NBA playoffs: Raptors beat Nets backups to secure East's final guaranteed playoff spot
Like other teams with nothing to play for, the Nets rested their starters and offered little resistance to a Raptors team competing with the 76ers and Magic for the East's final playoff spot.
The Toronto Raptors entered Sunday’s season finale against the Brooklyn Nets knowing that a win would secure the final spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Nets didn’t put up a fight. Playing against a Nets starting lineup consistently entirely of backups, the Raptors secured a 136-101 win to clinch the final guaranteed playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
And thanks to the Atlanta Hawks losing to the Miami Heat , the Raptors passed the Hawks for the No. 5 seed, sending the Atlanta to No. 6.
Magic, 76ers relegated to play-in The Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers also entered Sunday with a shot at the final guaranteed playoff spot, but both teams needed the Raptors to lose. The 76ers beat the Milwaukee Bucks , 126-106 and would have earned that playoff spot had the Raptors lost. The Magic suffered a 113-108 loss to the Boston Celtics.
With its win and Orlando’s loss, Philadelphia leapfrogged Orlando for the No. 7 seed and will now host a play-in game between the two teams. The winner of that game will secure the No.