The highway to the NBA Finals now goes by means of Milwaukee. The highway out of the Western Convention goes by means of Denver, for the primary time ever.

And the remainder of the highest half of the Japanese Convention playoff bracket is now set as effectively.

The Bucks can have the No. 1 total seed and home-court benefit for the whole thing of their time within the NBA playoffs, after defeating Chicago 105-92 on Wednesday evening. Milwaukee is now 58-22 this season; no different staff within the league can get to greater than 57 wins.

“It’s only a credit score to the gamers,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer stated. “The gamers have actually stepped up. I feel they’ve embraced the problem. Evening in and evening out on this league, it’s onerous. There’s nice opposition. … To have the very best document, it’s one thing that issues. It is vital.”

The No. 1 seed within the West was determined Wednesday evening as effectively. The Nuggets can have home-court all through the West playoffs, after New Orleans defeated Memphis in extra time — and took away the final little bit of hope the Grizzlies had of catching the Nuggets for the highest spot out West.

The Bucks are a No. 1 seed for the primary time since 2020. Denver has by no means beforehand been a No. 1 seed.

Boston (55-25) would be the No. 2 seed within the East, clinching that Wednesday by topping Toronto. That locks Philadelphia (52-27) into the No. 3 seed and a probable first-round matchup with Brooklyn. The Nets (44-36) defeated Detroit and now want just one extra win or one Miami loss to clinch the No. 6 seed.

One other first-round Japanese Convention matchup was set earlier this week; No. 4 Cleveland will meet No. 5 New York. They will meet on both April 15 or 16 for Recreation 1, with the NBA playoffs opening that weekend.

Nonetheless unclear within the East is the order of the groups headed to the play-in match, which begins Tuesday.

Miami is the chief and at the moment in seventh, forward of the three different play-in certain groups — Atlanta, Toronto and Chicago. The winner of the No. 7 vs. No. 8 recreation on Tuesday (because it stands now, the matchup there could be Atlanta at Miami) will draw Boston in Spherical 1; the opposite staff to emerge from the East play-in match will open towards the top-seeded Bucks.

Clinching a seed now provides some groups the prospect to relaxation gamers earlier than the playoffs begin, and in lots of instances, that figures to be welcomed. The Bucks gained with out Giannis Antetokounmpo on Wednesday and with Khris Middleton — who has battled accidents for a lot of the season — sidelined after eight minutes with a recurrence of knee ache.

“Now we get to take a breath,” Budenholzer stated. “I do not know what we’ll do Friday and Sunday.”

Chicago will likely be on the highway to open the play-in match; the Bulls are locked into No. 10 within the East and can go to whichever staff finishes ninth — Toronto or Atlanta.

And when the playoffs begin for the Bucks, they’ll attempt to defy some latest traits. There hasn’t been a No. 1 seed to win the East title since Cleveland in 2016, and no staff with the very best regular-season document has gone on to win the NBA Finals since Golden State in 2017.

“I feel we’re prepared, well-prepared,” Bucks guard Jrue Vacation stated. “I feel we’ve been by means of lots … actually excited to be going into the postseason.”

WHAT’S LEFT

Many of the drama stays within the West, the place Denver, Memphis, Sacramento and Phoenix have clinched playoff spots — and eight groups are nonetheless within the working for the six remaining playoff or play-in berths.

Defending champion Golden State, the Los Angeles Clippers, the Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans and Minnesota can do no worse than make the play-in match. Oklahoma Metropolis, Dallas and Utah are all vying for play-in berths.

Dallas helped itself Wednesday by topping Sacramento 123-119. The Mavericks (38-42) remained eleventh, however at the moment are tied with No. 10 Oklahoma Metropolis, each groups with two video games left. New Orleans’ win assured the Pelicans of no worse than a play-in berth.

“Is that this loopy or what?” Pelicans broadcaster Joel Meyers mused after New Orleans’ extra time win.

Out West, count on the loopy to proceed during the regular-season finales on Sunday.