Enjoy Basketball: The NBA season is officially over

Welcome back to another edition of Enjoy Basketball!

The NBA regular season has officially come to a close, which can only mean one thing - the playoffs are finally here. Heading into yesterday's slate of games, zero playoff matchups were set. That's right. With just one day of NBA action left, no one knew who they'd be playing in the first round of the playoffs. But now, the bracket has been solidified.

Before we get into that, however, there are plenty of games to cover from yesterday. In fact, every single team hit the hardwood. Let's get right into it.

Nets hold off Pacers' second-half surge

If this is how the Brooklyn Nets are going to play in the playoffs, then maybe the top seeds in the East shouldn't be that afraid of them. Sure, Brooklyn got the win, but the Indiana Pacers put up 126 points against them. Indiana's offense has been solid as of late, but the Nets' defense should be called into question as well.

If it weren't for a few clutch buckets by Kyrie Irving late in the game, the Nets could have found themselves having to win two games just to get into the playoffs. Shoutout to Indy, though. The Pacers look like they're going to be a problem very soon.

Hornets wake up, take down Wizards late

Early on in this one, it looked as though the Charlotte Hornets could be running into some trouble. The Washington Wizards put up a great fight, and with just under nine minutes to go in the fourth, they were within three. But that's when Terry Rozier took over.

18 of Rozier's 25 points came in the fourth quarter as he helped the Hornets fight off the Wizards. Isaiah Thomas and Jalen McDaniels both put up impressive performances, too, notching 14 points apiece off the pine.

Cavs clobber half-hearted Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks benched Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, and the majority of their regular rotation players, choosing instead to prioritize health before the playoffs (and maybe dodge a first-round series against the Nets). In turn, the Cleveland Cavaliers blew them out of the water, securing themselves a spot in the Play-In as the seventh seed.

Jrue Holiday was the best part of this game, however, despite playing only eight seconds. He checked in and immediately fouled Darius Garland. The reason? Holiday was one game away from earning a $306,000 bonus for games played. An absolute legend.

(P.S. Shoutout to Mamu for being a beast.)

Hawks survive against high-octane Rockets

Trae Young is great, Danilo Gallinari got hot, the Atlanta Hawks are in the Play-In, yadda yadda yadda. Atlanta did their job, and they'll take on the Hornets in the Play-In. But the Houston Rockets, man. They are so fun.

High-octane truly is the best word to describe Houston. Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. are finally playing like the backcourt that everyone wanted to see at the start of the season. And with guys like Josh Christopher, Alperen Sengun, and Kenyon Martin Jr., the Rockets are going to be an electric team to watch for a very, very long time.

Celtics stomp resting Grizzlies, clinch two-seed

Back at the start of January, if you had told a Boston Celtics fan that they would finish second in the East, they would have laughed in your face. Alas, here we are. With the Memphis Grizzlies resting the majority of their regular rotation, Boston blew the doors off of them, earning a date with either the Nets or Cavs in Round 1.

Outside of the score, though, a couple of cool moments occurred in this one. John Konchar recorded his first career triple-double, and Matt Ryan scored the first points of his NBA career. And for those wondering, yes, it is ironic that an NBA player named Matt Ryan plays in Boston. Even funnier? He suited up for his first-ever NBA game on March 28... that's 3/28. You know the joke.

Knicks youngsters explode to beat Raptors

As was the trend on Sunday, the Toronto Raptors rested their two top guys, and Nick Nurse, who usually plays his starters heavy minutes, made sure to spread things out. That didn't stop the New York Knicks from coming to play, though.

If there was ever a sign to rebuild in New York, this was it. Obi Toppin is screaming from the top of the Empire State Building that he is ready for a bigger role. And with Immanuel Quickley notching another triple-double, the youth revolution may have arrived in the Big Apple.

