Achieving Your 4th Consecutive Victory by overcoming the leading team in the Eastern Conference.
5 HEADLINES IN TODAY’S ISSUE 🏀
March 19, 2025
California Dreaming: The Clippers and Warriors secure home victories against the Cavs and Bucks respectively.
50 Wins for 4 Straight Seasons: The Celtics achieve 50 wins for the fourth consecutive year, while the Hawks dominate the Hornets.
ESPN Doubleheader: The Pistons take on the Heat in the East, and the Lakers face the Nuggets in the West.
League Pass: Houston’s winning streak feels like dĂ©jĂ vu, while the Timberwolves aim for their 9th win in 10 games.
Play-In Insights: A look at the past four years highlighting the significance of Play-In seeding.
BUT FIRST … ⏰
Get ready for an 11-game Wednesday…
Featuring an ESPN doubleheader, tonight’s lineup kicks off with the Pistons visiting the Heat (7:30 ET), followed by a Western battle between the Lakers and Nuggets (10 ET), as both teams contend for playoff positioning.
Today’s Recommended Reads: ESPN discusses how Kyle Kuzma might maximize Giannis and Dame … The AP reports on Doc Rivers’ recognition of SGA’s potential in LA … and a look at how strong leads in the East and West fuel the aspirations of the Cavs and Thunder for more
1. CLIPPERS BEAT CAVS, WARRIORS TAKE DOWN BUCKS WITHOUT STEPH
In only their third loss of the season, the Cavaliers fell twice in a row as the Clippers secured their fourth consecutive win and a successful recent stretch aiming for playoff elevation from the Play-In.
Clippers 132, Cavaliers 119: Led by a season-high equaling 33 points from Kawhi Leonard and a near 30-20 game from Ivica Zubac, the Clippers staged a comeback against the East’s top team, showcasing their intentions to climb higher in the playoff ranks. | Recap | Kawhi & Zu Shine Together
- LA’s Four 20+ Scorers: Leonard (33 pts, 5 3 PMs), Zubac (28 pts, 20 rebounds), James Harden (22 pts, 9 assists), and Bogdan Bogdanovic (20 pts, 8-8 FG) contributed a hefty 103 combined points.
- Zubac’s Birthday Performance: “It’s my birthday; I had to bring it,” commented Zubac. “We’re finding our rhythm and getting healthy—we have the potential to be outstanding.”
- Cavs’ Road Trip: Max Strus (24 pts, 5 3 PMs) and Donovan Mitchell (18 pts, 11 assists) led Cleveland in their opening game of a five-game West Coast swing.
- Postseason Picture (CLE ↔️): Despite the loss, the Cavaliers remain in first place in the East, with a 6.5-game buffer over the Celtics.
- Postseason Picture (LAC ↔️): The Clippers sit in 8th in the West following the victory, closing in on the 7th-placed Wolves and maintaining a favorable 4-game gap over the 9th-placed Kings.
Warriors 104, Bucks 93: Without star Steph Curry, the Warriors improved to 15-2 with Jimmy Butler III, who fell just short of a triple-double (24 pts, 8 reb, 10 ast), leading Golden State to victory over Milwaukee. | Recap
- Bucks Comeback Attempt: Golden State initially enjoyed a 17-point lead before the Bucks surged in the 3rd quarter, putting together a 25-6 run to gain a four-point advantage.
- Warriors Respond: Butler sparked an 8-0 run early in the 4th quarter, restoring a double-digit lead for Golden State.
- Team Effort: The Warriors saw five players reach double figures, with contributions from Brandin Podziemski, Buddy Hield, and Quinten Post all hitting four 3-pointers. Kyle Kuzma (22 pts, 5 3 PMs) led the Bucks, who have now lost five of their last seven games.
- Postseason Picture (GSW ↔️): Following the win, the Warriors sit in 6th in the West, half a game above the Wolves and three games behind the Grizzlies in 5th.
- Postseason Picture (MIL ⬇️, IND ⬆️): With this loss, the Bucks slide to 5th in the East, trailing the 4th-place Pacers by half a game and just ahead of the 6th-place Pistons by the same margin.
2. CELTICS HIT 50 WINS, YOUNG & DANIELS SHINE FOR HAWKS
The Celtics celebrated their 50-win milestone, marking their 4th consecutive season achieving this feat, elevating their franchise total to 37 seasons with 50+ wins.
