Pacers, Bulls clinch final playoff spots in Eastern Conference

The Pacers won't know if their season will continue into the playoffs until Wednesday, the final day of the regular season.

For others, it was just a night off before a lot more nights off. "You have to play your game".

The Bulls, however, breezed to a 112-73 victory against a Brooklyn Nets team missing six players, while the Pacers cruised to a 104-86 win over the playoff-bound Atlanta Hawks, who rested five players ahead of the post-season.

Heat shooting guard Josh Richardson, who was in the starting lineup for the last 13 games in Dion Waiters' absence, had 15 points on 3-of-6 shooting from behind the arc, while power forward James Johnson almost notched a triple-double with 12 points, eight boards and eight assists.

Chicago continued to put the nail in the coffin on the Nets' season as they extended their lead to 39 points.

That resilience pushed the Bulls into the thick of the playoff race alongside the Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat, and a closing stretch that featured four games against the Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic opened the door for a return to the postseason party.

The Bulls will clinch a playoff spot with a win tonight or a Miami loss versus the Wizards. That helps. They're fighting for minutes. "I'm disappointed that I can't be out there personally".

"It's frustrating for me".

In the Western Conference, the one unresolved issue going into the final round was who would enjoy home court advantage between the Utah Jazz and the Los Angeles Clippers as they vied for fourth place. The Celtics are the sixth different franchise to grab the No. 1 seed in the East in the last six seasons - Chicago did in 2012, followed by Miami, Indiana, Atlanta, Cleveland and now Boston.

"When you come into the season, your goal is to make the playoffs", Wade told reporters. James was listed as having a right calf strain, and Irving has soreness in his surgically repaired left knee.

"I just said to a couple of guys, this was my favorite team that I've been a part of". Bradley Beal could play and he averages 23.1 points per game. There is a plan and the Nets have an identity. "And really, that's it in a vacuum: We're looking out for what's best for the Nets". That's my responsibility as a coach to look at it in that vein.

The Brooklyn Nets have already secured the NBA's worst record and will have the best odds to win the No. 1 overall pick (which will then be swapped with the Boston Celtics' first-round pick) in the 2017 NBA Draft.

The downside of this is it means huge upsets aren't as likely to happen.

"Maybe they're exhausted", Dragic said.

They became the first team in National Basketball Association history to pull off such a turnaround, and for the first time since being 2-2 they finally got back to.500 on the season's final night.

Jeremy Lin, Brook Lopez and four other Brooklyn Nets players are ruled out for their final game of the season on Wednesday against the Chicago Bulls.

Needless to say, they won't be resting anybody Wednesday.

Miami started the year 11-30.

"I'm not talking about anybody else but our team", Spoelstra said.

Except, this time it can have a huge impact on the rest of the league.

"I don't know if I've ever felt this way about a team before". "I think it's going to take a lot to figure out how to situate the schedule to most benefit the players as well give the fans what they want".