: 33-49
2019 Playoff Seeds and Matchups
Eastern Conference
No. 8 Detroit Pistons vs. No. 1 Milwaukee Bucks
No. 7 Orlando Magic vs. No. 2 Toronto Raptors
No. 6 Brooklyn Nets vs. No. 3 Philadelphia 76ers
No. 5 Indiana Pacers vs. No. 4 Boston Celtics
Western Conference
No. 8 L.A. Clippers vs. No. 1 Golden State Warriors
No. 7 San Antonio Spurs vs. No. 2 Denver Nuggets
No. 6 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 3 Portland Trail Blazers
No. 5 Utah Jazz vs. No. 4 Houston Rockets
Key Season-Finale Results
Brian Babineau/Getty Images
Heading into the closing day of the regular season, three Eastern Conference seeds―including one playoff berth―and six Western Conference positions remained unfilled.
The Pistons took the easiest route to a postseason berth, toppling the New York Knicks 115-89. Detroit’s win eliminated the Charlotte Hornets, who lost to the Orlando Magic anyway. Orlando settled for the seventh seed because the Brooklyn Nets toppled the Miami Heat in Dwyane Wade‘s final NBA game.
On the other side of the league, the Denver Nuggets put together a furious comeback to earn the No. 2 seed in the West. They finished a 99-95 triumph over the Minnesota Timberwolves on a 15-0 run, setting up a first-round date with the San Antonio Spurs.
Until that surge, it seemed like the Houston Rockets would be the second seed in the West. Instead, the Rockets dropped all the way to No. 4 and will challenge the Utah Jazz in the first round.
The Portland Trail Blazers mounted a 15-point fourth-quarter comeback to stun the Sacramento Kings and claim the third seed, cementing a date with the Oklahoma City Thunder. OKC ended the regular season on a five-game winning streak.
The Los Angeles Clippers will meet the Warriors in the first round.
Follow Bleacher Report writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.
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