NBA Win-and-You're-In Games: Last-Day Playoff Deciders

Every NBA team enters the regular season hoping to reach the playoffs, but occasionally a postseason berth comes down to one final game. In some seasons, two teams have faced each other knowing that the winner would advance to the playoffs while the loser would see its season end.

These games have produced some of the most dramatic finishes in NBA regular-season history, with months of competition ultimately decided by one head-to-head matchup.

Before the NBA introduced its current play-in tournament format in 2021, a team's final regular-season game could directly determine which franchise claimed the last available playoff spot. The league's newer format has changed that situation by allowing teams finishing seventh through tenth in each conference to compete for the final two postseason berths.

The NBAHoopsOnline archive includes five notable games involving decisive playoff qualification stakes, beginning with the Denver Nuggets and Sacramento Kings in 1995 and continuing through the Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors in 2025.

Historical clarification: These five games do not all have identical qualification rules. The 1995, 1997 and 2018 matchups were traditional regular-season playoff deciders. The 2020 game was a special postseason play-in game during the Orlando bubble. The 2025 game determined direct playoff qualification, but the losing Warriors remained eligible for the play-in tournament.

April 13, 2025 — Los Angeles Clippers 124, Golden State Warriors 119 (Overtime)

The Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors met in the final game of the 2024-25 regular season with direct playoff qualification at stake. Both teams were fighting to avoid the Western Conference play-in tournament and secure a guaranteed place in the first round.

The Clippers prevailed 124-119 in overtime, securing the fifth seed in the Western Conference. Golden State finished seventh and was forced to participate in the play-in tournament, where it still had an opportunity to reach the playoffs.

This matchup demonstrated how the modern play-in format can turn the final day of the regular season into a high-stakes battle even when both teams remain in postseason contention.

August 15, 2020 — Portland Trail Blazers 126, Memphis Grizzlies 122

The 2019-20 NBA season was unlike any other in league history. After the season was suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the league resumed play at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, with a special format to determine the final playoff positions.

Portland and Memphis met in a Western Conference play-in game on August 15, 2020. Because the eighth-seeded Trail Blazers held the advantage under the format, Portland needed only one victory to advance, while Memphis needed to win twice.

Led by Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, Portland defeated Memphis 126-122 to secure the eighth seed and advance to face the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round.

This game served as an important precursor to the permanent play-in tournament introduced the following season.

April 11, 2018 — Minnesota Timberwolves 112, Denver Nuggets 106 (Overtime)

One of the clearest examples of a true winner-take-all regular-season finale occurred in 2018, when the Minnesota Timberwolves hosted the Denver Nuggets on the final day of the season.

Both teams entered the game with identical 46-35 records, and the winner would secure the Western Conference's eighth and final playoff berth. The loser would miss the postseason entirely.

The game went into overtime before Minnesota prevailed 112-106 behind the efforts of Jimmy Butler and Karl-Anthony Towns. The victory ended the Timberwolves' 13-season playoff drought, which had dated back to 2004.

Minnesota advanced to face the top-seeded Houston Rockets in the opening round, while Denver finished the season one victory short of a postseason appearance.

April 20, 1997 — Washington Bullets 85, Cleveland Cavaliers 81

The Washington Bullets and Cleveland Cavaliers entered the final day of the 1996-97 regular season fighting for the final playoff position in the Eastern Conference.

Washington defeated Cleveland 85-81, securing the eighth seed and ending an eight-year playoff absence for the franchise. The victory was particularly significant because it came during the Bullets' final season under that name.

Washington would become the Wizards beginning with the 1997-98 season. The Bullets' reward for reaching the playoffs was a first-round matchup against Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, who swept Washington in three games.

The Cavaliers missed the postseason despite finishing with a winning record, illustrating how narrow the margin between qualification and elimination could be.

April 23, 1995 — Denver Nuggets 102, Sacramento Kings 89

The Denver Nuggets and Sacramento Kings met on the final day of the 1994-95 regular season with the Western Conference's final playoff berth at stake.

Denver defeated Sacramento 102-89 to secure the eighth seed and advance to the postseason. The Nuggets were coming off their memorable 1994 playoff run, when they became the first eighth seed in NBA history to defeat a top-seeded team in a playoff series.

The 1995 victory allowed Denver to return to the postseason, although the Nuggets were eliminated by the San Antonio Spurs in the first round.

For Sacramento, the loss was particularly painful because the franchise was attempting to end a lengthy playoff drought that had continued since 1986.

Beginning with the 2020-21 season, the NBA adopted a play-in tournament to determine the seventh and eighth playoff seeds in each conference.

Under this system, the teams finishing seventh and eighth play one game, with the winner earning the seventh seed. The ninth- and tenth-place teams also meet, with the loser eliminated. The loser of the 7-versus-8 game then faces the winner of the 9-versus-10 game for the eighth seed.

As a result, the final regular-season game can still determine whether a team qualifies directly for the playoffs, but losing that game does not necessarily mean immediate elimination.

The 2025 Clippers-Warriors matchup is an example of this distinction. Los Angeles secured a guaranteed playoff berth, while Golden State was sent to the play-in tournament rather than eliminated.

For additional information, visit the NBAHoopsOnline NBA Play-In Tournament history page.

NBA Playoff History — Explore the history of the NBA postseason, including records, results and memorable playoff moments.

NBA Playoff Appearances by Team — Review postseason appearances for NBA franchises.

NBA Game 7 History — Explore decisive seventh games throughout NBA playoff history.

Most 20-Point Wins in a Single Postseason — Discover teams with the most dominant playoff victories in one year.

What is an NBA win-and-you're-in game?
A win-and-you're-in game is a matchup in which a victory guarantees a team a playoff berth or a particular postseason position. Historically, some final regular-season games determined which team made the playoffs and which team was eliminated.

When was the Timberwolves vs. Nuggets winner-take-all game?
On April 11, 2018, Minnesota defeated Denver 112-106 in overtime to clinch the Western Conference's final playoff berth and end a 13-season playoff drought.

Which team won the 1995 playoff-deciding game between Denver and Sacramento?
The Denver Nuggets defeated the Sacramento Kings 102-89 on April 23, 1995, securing the eighth seed in the Western Conference.

What happened in the 1997 Washington Bullets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers playoff decider?
Washington defeated Cleveland 85-81 on April 20, 1997, to clinch the final Eastern Conference playoff berth.

What was the NBA's first modern play-in game?
On August 15, 2020, the Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 126-122 in the special Orlando bubble play-in game to secure the Western Conference's eighth seed.

Did the Warriors miss the playoffs after losing to the Clippers in 2025?
No. Golden State lost 124-119 in overtime on April 13, 2025, and was sent to the play-in tournament rather than eliminated. The Warriors subsequently qualified for the playoffs.

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