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NBA Playoffs first round series decided

All the pressure falls on James Harden and his beard for the Rockets. (AP Photo/Bob Levey)
Expert
12th April, 2017
0

The NBA regular season has reached its conclusion and the first matches of the playoffs will be played on Sunday morning (AEST).

While days and times are yet to be released, there are some intriguing first round battles, with the make-up of the playoffs not fully known until closing day.

The Western Conference had most matches locked down throughout the final week, although the battle for fourth and fifth place – and the all-important home court advantage – raged on between the Los Angeles Clippers and Utah Jazz.

With the sides in touching distance, Tuesday was shaping as the key battle – that was before both sides picked up upset wins, with the Clippers beating the Houston Rockets and Jazz surprising the Golden State Warriors.

It meant their battle was extended to the final day of the season, when the Jazz pulled off another upset, over the Spurs, and the Clippers knocked off the Sacramento Kings. With the Clippers hosting the tie-breaker, they will take home-court advantage into the first round of the playoffs.

While the Warriors and Spurs should have a relatively straightforward passage to the Conference semi-finals, against the Portland Trail Blazers and Memphis Grizzlies respectively, the big battle will be between the Rockets and Thunder – or, more specifically, James Harden and Russell Westbrook.

Western Conference quarter-finals

Golden State Warriors (1st) vs Portland Trail Blazers (8th)
San Antonio Spurs (2nd) vs Memphis Grizzlies (7th)
Houston Rockets (3rd) vs Oklahoma City Thunder (6th)
Los Angeles Clippers (4th) vs Utah Jazz (5th)

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In the East, it was a much more complicated race. While Toronto, Milwaukee, Washington and Atlanta locked their spots down over the final days of the season, the race for top spot, as well as seventh and eighth, were alive into the final day.

At the top, Boston had a one-game advantage over Cleveland but not holding the tie-breaker, had to either win on the final day against Milwaukee or have Cleveland lose to Toronto.

Boston remained close to full strength, while Milwaukee rested players, including Giannis Antetokounmpo. But after an early scare, they came away with a 112-94 victory, wrapping up the top seed before Cleveland could do anything about it.

The Cavaliers went on to lose their final game, against the Toronto Raptors, by 15 points, with stars including LeBron James and Kyrie Irving on the sideline.

The race for the final two spots was more complicated. Indiana came into the final day with a one-game advantage and, holding no tie-breakers over either the eighth-placed Chicago Bulls or ninth-placed Miami Heat, had to win to secure their fate.

Taking on the Atlanta Hawks, they scored an impressive 104-86 victory to take seventh. Behind them, Miami beat Washington by eight and Chicago put a 49-point win on the Brooklyn Nets.

The Bulls held the tie-breaker with the sides coming in on the same record, so wrapped up the final spot.

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Eastern Conference quarter-finals

Boston Celtics (1st) vs Chicago Bulls (8th)
Cleveland Cavaliers (2nd) vs Indiana Pacers (7th)
Toronto Raptors (3rd) vs Milwaukee Bucks (6th)
Washington Wizards (4th) vs Atlanta Hawks (5th)

The NBA Playoffs get underway on Sunday Morning (AEST). The Roar will publish a full schedule for every game in the coming days.

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