Only three games on the schedule today as the NBA backs off to give the NCAA Final Four the spotlight. Still, among those three games, there are a couple of consequential ones. Here’s what you need to know.
Playoff Scenarios
Detroit can clinch the No. 1 seed in the East with a win at Philadelphia. The Pistons’ magic number is one — either a Pistons win or a Celtics loss — so this is happening, the only question is whether it’s today or if Detroit has to wait a little. The Pistons are an impressive 8-2 without Cade Cunningham (collapsed lung) and have the rest advantage in this game as the 76ers spent a lot of energy beating Minnesota on Friday night.
Games to Watch
San Antonio Spurs at Denver Nuggets (3 p.m. ET, Prime Video)
This is a game that is both important for West seeding, and it is a potential second-round preview (with Luka Doncic out for the remainder of the regular season, it’s very possible the Nuggets make up the one game they are behind the Lakers and take over the No. 3 seed for the playoffs). San Antonio has been the hottest team in the NBA, going 21-2 with a +14.5 net rating since the All-Star break, but they haven’t made up ground on Oklahoma City, which holds the No. 1 seed and is 19-2 in that same stretch. Spurs players are pretty open about wanting the No. 1 seed (and they have the tiebreaker with the Thunder), but they need all the wins they can get to have a chance, because OKC is not coming back to the pack.
Denver has the toughest remaining schedule in the NBA, and if it is going to catch Los Angeles for the No. 3 seed in the West it needs some tough wins — and not to lose ground. This game matters to them.
Detroit Pistons at Philadelphia 76ers (7 p.m. ET, League Pass)
As noted above, the Pistons can clinch the No. 1 seed in the East with a win. Philadelphia needs all the wins it can get to stay out of the play-in. The 76ers are tied with the Raptors for the 6/7 seeds in the East. Philadelphia also is 1.5 games back of Atlanta for the No. 5 seed but just 1.5 games ahead of Charlotte — in a tight East, Philly needs all the wins it can get.
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