Magic earn win over short-handed Heat

Can you guess what I'm about to tell you next? Yup, the Miami Heat rested their core players. No Jimmy Butler, no Bam Adebayo (although he just entered H&S Protocols), no Kyle Lowry, and no Tyler Herro. This allowed the Orlando Magic just enough room to walk away with a win.

That being said, Victor Oladipo stole the show. V.O. put up 31 points in what was his best performance since returning to action. Miami doesn't know who they'll be playing in Round 1 just yet, but seeing Oladipo play this way is sure to give their confidence a boost.

No Embiid, no Harden, no problem as 76ers beat Pistons

I figured I would tell you that the Philadelphia 76ers rested their top guys in the headline this time around. You know, just to switch things up. With Joel Embiid and James Harden out, the rest of Philadelphia was left to pick up the slack against a young and hungry Detroit Pistons squad.

And although the Pistons played well post-All-Star break, Philly walked away with the win in this one thanks to Shake Milton, Tyrese Maxey, and B-Ball Paul Reed. All three of them put up 25+ points, and Milton even reached 30. Unfortunately, the Celtics won, too, meaning the Sixers will play the Raptors in Round 1, where Matisse Thybulle will be ineligible to play in Games 3 and 4.

Bulls hang on to win, T-Wolves make franchise history

In a game that meant nothing to nobody, surprise surprise, both teams sat their main players. None of the big names were out in this one, but it still ended up being an incredible game. The Chicago Bulls were up by as much as 28, but the Minnesota Timberwolves came back and made it a game in the second half.

Patrick Williams dropped 35, which is music to Bulls fans' ears, but this game was all about Minnesota's bench. Their bench dropped a franchise-record 85 points, and five different bench players scored in double figures.

(Also, Patrick Beverley is a menace. Enough said. Just click the link.)

Mavs take down Spurs, Luka goes down

The Dallas Mavericks led by as much as 21 in this one, and in the end, the result didn't really matter for either team. But that's not the story. The story is that Luka Doncic left the game and did not return with an apparent leg injury. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, however, there is optimism that it's nothing more than a strain.

That's sure to field a sigh of relief from Mavs fans. Losing Doncic for any stretch of time in the playoffs would make life next to impossible for them. Time will tell if the injury is anything to be concerned about, but based on initial reports, Doncic should be fine.

The Austin Reaves Show

The Denver Nuggets were up by as much as 17 points in this one, but the Los Angeles Lakers came all the way back to win it in overtime. Ahem. Sorry. Let me rephrase that. Austin Reaves came all the way back to win it in overtime. Reaves was a man possessed on Sunday night.

The former Oklahoma Sooner dropped career-highs in points, rebounds, and assists, notching a 31-point, 16-rebound, 10-assist triple-double. Yes, Malik Monk had 41 points, he was phenomenal. But when it came down to it, Reaves was the one who came up clutch for the Lake Show. At least you have Reaves, Lakers fans. At least you have Reaves.

Clippers beat Thunder by 50

Usually, I try to think up some clever headline. Throw in some spicy words, think of a creative way to frame things, stuff like that. But there's no sugar-coating this one. The LA Clippers beat the Oklahoma City Thunder by 50 points on the back of a career night from Amir Coffey.

But there is one player on OKC who deserves a ton of credit - Jaylen Hoard. Since getting picked up by the Thunder, he's been on a tear. Hoard is a monster on the glass and could end up earning himself a contract very, very soon. (Also shoutout to Zavier Simpson and his ridiculously cool hook shot.)

Klay helps Warriors torch Pelicans

With playoff positioning hanging in the balance, the Golden State Warriors played their guys, and it paid off. The New Orleans Pelicans rolled out a skeleton crew, but that didn't stop the Warriors from rolling them. Klay Thompson dropped 41 points in just over 30 minutes, and then it was the bench's time to shine.

For the Pels, it was Naji Marshall who stole the show. He and rookie Trey Murphy III were the ones leading the way for New Orleans. CJ McCollum got the start, but he only played around five minutes before hitting the pine.

