Giddey matches Jordan feat as NBA playoffs set, 'high level optimism' Aussie will play after injury

The Chicago Bulls are optimistic that Josh Giddey will be fit to play in Thursday's (AEST) NBA play-in game against the Miami Heat after the Australian star missed the final game of the regular season.

Giddey instead stayed in Chicago to receive treatment on his sore right wrist as the Bulls made short work of the Philadelphia 76ers in a 122-102 away win on Monday (AEST).

That left the Bulls with a 39-43 record and the No.9 seed in the Eastern Conference.

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Chicago need to beat the Heat (37-45) and then the loser of the play-in game between the Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks to qualify for the playoffs.

The winner of the final play-in game will take on the top seeded Cleveland Cavaliers.

Bulls coach Billy Donovan said there is "high level optimism" that Giddey will play against Miami.

Giddey finished the regular season averaging 14.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game.

Bulls PR said that made him only the second player in franchise history to average at least 14, 8, and 7.

The other? Michael Jordan, widely regarded as the greatest player in NBA history.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Clippers worked overtime to clinch a playoff spot and send the Golden State Warriors to the play-in tournament.

The final game to end the regular season was a big one for seeding in the Western Conference, with the Clippers beating the Warriors 124-119 in overtime to clinch the No.5 seed.

The Warriors fell to No.7 and will host No.8 Memphis on Wednesday (AEST), with the winner earning the No.7 seed.

Had Golden State won, the Clippers would have fallen to seventh.

But James Harden prevented that with 39 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds to cap an All-Star season for the former NBA MVP and give the Clippers an eighth straight win and a 50-32 record.

"We're a good team and we're excited to show the world," Harden said.

The West bracket wasn't set until a final day that had numerous teams in the running for numerous positions after the top three of Oklahoma City, Houston and the Los Angeles Lakers was already determined.

The Denver Nuggets regrouped after their chaotic final week that included the firing of coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth to secure the No.4 seed and home court advantage in the first round against the Clippers by beating the Rockets 126-111.

The Lakers, Nuggets and Clippers all finished 50-32, with Los Angeles having the tiebreaker to finish No.3 and start a series in LA for the first time since 2012.

The Timberwolves - who could have slipped all the way to eighth in some scenarios - instead landed in the No.6 spot at 49-33 following their 116-105 victory over Utah.

Anthony Edwards scored 43 points after stressing to his teammates the urgency to avoid having to play at least one more game.

"Like, we don't want to play in the play-in, because I've been in both situations," the All-Star guard said.

"We want to be fully prepared going into the playoffs. We want that whole week."

So did the Warriors, who have never won a game in the play-in tournament.

They would have finished sixth to set up another marquee matchup between Stephen Curry and LeBron James in the postseason and have just two days to shake off the disappointment.

"We're right where we want to be," forward Jimmy Butler said.

"We've still got an opportunity and we control our own fate. We're going to be just fine."

Sacramento is No.9 and Dallas No.10 in the West.

They will play in Sacramento, with the winner having to beat the loser of the Golden State-Memphis game to face the top-seeded Thunder in the first round.

There was no final day drama in the East, where everything had already been decided.

Cleveland is No.1 and Boston is No.2, and they will await the two teams to advance from the play-in.

The No.3 New York Knicks will face the No.6 Detroit Pistons, and No.4 Indiana will meet No.5 Milwaukee.

Orlando is No.7 and will host eighth-seeded Atlanta, with the winner advancing to face the Celtics.