- Most 50+ Win Seasons in NBA History: Celtics (37), Lakers (33), Spurs (27), Suns (21), Sixers (20)
Playing without All-Stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown due to knee issues, Boston demonstrated remarkable depth against Brooklyn.
Celtics 104, Nets 96: Kristaps Porziņģis (25 pts, 13 reb, 3 blk) paired with rookie Baylor Scheierman (career-high 20 pts, 6 3 PMs) shone for Boston as they carried the team to victory for the third consecutive game. | Recap
- Game-Changing Play: With 1.7 seconds left in the 3rd quarter, Scheierman made a crucial play, catching the inbound from Porziņģis and landing a three-pointer. Catch. Shoot. Buzzer. Splash.
- Buzzer-Beater Prelude: Following his buzzer-beater, Scheierman connected on four more 3-pointers in the fourth to secure the win for the undermanned Celtics.
- 3-Point Milestone: Porziņģis became the 10th player in NBA history to exceed 900 made 3-pointers and 900 blocks in his career, joining teammate Al Horford on this prestigious list.
- Postseason Update (BOS ↔️): The Celtics maintain 2nd place in the East, trailing the top-seeded Cavs by 6.5 games while holding a 6-game lead over the Knicks in 3rd.
Hawks 134, Hornets 102: Trae Young (31 pts, 5 3 PMs, 8 ast, 3 stl) and Dyson Daniels (22 pts, 10-12 FG, 7 ast, 3 stl) directed the Hawks to a decisive win, breaking a three-game losing streak. | Recap
- Consistent Performance: This marks Young’s 131st career game with at least 30 points and 8 assists, second only to Luka DonÄŤić (133) since both players entered the league in 2018.
- Defensive Endeavors: Daniels has amassed 194 steals this season, the highest in the last 15 years—surpassing the previous record of 216 set by Chris Paul in the 2008-09 season.
- Historic Pace: With 233 steals on track, Daniels could achieve a feat not seen since 1991-92, potentially becoming just the 8th player to do so. | Daniels Explains His Techniques
- Postseason Picture (ATL ↔️): With the victory, the Hawks remain in 7th place in the East, gaining a full game on the 8th-place Magic.
3. TONIGHT’S ESPN MATCHUPS: PISTONS AT HEAT, LAKERS HOST NUGGETS
Postseason action is back in Motown for the first time since 2019, as the Pistons secured a playoff berth on Monday, ensuring they won’t finish lower than 10th in the East. They aim to maintain their momentum against Miami tonight (7:30 ET).
- In Playoffs Contention: The Pistons sit in 6th place, safeguarding a five-game lead over the Play-In hopefuls and only 1.0 game away from the 4th spot and home advantage in the first round.
- Timing is Key: Post-All-Star break, the Pistons rank 4th in scoring (120.7 ppg), blocks (5.9 bpg), 3rd in steals (9.6 spg), 2nd in field goal percentage (50.3%), and lead in defensive rating (107.4).
Cade Cunningham, the pivotal fourth-year guard for Detroit, has joined elite company with Luka Dončić and Oscar Robertson as the only players in league history to achieve 4,300 points, 1,000 rebounds, and 1,400 assists within their first 200 games.
- Pistons Coach JB Bickerstaff: “Cade is a remarkable leader… His ability to foster growth in others while improving himself is extraordinary.”
L.A. Showdown: The Nuggets (44-25, 3rd in the West) collide with the Lakers (42-25, 4th in the West) tonight (10 ET, ESPN), separated by just one game in the standings, both vying for advantageous playoff positioning.
What’s at stake tonight?
- A Nuggets Win: Secures the season series and tiebreaker over the Lakers, with a chance to move to 2nd (if the Rockets lose) or remain 3rd (if the Rockets win).
- A Lakers Win: Levels the season series to nullify the head-to-head tiebreaker, positioning L.A. for 3rd if the Rockets win or potentially jump to 2nd if the Rockets lose.
The Nuggets hold a 14-2 advantage in regular-season matchups against the Lakers since January 2023, and 6-1 in playoffs (8-1 total), though they are 0-1 against L.A. with Luka Dončić, who scored 32 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, and four steals in the last matchup.
4. LEAGUE PASS SPOTLIGHT: ROCKETS & WOLVES ON A ROLL
On Monday, the Rockets made a stunning comeback from a six-point deficit in the last 37 seconds of regulation, leading to overtime and extending their winning streak to seven games.
