NBA schedule and results: Pelicans grab final playoff spot in West, Thunder eliminated

(The Nets won, making this moot by ensuring Miami will keep its pick barring an unprecedented lottery upset. But the games were simultaneous, and the Nets actually trailed most of the night. The scenario was in play until midway through the fourth quarter of Heat-Sixers.)

Via Basketball-Reference.com:

Sure enough, Oklahoma City left no doubt about its outcome early on, scoring 47 points in the first quarter en route to an 18-point lead. With that game already in the bag, the pressure was on New Orleans.

Things certainly got tense in the fourth quarter when the Spurs pulled to within four with 7:37 to play, but the Pelicans punched back and did enough to withstand the rally and nab that playoff spot with a 108-103 win.

Here’s a radial bracket showing the 16 teams in the 2015 NBA Playoffs. The white dots connecting boxes indicates which teams are playing in the first round and who winners will face in the second round and beyond. Win four rounds (16 games), and you get a neat trophy and eternal glory.

Check out all of our playoff coverage -- previews, predictions and lots more.

Here are all the first-round matchups. The dates, times and television broadcasts will be filled in as the official schedule is released. All times are ET.

Game 1: At Golden State, Saturday, April 18, ABC. 3:30 p.m.

On March 11, the Nets’ season appeared over. They had just lost their fifth straight to fall to 25-38 and 3.5 games out of the eighth and final playoff spot. They turned the season around, though, winning 12 of their next 16 games to climb right back into the playoff picture.

Lopez was instrumental in the Nets’ turnaround. The team’s leading scorer and rebounder is averaging over 17 points and 7 rebounds per game. He’s been on fire to close out the season -- since March 11, he is averaging nearly 22 points and 10 rebounds per game.

Indiana Pacers star Paul George fell to the floor during the fourth quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies after suffering an apparent left leg injury on Wednesday night. George might just have a cramp -- the team said he has a sore left calf and is questionable to return. After the game, George said he felt a pop in his calf, but that the injury was not serious and was only a calf strain, according to Candace Buckner of the Indianapolis Star.

The sight of George being carried off the floor by two teammates was obviously a scary one for NBA fans. George suffered one of the most gruesome injuries in recent history this summer when he broke his leg during a USA Basketball scrimmage, and he spent most of the regular season trying to get healthy from it. This was George’s sixth game back.

There’s been a history between Kanter and his former club. Like the time he said how happy he was to switch teams. Or that time he embraced a bunch of boos from opposing fans. And that one time he tried to light the Jazz on fire, but Booker gave him some verbal punishment then too.

Moral of the story: these guys just don’t like each other. But today, Booker laughed last at the season’s end.

So, is Mr. Westbrook celebrating his individual accomplishment? WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Fair enough, muchacho.

The Rockets won three out of the four regular-season matchups against Dallas.

Look at Hollis Thompson. Just minding his business, taking a breather and then NEWSFLASH. Joel Embiid is your new coach for the timeout period.

I mean, at this point, does it really even matter who gave it to him? Next time you know Hollis. When Joel grabs the clipboard, it’s game time. Son.

At least SOMEONE wearing a Knicks jersey won something this year!

And here’s the rest of the story:

Allen Iverson, arguably the greatest player to wear a Sixers uniform, got the honor of taking control of the Sixers’ official Twitter handle Wednesday. The only thing that happened after he logged on was greatness and everything good the world ever gave us.

But first, is anyone hungry?

Joey Crawford is mostly known for his prancing. That nimble footwork did not help the veteran referee stay upright in the opening minutes of the Raptors-Hornets game on Wednesday.

Crawford got up and appears to be OK, which is what’s important.