After six months, 1,230 games, and an unforgettable regular season, the NBA Postseason is upon us. What a time to be alive.

Today’s Lineup

Full-Court Coverage

• OKC’s blowout win over Dallas gave the Thunder their first number one seed since 2013—they’re also the youngest team to ever finish first in their conference. Sunday was the first time in NBA history that three Western Conference teams were tied in the standings entering the final day of the season—Denver and Minnesota will get their shot in the playoffs, but the young Thunder won the day. ⚡️

• The Suns went into yesterday needing a lot to avoid the Play-In Tournament: an upset over the Timberwolves and a Lakers win against NOLA. And check it out—Phoenix earned a tough 125-106 win over the Wolves and LA beat the Pels by sixteen thanks to a 28 point, 17 assist, and 11 rebound gem from LeBron. Sidenote: with those numbers, he became the first player to ever record 40K points, 11K rebounds, and 11K assists. Unreal.

• Indiana finished its incredible offensive season with a bang, dropping 157 points in a huge win over Atlanta. The Pacers finished the season with an offensive rating of 120.5, good for second in the league. Points on points on points!

• “Fine, I’ll do it myself,” is the attitude Jalen Brunson has been repping all season long. Sunday was no different, as the All-Star dropped his 11th 40-point game of the season in the Knicks’ OT win over Chicago to help NYK clinch the second seed out East. The Knicks’ mentality is simple: NY vs. EVERYBODY.

• Klay Thompson may not be in his prime anymore, but he’ll be able to shoot with the best ‘til the day he dies. Klay had 25 on 6-12 shooting from three (and some nice passes as well) to give the Warriors a season-ending win over Utah.

• With the playoff picture set, another table is set… the lottery odds! Though it's been a rough season for Detroit and Washington, both teams now have the best chance at the number one overall pick (14%). Portland, Charlotte, and San Antonio round out the bottom five… or the top five? However you wanna look at it.

• And what’s the best part about the end of the season? Unexpected players dropping big numbers! Some of our favorites included 44 from GG Jackson, 38 from Payton Pritchard, 28 for Scottie Pippen Jr, and 27 for Kenneth Lofton Jr. Every NBA player is a hooper, no doubt!

Postseason Preview 👀

With the regular season done and the postseason on its way, let’s break down some of the matchups we’re getting our popcorn ready for… 🍿

First Round: #3 Milwaukee Bucks vs. #6 Indiana Pacers

Giannis and Dame are one of the best duos in the NBA, but they’ve been no match for Tyrese Haliburton and company this season. Indiana won four of their five matchups against MKE this season, setting up what’s sure to be a dramatic clash in the first round. Dame vs. Hali. Giannis vs. Siakam. Does it get any better?

First Round: #4 Los Angeles Clippers vs. #5 Dallas Mavericks

We mentioned this on Friday, but it’s too crazy to not include the latest edition of this budding playoff rivalry. This series has all the history and stakes you could ask for, and there’s no chance we’re missing a single game of it. After an MVP-caliber season from Luka Doncic, the Mavs have every reason to believe they can make a deep run this season. And with LA’s aging core, it’s now or never for the Clip show.

Play-In Tournament: #7 Philadelphia 76ers vs. #8 Miami Heat

Death, taxes, and the Miami Heat exploding in the playoffs—you can’t escape it. But before that can happen, the Heat need to get through a Philly team featuring a healthy Joel Embiid. With the reigning MVP in action, Philly is a ridiculous 30-8 this season—in a Play-In environment, however, anything could happen. And we know how Miami gets hot.

Three in the Key

Signing Off

And we out! Thanks for spending a bit of your day with us. This week, do your best to let your joy come from within, rather than getting it from external factors. Protecting your own personal happiness is what matters most.

-Walker Carnathan