This is Houston’s longest winning stretch since last season, when they strung together 11 wins to fight for a Play-In spot, reflecting the potential of their talented roster.
Tonight, the Rockets will face the Magic (7 ET) in pursuit of their 8th consecutive win, while also solidifying their grasp on 2nd in the West.
Since their winning run commenced on March 3, the Rockets have claimed the 2nd spot for offensive rating (122.1), the 4th for defensive rating (107.5), and lead in Net Rating (14.6), illustrating their versatile success:
- Defensive Highlight: Holding opponents under 100 points in three games
- Offensive Power: Record-setting 146 points scored against NOLA in their 2nd win
- Resilient Comebacks: Rallying from a 25-point deficit for their 7th win
- Clutch Performances: Winning two games decided in the final minutes
Despite a sensational fadeaway three-pointer from Obi Toppin ending their eight-game win streak on Monday, the Timberwolves remain one of the hottest teams as the season comes to a close.
Tonight, the Wolves aim to extend their strong performance, targeting their 9th victory in 10 games against the Pelicans (8 ET) as they kick off a two-game series.
- Chasing the Warriors: Currently sitting just 0.5 games behind the 6th-place Warriors, the Wolves are intent on securing a top-6 playoff position.
- Outstanding Statistics: The Timberwolves are 2nd in offensive rating (122.1) and 4th in defensive rating (109.7) this March.
- Star Performer: Anthony Edwards ranks 4th league-wide in scoring at 27.6 ppg, a notch higher at 29.4 in March.
- Defensive Prowess: Jaden McDaniels boasts the 5th best defensive rating (105.7), while Naz Reid leads in Net Rating (21.2) out of 144 players meeting the participation criteria.
5. EXAMINING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF PLAY-IN SEEDING & TONIGHT’S MUST-WATCH MATCHUPS
As the SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament approaches with 27 days left, numerous postseason races are heating up during the last quarter of the regular season.
- Aiming for the Top: The top six teams secure guaranteed playoff spots, so those in the 7th and 8th places are striving to improve their positions and avoid the uncertainty of the Play-In.
- Seeking Entry: Teams not currently in the top ten are focused on securing a route into the Play-In for a shot at the playoffs, notably the Suns, who are just 1.0 games shy of the 10th-ranked Mavericks while both play tonight.
- Improving Play-In Seeds: Although seldom discussed, enhancing seed positions within the Play-In is crucial for playoff hopes, as history has illustrated.
Understanding the Format: Play-In games will feature teams categorized based on regular season performances.
- 7 vs. 8 Matchup: The winner claims the No. 7 seed, while the loser still has a chance.
- 9 vs. 10 Matchup: The winner remains in the fray, but the loser’s journey ends here.
- Final Showdown: The 7/8 game loser will play against the 9/10 winner to vie for the No. 8 seed in the playoffs.
Data from the inaugural four seasons of this format make it clear how pivotal seeding is.
- All teams in 7th place advancing have made it to the playoffs—most by winning the 7/8 matchup, while a couple have successfully navigated through as the No. 8 seed.
- No teams in 10th place have been able to reach the playoffs, with just two securing victories in the 9/10 game to reach the final playoff participant.
- Typically, 8th-place teams have qualified for the playoffs 62.5% of the time, whereas 9th-place teams have made it 37.5% of the time.
Tonight’s Featured Games: Seven teams are actively contending in the Play-In or are within striking distance of the 7-10 playoff spots.
- (7) Wolves vs. Pelicans (8 ET): A win for Minnesota would bring them close to the 6th-place Warriors in their pursuit of a top-6 spot.
- (9) Kings vs. Cavs (10 ET): The Kings are looking to close the gap with the 8th-place Clippers while hosting the Cavs.
- (10) Mavs at Pacers (7 ET): Can the Mavericks halt their three-game losing spree and stay in the Play-In zone?
- (9) Bulls at (11) Suns (10 ET): A win for the Suns, coupled with a loss for the Mavs, could elevate Phoenix into the Play-In. The Bulls, now at 9th, are attempting to overcome a 2.5-game deficit for a top Play-In position.
- (10) Heat vs. Pistons (7:30 ET): Miami seeks to end their eight-game slump and reclaim 9th place with a victory and a Chicago loss.
- (8) Magic vs. Rockets (7 ET): A win for Orlando would close the gap to just half a game behind the 7th-place Hawks.
