The best games of the final week of the 2022-23 NBA regular-season Schedule

Lakers, Warriors, Clippers, Suns: Don’t doze off now, a lot can happen in these final games

PublishedApril 3, 2023

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Image for article titled The best games of the final week of the 2022-23 NBA regular-season Schedule — Image: Getty Images

It’s the final week of the NBA regular season. Usually I would advise sports fans to get one last glimpse at a young team like the Orlando Magic before their season comes to an end. This season, my viewing recommendation is to wait until next season to watch the youngsters. They likely will have improved and one of those teams will have Victor Wembanyama.

For the final week of the 2022-23 regular season, sports fans need to keep their attention on the teams in the postseason race. The teams still in the thick of it, Wembanyama is not in your future.

In the Eastern Conference there are a few teams jockeying for seeding, but in the west seeds 5-10 are all still up for grabs. It is unlikely that a team currently ahead of play-in tournament seeding is going to lose enough games to fall out of the postseason, but those Western Conference teams could absolutely lose enough games to end up in a one and done situation next week. Also, while the Dallas Mavericks are currently on the outside looking in of the postseason they still have a chance to salvage their season.

Yes, certain teams are going to rest players with their lottery odds or playoff seeding secure, but there will be plenty of teams scratching and trying to survive all the way through the final games on Sunday.

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Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers

When: Apr. 4, 8:00 p.m. EST

Where to Watch: TNT

The final matchup of championship caliber teams in which the star players are likely to play. Hopefully the NBA will spare viewers a ridiculous jersey selection between arguably the oldest rivalry in the league.

Neither team is likely to make a move in the standings the final week of the season. The Celtics are two games behind the Milwaukee Bucks for the best record in the NBA, and the 76ers and 2.5 games ahead of the Cleveland Cavaliers for the No. 3 seed in the east.

Both teams will likely put their best players on the shelf at some point this week, so enjoy this matchup of two old rivals who also double this season as title contenders.

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Los Angeles Lakers vs. Utah Jazz

When: Apr. 4, 9:00 p.m. EST

Where to Watch: League Pass, Sportsnet LA, AT&T Sportsnet Rocky Mountain

The Lakers have one final back-to-back on their schedule and, for them, it could not have come at a worse time. They have won six of their last seven games, and now have a real shot to avoid the play-in tournament.

In order to turn that maybe into a reality they likely need to go undefeated this week. That road begins with their final away game of the season and it’s at altitude against the feisty Jazz. The Jazz have finally fallen out of the postseason contention, but if Lauri Markkanen takes the floor they will be looking to make the final days of the 2022-23 regular season quite difficult for the Lakers.

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Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Golden State Warriors

When: Apr. 4, 10:00 p.m. EST

Where to Watch: League Pass, Bally Sports Oklahoma, NBC Sports Bay Area

Stakes will be high in this game. The Thunder currently hold a one-game lead on the Dallas Mavericks for the final postseason berth. The Warriors lost to the Denver Nuggets — sans Nikola Jokić — on Sunday night. They dropped to the sixth-seed with a 0.5 game lead on the Lakers to stay out of the play-in.

While the Thunder have been a delight to watch all season, they have to travel to San Francisco for a game in which they will be the underdog. The Warriors have a 32-8 record at home this season.

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Sacramento Kings vs. Dallas Mavericks

When: Apr. 5, 8:30 p.m. EST

Where to Watch: League Pass, NBC Sports California, Bally Sports Southwest

The Mavericks have lost nine of their last 13 games. Their most recent win came Sunday against arguably the only decent NBA team that plays worse defense than they do — the Atlanta Hawks. They currently trail the Thunder by one game for the final postseason spot.

To miss the postseason would be a disaster for the Mavericks who gutted their depth and defense to acquire Kyrie Irving. Certainly their defense was going to be an eyesore, but making a mid-season trade that significant to end the No. 11 seed makes this season a failure. A failure that will likely result in Jason Kidd being removed from his position as head coach.

The Kings are likely not moving in the standings, but Wednesday is still too early in the week to pull their starters with the playoffs not beginning until a week from Saturday. The Mavericks playoffs hope could be dashed with one more home loss.

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Los Angeles Lakers vs. Los Angeles Clippers

When: Apr. 5, 10:00 p.m. EST

Where to Watch: ESPN, SportsNet LA, Bally Sports Southern California

Which game will the Lakers play Lebron James and Anthony Davis? Will they go all out on Tuesday against the Jazz who are quite capable of defeating an undermanned Lakers team at home, or do they save Davis and James for a matchup against a team they currently trail by 0.5 games for the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference. The team that the Lakers have not defeated since the bubble.

