Los Angeles (AFP)

Utah, seeded N.1, will have the home advantage in the play-offs, whose 1st round posters are Denver-Portland and Clippers-Dallas in the West, Milwaukee-Miami and New York-Atlanta in the East, the Lakers having to go through dams with a clash against Golden State.

Teams ranked between 1st and 6th place advance directly into the NBA play-offs, while those scoring 7th through 10th will play play-offs, for the last two tickets up for grabs in each conference.

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Utah finishes first

There was no suspense in Sacramento: Utah held its rank as the best team of the regular season, winning (121-99), thanks to its 6th man Jordan Clarkson (33 pts), while Rudy Gobert went there with his usual double-double (13 pts, 16 rebounds).

Earlier, Phoenix had kept the pressure on him until the end, with a victory in San Antonio (123-121).

A full success showing that in the absence of Devin Booker and Chris Paul, spared, the collective was concerned.

It was the substitute E'Twaun Moore (22 pts) who scored the winning shot, behind the arc 2.2 seconds from the buzzer.

If Jazz and Suns are waiting to know their opponent from the play-offs, we have the other two posters of the 1st round: they will oppose the Nuggets to the Blazers and the Clippers to the Mavericks, the latter reserving a revenge of the 1st round of last year which had smiled at Californians.

Denver retained its 3rd place despite its defeat in Portland (132-116), since LA (4th), which could overtake it in case of victory in Oklahoma City, also lost (117-112).

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The barrage Lakers

The success of Portland thus forces the defending champion (7th) to go through the "play-ins", despite his success (110-98) in New Orleans, where LeBron James (25 pts, 6 assists) was well, not without hurting his right ankle a little on a landing.

More fear than harm, finally.

And it would be better for the Lakers, because they will grapple with the itchy Warriors, who secured their 8th place and therefore, too, two chances to go to the play-offs, beating Memphis (113-101).

All thanks to the inevitable Stephen Curry (46 pts, 9 assists, 7 rebounds), who took the opportunity to finish top scorer of the season (31.8 pts on average).

For the Grizzlies (9th), the opponent in the barrage will be San Antonio (10th).

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Brooklyn seed N.2

The Nets beat Cleveland (123-109) to finish 2nd, behind the winning Orlando Sixers (128-117).

And with the manner, like this "Harlem Globe Trotter" action, started with a pass in the back from Blake Griffin, volleyed by Kyrie Irving (17 pts) to Mike James who bounced the ball off the backboard for Kevin Durant's dunk (23 pts).

Brooklyn will know its opponent from the play-offs on Tuesday, Philadelphia on Thursday.

Milwaukee, beaten in Chicago (118-112), finished 3rd and will find the Heat (N.6), for a remake that promises to be thrilling of last year's conference semifinals, who smiled at Jimmy Butler and his (4-1).

The other known duel of the 1st round will oppose New York (4th) to Atlanta (5th).

The Knicks, who will regain the play-offs after eight years of scarcity, completed their very good regular season, during which they were not expected at such a level, with a victory at the expense of Boston (96-92).

NY, carried by RJ Barrett (22 pts) and Julius Randle (20 pts, 7 assists), squandered 21 points in advance, leaving the Celtics back to -2.

But his defense had the last word, with a decisive counter from Nerlens Noel 37 seconds from time.

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Washington, the spoiler

The dams in the East will pit the Celtics (7th) against the Wizards (8th) and the Pacers (9th) against the Hornets (10th) on Tuesday.

In their decisive duel, Washington defeated Charlotte (115-110), thanks in particular to the good second period of Bradley Beal who scored 20 of his 25 points.

Russell Westbrook, under the "MVPs!"

chanted in the stands, managed a triple-double (23 pts, 15 rebounds, 10 assists), the 184th of his career.

Indiana, having won in Toronto (125-113), will receive Charlotte on Tuesday.

The winner will then play a "final" at the loser of Boston-Washington, to validate the last ticket.

© 2021 AFP