The Milwaukee Bucks clinched the final automatic playoff berth from the Eastern Conference on Saturday, hours before securing a 121-115 overtime victory against the Miami Heat. Their playoff spot was guaranteed earlier in the day after the Atlanta Hawks suffered a 121-105 defeat at the hands of the New York Knicks.
Against the Heat, Bam Adebayo led the scoring for Miami with an impressive 31 points, 12 rebounds, and five assists. Despite a strong performance from Adebayo, the Bucks ultimately prevailed in the extra period. The Miami Heat will now enter the play-in tournament alongside the Chicago Bulls, Atlanta Hawks, and Orlando Magic.
With the top six positions in the Eastern Conference now finalized, the focus shifts to the Western Conference, where a fierce battle is still raging for the remaining four automatic playoff slots. The Oklahoma City Thunder and the Houston Rockets have already secured their places in the top six.
The playoff race in the West intensified on Saturday following victories for the sixth-placed Memphis Grizzlies (who hold a 46-32 record) and the seventh-placed Minnesota Timberwolves (also at 46-32). Both teams grabbed vital wins, adding to the drama after the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors had also secured wins on Friday. The final playoff standings in the Western Conference are set to go down to the wire in the remaining games of the regular season.