There is no way for the Lakers to win a tiebreaker against the Clippers, so their best bet to avoid the play-in tournament is to win every game this week. However, that would require back-to-back victories. James has only played in a few games since returning from a foot injury. Playing him in both games would be a huge stretch and Davis made Lakers fans all over the world gasp when it looked like his knee was injured on Friday.

Davis finished the game, but how hard should the Lakers go to try and get a week of rest as opposed to playing a postseason game two days after the end of the regular seasno?

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Miami Heat vs. Philadelphia 76ers

When: Apr. 6, 7:30 p.m. EST

Where to Watch: TNT

A statement game for the 76ers. The Heat are likely not going to fight their way out of the play-in tournament, and it would require a collapse for them to fall from the seventh-seed.

This could be a game that both teams decide to mail in, except that it is early in the week and the 76ers need to show some resilience. While the Heat will probably not be their first-round opponent, the 76ers need to not get bullied at home. The rest of the week should not matter to them, but they should be motivated to defeat the team that knocked them out of the postseason in 2022.

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Chicago Bulls vs. Dallas Mavericks

When: Apr. 7, 8:30 p.m. EST

Where to Watch: League Pass, NBC Sportsnet Chicago, Bally Sports Southwest

A game that will be far more important for the Mavericks than the Bulls. The Bulls begin the week only one game behind the Toronto Raptors for home-court advantage in their play-in tournament matchup. The trip between Toronto and Chicago is short, but not having to provide a passport is one less worry whichever team hosts the game. Also, whichever home arena hosts the game will be rocking, so the Bulls should play every minute this upcoming week to ensure that they begin the 2023 postseason at the Madhouse on Madison.

If the Mavericks lose a single game this week, they probably won’t make the postseason. They have had a rough few weeks, and now they have to play a team with something to lose and defeat that team to keep their season alive.

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Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Lakers

When 10:30 p.m. EST

Where to Watch: NBA TV, Bally Sports Arizona, Sportsnet LA

The Suns only have a few games remaining to get their team ready for the postseason. They traded for Kevin Durant early in the morning of the trade deadline, and he has missed much time due to injury. Deandre Ayton has also missed time as of late. Both are back and with a six days off coming soon, the Suns need to develop some in-game chemistry.

The Lakers would be best off going undefeated during their last four games. However, they have a back-to-back on Tuesday and Wednesday that requires travel. While they are 0.5 games away from the sixth seed, they also have the same record as the eighth-seeded New Orleans Pelicans. Anything less than a 3-1 record for the Lakers this week is a problem.

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New Orleans Pelicans vs. Minnesota Timberwolves

When: 3:30 p.m. EST

Where to Watch: TBD

The Pelicans are still without their best player, and have a back-to-back against the two of the best teams in the west to start the week — the Kings and the Grizzlies.

The good news for the franchise is that they will get another update on Zion Williamson’s injury midweek. That report was delivered last Tuesday by NBA insider Chris Haynes during an NBA on TNT broadcast. He also reported that Williamson looked good in a vigorous on-court workout that day.

If Willamson is healthy for the postseason, the Pelicans should feel comfortable regardless of where they are seeded.

The Timberwolves have struggled to sustain consistent quality NBA play all season. They had won four games in a row, but have lost their last three. Currently the Timberwolves are slated to host the Thunder in the play-in and are 0.5 games behind the Lakers and Pelicans.

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Los Angeles Clippers vs. Phoenix Suns

When: 3:30 p.m. EST

Where to Watch: TBD

If any team between these two is fighting for postseason positioning on the final day of regular season it will be the Clippers. Paul George is out of the lineup and the Clippers are clinging with their fingernails to the sixth seed.

The Suns would be matched up with the Clippers in the first round of the playoffs if the season ended on Sunday, even though the Clippers have the same record as the Warriors. While those two teams fight for their postseason placement, the Suns have a 2.5 game lead on both for home-court advantage in the first round.

Maybe the Suns will take the foot off of the gas pedal, but then that would be another six days in which Devin Booker, Chris Paul, Ayton, and Durant wouldn’t take the floor with each other. Even if the Suns’ starters won’t play heavy minutes in that game, those players do need to be on the floor.

The consequences for a Clippers loss will be much more significant than for the Suns. Still, the Suns gutted their depth for Durant. They need to get their squad in sync as fast as possible.

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