NBA Playoff Picture Tightens: Hawks Clinch Berth, Wembanyama Shines

Victor Wembanyama made a spectacular return

The NBA regular season finale delivered thrilling action, with the Atlanta Hawks securing a playoff spot and Victor Wembanyama making a spectacular return.

The Eastern Conference playoff picture is taking shape, with the Celtics locking up the second seed and the Knicks claiming third. Meanwhile, the Lakers guaranteed themselves a top-four spot in the West...

The Atlanta Hawks secured a playoff spot with a 124-102 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics locked up the Eastern Conference's second seed with a big win.

CJ McCollum led the Hawks with 29 points, helping them avoid the play-in tournament. The Hawks were fighting for a top-six spot, and this win puts them in a strong position. Now, Victor Wembanyama's return is the talk of the NBA.

The Hawks were on fire, with Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Jalen Johnson leading the charge with 18 points each. Dyson Daniels added a triple-double: 13 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists. Atlanta dominated from the start, leading 61-48 at halftime and blowing the game wide open with a 16-0 run in the third quarter.

PLAYOFFS BOUND ‼️ pic.twitter.com/4mqBbe5lWY

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) April 11, 2026

“The goal was getting in the playoffs,” McCollum said. “Now for us it's about getting healthy, making sure everybody is ready to go, and we can ramp up.”

The Cavaliers, already locked in as the fourth seed in the East, decided to give their stars a break. Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen sat this one out, enjoying some well-deserved rest.

Celtics Secure Second Seed

The Celtics made up for their Thursday loss to the Knicks, securing the second seed in the Eastern Conference with a 144-118 win over the New Orleans Pelicans. They set a franchise record with 29 three-pointers, matching the league record set by the Milwaukee Bucks in 2020 and also achieved this season by the Memphis Grizzlies.

Celtics shot 29-59 from three in their win vs the Pelicans.

They’re the only team in NBA history to hit 29 threes in a game TWICE🍀 pic.twitter.com/69yNeiFhSJ

— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) April 11, 2026

The NBA season finale was heating up, with all 30 teams in action. Dozens of teams were still fighting for playoff or play-in spots, making for an intense day.

The Knicks secured the third seed in the East with a 112-95 win over the Toronto Raptors. Meanwhile, Toronto dropped to sixth place, tied with seventh-seed Orlando Magic (45-36) after their loss. Orlando bounced back with a 127-103 win over the Chicago Bulls.

The Charlotte Hornets' play-in fate was sealed with a 118-100 loss to the Eastern Conference's top-seed Detroit.

Wembanyama Shines

Victor Wembanyama made a spectacular return, scoring 40 points, grabbing 13 rebounds, dishing out 5 assists, and blocking 2 shots in the Spurs' 139-120 win over the Dallas Mavericks. This was the fastest 40/10/5 game in NBA history!

Wembanyama's impressive season continues, having met the 65-game requirement for major awards like Defensive Player of the Year and MVP. He's had a phenomenal rookie year, and the stats are piling up – NBA Cup final and 64 regular-season games down, Wemby is just getting started. 

The Denver Nuggets kept their bid for the third seed in the West alive, beating the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder 127-107. Both teams rested their regular starters, including Nikola Jokic for the Nuggets.

Jonas Valanciunas stepped up in Jokic's absence, scoring 23 points and grabbing 17 rebounds to lead Denver to an 11th straight win.

Oklahoma City, already locked in as the top seed in the West, rested stars like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, which wasn't a surprise. The Thunder had nothing to play for except pride.

Nuggets coach David Adelman isn't stressing about seeding. His priority is getting his injured players healthy for the playoffs. “We're just trying to get guys healthy,” he said, putting the focus on the postseason run.

TONIGHT WAS FUN 🤠 pic.twitter.com/mnwBspkJsh

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) April 11, 2026

“As a competitive person, I want everybody to play,” Adelman said. “I think you just have to play it out with decisions that are best for your team.”

The Los Angeles Lakers secured a top-four spot in the West, guaranteeing them home-court advantage in the first round. They crushed the Phoenix Suns 101-73, and the Houston Rockets' loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves 136-132 sealed their position.

The Lakers are happy with their playoff positioning, having locked up a strong seed. Now, they're focusing on preparing for their postseason run.

LeBron James led the Lakers with 28 points and 12 assists, helping them to a comfortable win. The Lakers are getting ready for the playoffs, while Luka Doncic is still working on recovering from a hamstring strain.

Minnesota ended Houston's eight-game winning streak, pushing the Rockets to fifth place. The Timberwolves' win was a big blow for the Rockets' playoff aspirations, but they're still heading to the postseason.