The Los Angeles Lakers have drawn consequences after a failed season. Even the last victory did not change that. Luka Doncic would have preferred not to play for the Dallas Mavericks. The NBA on Monday morning.
According to a media report, the Los Angeles Lakers are parting ways with coach Frank Vogel after missing the play-offs. This is the last time he has coached the team around superstar LeBron James, ESPN reported after the 146-141 overtime win at the Denver Nuggets in the final regular-season game. He had not been told anything in that regard, Vogel said of the reports.
The 48-year-old had won the championship with the Lakers in 2020. After a first-round play-off exit in 2021, the Californians missed the knockout round this season with just 33 wins from 82 games, finishing eleventh in the Western Conference. There is no clear favourite to succeed Vogel, ESPN reported. The coach will be officially informed of the decision on Monday (local time). Vogel still has a contract for the coming season.
Celtics in second place in East
The Boston Celtics with Daniel Theis – double-double in 26 minutes of action with eleven points and ten rebounds – have finished the regular season in second place in the East. The team is threatened with a first-round duel in the play-offs with the Brooklyn Nets around Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. The Celtics rallied for a 139-110 win over the Memphis Grizzlies to overtake the Milwaukee Bucks, who lost 115-133 to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Miami Heat could not be knocked out of first place on the final day of play, losing 111-125 at the Orlando Magic without their top players. Moritz Wagner finished with 14 points, 11 rebounds and five assists for Orlando in his final game of the season. His brother Franz was still absent due to injury.
Fourth place in the Eastern Conference went to the Philadelphia 76ers, fifth are the Toronto Raptors, sixth are the Chicago Bulls. The Brooklyn Nets secured seventh place with a 134-126 win over the Indiana Pacers. The Cavaliers are eighth, the Atlanta Hawks ninth and the Charlotte Hornets tenth.
Play-offs: Bucks vs. Bulls – Sixers vs. Raptors
The top six teams in the Eastern Conference have secured their play-off ticket. The teams in seventh to tenth place will play for two more tickets in a so-called play-in. The Nets will meet the Cavaliers. The winner of this duel is the opponent of the Celtics. The loser will play the winner of the Hornets-Hawks game for the last ticket. Whoever advances will meet Miami.
Defending champion Milwaukee Bucks play the Chicago Bulls in the first play-off round. The 76ers take on the Toronto Raptors.
Clippers face Timberwolves – Doncic injured
In the West, Isaiah Hartenstein and the Los Angeles Clippers continued to show impressive form before the start of the play-offs. In their final game, the Californians won clearly against the Oklahoma City Thunder with 138:88 and celebrated their fifth victory in a row. Hartenstein showed a solid performance, contributing twelve points, six rebounds and six assists in 25 minutes. The best scorer for the Clippers was Amir Coffey, who scored 35 points. In order to reach the play-offs, the Clippers, who are eighth in the Western Conference, have to go the way of the play-in tournament. There they will meet the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night.
The Dallas Mavericks paid dearly for their final 130-120 win over Texas rivals San Antonio Spurs. Superstar Luka Doncic (26 points, nine rebounds, eight assists) pulled a muscle towards the end of the third quarter in this meaningless game – his participation in the play-offs is therefore questionable for the time being. On Saturday, the 2011 champions will start with a home game against the Utah Jazz.
