NBA scores: Celtics only team to improve seeding on final day of season; Warriors at No. 3; Nets host play-in

Plenty was decided with all 30 teams in action for the final time on Sunday

The 2021-22 NBA regular season has come and gone, and there was plenty of positioning still to be determined on the final day. Now the entire playoff field and matchups are locked in, which sets the stage for one of the most wide-open postseasons we've seen in recent NBA history. 

In the Western Conference, the Golden State Warriors maintained the No. 3 seed with a win over the New Orleans Pelicans, while the Utah Jazz held onto the No. 5 seed by defeating the lowly Portland Trail Blazers. That means that the Dallas Mavericks will stay at No. 4, while the Denver Nuggets will enter the playoffs at No. 6.

Over in the East, the Boston Celtics locked up the East's No. 2 seed with a win over the Memphis Grizzlies. Down further in the standings, the Brooklyn Nets and Cleveland Cavaliers both won their games Sunday, giving the Nets the top spot in the play-in round as the two teams were tied for seventh entering Sunday's action. In the other East play-in, it will be the Atlanta Hawks (9) vs. the Charlotte Hornets (10) after the Hawks prevailed against the Houston Rockets. Below is a look at the play-in tournament matchups:

Matchups	Play-In Teams
East: 7 vs. 8	Brooklyn Nets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
East: 9 vs. 10	Atlanta Hawks vs. Charlotte Hornets
West: 7 vs. 8	Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Los Angeles Clippers
West: 9 vs. 10	New Orleans Pelicans vs. San Antonio Spurs

Eastern Conference playoff matchups

• No. 1 Miami Heat vs. No. 8 seed
• No. 2 Boston Celtics vs. No. 7 seed
• No. 3 Milwaukee Bucks vs. No. 6 Chicago Bulls
• No. 4 Philadelphia 76ers vs. No. 5 Toronto Raptors

Western Conference playoff matchups

• No. 1 Phoenix Suns vs. No. 8 seed
• No. 2 Memphis Grizzlies vs. No. 7 seed
• No. 3 Golden State Warriors vs. No. 6 Denver Nuggets
• No. 4 Dallas Mavericks vs. No. 5 Utah Jazz

Below is a recap of our live updates throughout Sunday's games.

[Apr 10, 2022 at 10:51 pm ET · Colin Ward-Henninger]

Halftime update

If things hold based on halftime scores, these will be the Western Conference playoff matchups:

1. Suns vs. 8-seed

2. Grizzlies vs. 7-seed

3. Warriors vs. 6. Nuggets

4. Mavericks vs. 5 Jazz

Play-in game 1: Clippers at Wolves

Play-in game 2: Spurs at Pelicans

[Apr 10, 2022 at 10:43 pm ET · Colin Ward-Henninger]

by the way ...

[Apr 10, 2022 at 10:38 pm ET · Colin Ward-Henninger]

The Mavericks are getting a scare from the Spurs, but it won't matter if the Warriors keep their lead and beat the Pelicans. Warriors will be No. 3 and Mavs will be No. 4.

[Apr 10, 2022 at 9:21 pm ET · Colin Ward-Henninger]

Eastern Conference Playoffs are set

1. Heat vs. 8th

2. Celtics vs. 7th

3. Bucks vs. 6. Bulls

4. 76ers vs. 5. Raptors

Nets host Cavs Tuesday for 7th.

Hawks host Hornets in the 9-10 game Wednesday.  

[Apr 10, 2022 at 9:06 pm ET · Colin Ward-Henninger]

Safe to say that the Celtics are going to beat the Grizzlies, which will make them the No. 2 seed in the East. They'll face the winner of the Nets/Cavs play-in game on Tuesday... That means the 76ers will earn the No. 4 seed and face the Raptors in the first round and No. 3 Bucks will face the No. 6 Bulls ...