Kings shut down Suns' comeback attempt

In true Sacramento Kings fashion, they almost blew a 19-point lead against the Phoenix Suns' backups. Mikal Bridges made a guest appearance just to say he played in every game of the season (which is pretty awesome), but other than that, it was Phoenix's secondary unit running the show.

Landry Shamet and Bismack Biyombo combined to put together a 25-point second half, which was almost enough to embarrass the Kings on the final night of the season. Anyways, I feel like I'm too mean to Kings fans sometimes. Sorry, Sactown. But then again, all I'm doing is saying what happened, so the Kings kind of do it to themselves. Sorry, sorry. I'll stop now. Davion Mitchell looks great, by the way. Congrats on the win.

Mitchell-less Jazz maul Trail Blazers

Don't worry, Portland Trail Blazers fans. It's over. It's all finally over. No more 30-point blowouts, no more Damian Lillard-less basketball, no more pain. Enjoy the offseason. You've earned it. Rest easy.

The Utah Jazz came out and took care of business in this one. Juancho Hernangomez led the team in scoring with 22 while Rudy Gobert put up a casual double-double. This game went about as expected.

Ben Simmons eyeing a first-round return

Ben 10 is gearing up for a return. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, there is optimism that former All-Star guard Ben Simmons could make his return in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. Charania stated that Simmons is progressing well, and if everything continues as is, he should be able to return during the postseason.

Brogdon likely to be traded this offseason

According to longtime NBA insider Marc Stein, the Indiana Pacers are likely to trade guard Malcolm Brogdon this offseason. Stein reported that the Pacers have let rival teams know that Brogdon is available. The 29-year-old was not eligible to be traded this season after signing an extension in the latter stages of this past offseason.

DiVincenzo unhappy in Sactown

Kings fans, I'm sorry. If seeing Tyrese Haliburton and Marvin Bagley III thrive in new situations wasn't heartbreaking enough, Donte DiVincenzo is now reportedly unhappy with the Kings organization. According to James Ham of the Kings Beat podcast, DiVincenzo and his team believe that the Kings intentionally kept him out of the starting lineup in order to tank his value in free agency.

DiVincenzo will be a restricted free agent this summer, meaning that Sacramento has the right to match any offer he receives in free agency. By tanking his value, the Kings could potentially get away with paying less money to keep DiVincenzo around. Evidently, saving some money takes priority over player happiness in Sactown. Makes sense...

28-year-old rookie Gabe York finally reaches NBA with Pacers, credits mom for perseverance - James Boyd, IndyStar

The Big Fail: Inside the Lakers’ most disappointing season in franchise history - Dan Woike and Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times

Jakob Poeltl: The San Antonio Spurs' newest watchful protector - Matt Issa, BasketballNews.com

From Jalen Green to Kristaps Porzingis, identifying the heroes of the 2021-22 NBA tanking season - John Hollinger, The Athletic

The case for Franz Wagner as the Rookie of the Year - Garrett Townsend, Indy Cornrows

In lieu of our traditional "Today's NBA Picks" section (mostly because there are no games today), let's take a look at each of the first-round matchups in this year's playoffs (as well as the Play-In games).

Eastern Conference

1. Miami Heat vs. 8. Play-In Crew

Some people may think the Nets would have a chance if they were to lose the first Play-In game and match up with Miami. There are some people who think they should purposefully do that. But I'll say this. No matter what team ends up as the eighth seed, the Heat will take care of them in six games at most.

2. Boston Celtics vs. 7. Nets/Cavs

Since the start of the new year, the Boston Celtics have been the best team in the East. If the Nets get the seven seed, it would definitely be a tougher series than if the Cavs did, but regardless, the Celtics should be able to take care of business in Round 1.

3. Milwaukee Bucks vs. 6. Chicago Bulls

Kenny. My man. I just wanted to take this space to let you know how much I appreciate you. And I hope I still have a job writing for Enjoy Basketball after this. So maybe justavert your eyes? (*Whispers* Bucks in four.)

