Hawks Celtics Knicks Fight For Playoff Seeds

The final weekend arrives with six clinching scenarios on Friday, all centered in the Eastern Conference. Atlanta and Boston can lock up division crowns with wins or favorable losses. Key games: Nuggets can grab West No. 3 if they beat OKC and the Lakers lose to Phoenix, while Clippers and Trail Blazers decide the West 8/9 spot. In the East, Hawks host Cavaliers and Raptors visit the Knicks. Cleveland trails New York by one game and would need a better final record to leapfrog them. The Knicks have a slim shot at No. 2 only if they win out and Boston drops two. Merlin sees real stakes and familiar storylines. A Hawks win would be their first division title since 2020-21, and a Raptors victory would end a playoff drought that began in 2022. The five-through-seven scramble with Atlanta, Toronto and Orlando promises high drama, and finishing fourth could be the difference between an early date with Boston or a clearer path forward.