The Milwaukee Bucks brushed off the absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo to defeat the Chicago Bulls 105-92 and clinch top seeding throughout the NBA playoffs on Thursday (AEST).
Bobby Portis scored 27 points, including six three-pointers, while Brook Lopez added 26 points, as the Bucks bagged their 58th win of the season to seal top spot in the Eastern Conference.
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The win means Milwaukee will have home court advantage through the playoffs as owners of the best record in the league this season.
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Wednesday’s victory, however, means the Bucks can rest their front line players through the final two games of the regular season, which wraps up on Sunday before the playoffs get under way on April 15.
“Obviously, over an 82-game season there’s going to be highs and lows, there’s going to be times when you struggle and times when you’re hot,” Portis said after the win.
“But staying together, building our habits on a daily basis, building our chemistry has been key, and hopefully we can take that into the postseason,” he added.
The identity of Milwaukee’s first round opponents in the playoffs will not be determined until the completion of next week’s play-in tournament.
Elsewhere on Wednesday, the Boston Celtics clinched second seeding in the Eastern Conference with a 97-93 win over the Toronto Raptors.
Malcolm Brogdon led the scoring for the Celtics with 29 points, while Jaylen Brown added 25.
Boston’s victory ensured that the Philadelphia 76ers will finish third in the Eastern Conference.
The Sixers are poised to face the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the postseason. The Nets all but guaranteed sixth place with a 123-108 win over Detroit on Wednesday.
The New York Knicks also enjoyed a big win over the Indiana Pacers by achieving an epic 44-year first in the victory.
For the first time since 1979, the Knicks had three stars chalk up 30 points or more in the one game as they marched to a fifth straight victory.
FULL RESULTS
Pacers 129-138 Knicks
Pistons 108-123 Nets
Hawks 134-116 Wizards
Bucks 105-92 Bulls
Celtics 97-93 Raptors
Pelicans 138-131 Grizzlies
Mavericks 123-119 Kings
Clippers v Lakers