4. Philadelphia 76ers vs. 5. Toronto Raptors

Now, this is where I'm going to get controversial. Yes, the Sixers have the two best players in the series. Yes, Embiid has been playing out of his mind this season. But show me the receipts. Show me one time Embiid has beaten a team that matches up well with him in a playoff series. Nick Nurse is going to throw a wall of long, lanky wings at Embiid for seven games. The Sixers should still be favored, but if I were forced to make a bold Round 1 prediction, I'd go with the Raptors in seven.

7. Brooklyn Nets vs. 8. Cleveland Cavaliers Play-In Game

With the way the Cavs have been playing to end the year, most people would automatically assume that the Nets have this one in the bag. But not so fast. There's still a chance that big man Jarrett Allen returns. And with poorly Brooklyn has been defending, don't sleep on Cleveland.

9. Atlanta Hawks vs. 10. Charlotte Hornets Play-In Game

Trae Young showed us last year that he is ready for the big moment. However, LaMelo Ball has improved since last year, Miles Bridges has improved since last year, and the Hornets are hungry for playoff experience. Charlotte has been a very streaky team this year, so they definitely have a chance, but the star power of Young might end up being too much for them to deal with.

Western Conference

1. Phoenix Suns vs. 8. Play-In Crew

2. Memphis Grizzlies vs. 7. Timberwolves/Clippers

Okay, so the Grizzlies will almost certainly win this series, but no matter who they face, it will make for very entertaining basketball. The T-Wolves are hungry and play hard, and the Clippers have far more playoff experience. Memphis can probably take care of business in five, but this could be a sneaky pick to go the distance.

3. Golden State Warriors vs. 6. Denver Nuggets

Nikola Jokic vs. Stephen Curry (hopefully) in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. It really doesn't get much better than that. Hopefully, Curry is able to return for a portion of this series, because in my opinion, that will be the difference. If Curry makes it back, the Warriors should win, but if not, this one could get dicey for Golden State.

4. Dallas Mavericks vs. 5. Utah Jazz

Maybe this isn't a hot take, so let's call it a lukewarm take. The Jazz have absolutely no chance in this series. I'm talking sweep. As long as Doncic's injury doesn't keep him out and he looks alright once he's back on the court, this series won't be close.

7. Minnesota Timberwolves vs. 8. LA Clippers Play-In Game

In all honesty, the T-Wolves shouldn't have to earn their way into the playoffs. They are a playoff team. And what's even worse for them is that the Clippers have a legitimate chance to win this game. Paul George is back, LA has more playoff experience, and Ty Lue is one of the smartest coaches in the NBA. Minnesota should be able to take care of business, but LA is most certainly a threat.

9. New Orleans Pelicans vs. 10. San Antonio Spurs Play-In Game

The Spurs managed to fight and claw their way into the Play-In game, and the Pelicans had to do the same. Both of these teams are very young and should be itching for some postseason experience. While the Pelicans should probably be favored, counting out Gregg Popovich in a single-game elimination setting is foolish.

Christmas is great, but this is truly the most wonderful time of the year. Playoff basketball in the NBA has been on the rise in the past few years. Gone are the days of LeBron James and the Golden State Warriors cruising through the playoffs. Parity is back.

If you're not a member already, make sure to join the "Enjoyers of Basketball" community on Twitter. Drop your hottest NBA Playoffs take in there and see how everyone reacts. Mine? The Mavs will reach the Western Conference Finals at the very least and have a real chance at coming out of the West.

That'll be it for me. Thanks for reading. See y'all next time.

- Jack Simone

Quick Trivia Answer: Friday's question was a toughie. Spencer really put y'all through the wringer. But the answer was Micahel Adams, who averaged 26.5 points and 10.5 assists for the Nuggets in the 1990-91 season.

Trivia: Just over 50 NBA players have recorded at least 300 assists this season, but only one guy has done it while also having less than 50 turnovers. Who is it?