As we hit the final day of the 2023-24 NBA regular season in the Eastern Conference, spots No. 2 to No. 8 were up for grabs as far as postseason play, opening up opportunities for every team to move up and down the standings.
The big losers of the day were the Milwaukee Bucks, who had a chance to lock up the No. 2 seed but were blown out by the Orlando Magic, falling to the three-seed and giving the New York Knicks the second seed heading into the playoffs.
The Cleveland Cavaliers were likewise losers on the day, getting blown out by a depleted Charlotte Hornets team to fall to the No. 4 spot in the East. Sure, they were heavily injured themselves but even so, that’s a brutal loss for Cleveland.
Check out what NBA Twitter had to say about it:
"Dame Time", "Lillard", "Dolla" em 2024pic.twitter.com/vbawLfYP0C
— Celtics Br (@CelticsBrr) April 14, 2024
Maybe the real Dame Time was the friends we made along the way
— Mitchell Kwapick (@THE_MFK34) April 14, 2024
Magic bench reacts to Thanasis’ missed dunk pic.twitter.com/VgRA6YhXCn
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) April 14, 2024
17-19 record as Bucks coach, it’s time for Mister Glenn Rivers in the playoffs pic.twitter.com/rXx4baKQAm
— Rohan Katti (@RKattiJr) April 14, 2024
The top playoff seeds should be rewarded with the ability to choose their 1st round opponent.
Intentional losing to drop a spot for a matchup isn’t as exciting as teams competing to win for homecourt AND their choice of an opponent.
It should matter the Knicks just beat the…
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) April 14, 2024
So had the Cavs not tanked today’s fourth quarter, they would have faced an easier first round opponent in Indiana AND avoided Boston until the Eastern Conference Finals. Legitimately indefensible. This franchise has major questions to answer.
— Ben Axelrod (@BenAxelrod) April 14, 2024
The Cavs fell apart intentionally to not clinch the 2 seed. I’ve never seen anything like it pic.twitter.com/4xBFQTHuWs
— Sir Yacht (@SirYacht_) April 14, 2024
The Cavs are ducking Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid pic.twitter.com/Ari24J2Rpm
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) April 14, 2024
The Cavs intentionally trying to stay at the 4 seed is hilarious because I don’t think it’s a certainty that they beat the Magic at all.
— Colb (@___Colb___) April 14, 2024
“The Cleveland Cavaliers have decided to part ways with HC J.B. Bickerstaff” pic.twitter.com/bPUfwehXNB
— Jonathan ⛈️ (@ChargersRuined) April 14, 2024
Hell of a job Thibs!!!! 🫡 pic.twitter.com/6gqrkjJN9p
— Billy…Knicks Fan (@fasho2k) April 14, 2024
KNICKS WIN. 50 WINS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A DECADE. MF’IN 2 SEED.
DONT MATTER WHO THIS TEAM SEES ROUND 1 THEYRE MAKING NOISE pic.twitter.com/oAfBUratmw— Alfy (@TheTrueAlfy) April 14, 2024
We can debate all day long if Brunson should be in the MVP conversation… but the one thing that’s not debatable is Big Body Brunson being 1st Team All-NBA!!! Carry the hell on…
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) April 14, 2024
Imagine not having Brunson 3rd or 4th in your MVP ballot. Dude been without his other all nba teammate since end of January and they’re a 2 seed.
— Jerry Ferrara (@jerryferrara) April 14, 2024
