In our new, updated version of NBA Weekly, Flashscore editors review the week that has just gone, looking back at their favourite moments from the last seven days in the world of basketball’s biggest and best league.
Here is what caught our editors’ eyes last week:
LeBron James steps up as Lakers secure homecourt advantage
When it was revealed that Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves would miss the remainder of the regular season, there was serious concern that the Los Angeles Lakers would fall out of the top four in the Western Conference and fail to have homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
However, they still managed to win three of their four games last week, led by the timeless LeBron James.
With the Houston Rockets breathing down their necks, LeBron stepped up. He scored 18 points in 16 minutes in the Lakers’ victory over the Utah Jazz in their final game, and before that, he averaged 28 points, 7.7 rebounds and 12.7 assists in their other three games.
He also reached 12,000 career assists, only the fourth player ever to do so.
At 41 years old, LeBron keeps defying father time, and after the Lakers ended the season as the No. 4 seed with a 53-29 record, they will now begin their playoff campaign against the Rockets.
A tantalising proposition that sees LeBron and Kevin Durant go head-to-head – potentially for the last time in the playoffs.
Reaves is unlikely to be back until the second round, while Doncic is aiming for a return against the Rockets at some point.
It is going to be tough for the Lakers without those two, but LeBron has proven that he will certainly do all he can to keep his team in the fight.
Tolga Akdeniz
Record-breaking Jokic and Nuggets head into playoffs on a roll
The Denver Nuggets closed out the regular season in dominant fashion, riding a 12-game winning streak while securing the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference.
Along the way, they also set a franchise record for most road wins in a single season (26-15), underlining just how consistent this group has been down the stretch. Up next is a first-round matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
At the centre of it all is Nikola Jokic, who added yet another historic milestone to his résumé. Jokic became the first player in NBA history to finish a season leading the league in both assists per game (10.7) and rebounds per game (12.9), continuing to redefine what’s possible from the centre position.
He’s not just putting up numbers – he’s controlling games. Jokic dictates the tempo, gets teammates involved, and makes Denver’s offence look effortless.
Denver also saw Bruce Brown appear in all 82 regular-season games this season, a quiet but important piece of their consistency throughout the year.
With momentum building and their leader playing at a historic level, Denver enters the playoffs as a team that looks fully equipped for another deep run.
Natalie Csurillova
Rookie race down to the wire
That’s a wrap for the NBA regular season! After each team completed their 82-game slate, it’s time for the playoffs and the competitive, win-or-go-home climb to the top, where the coveted Larry O’Brien trophy awaits.
But the postseason isn’t the only thing to look forward to. The NBA awards are around the corner. This year, the race for the Rookie of the Year award was incredibly close, with both frontrunners heavily pleading their cases during the last week.
Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 overall pick, quickly emerged as a megastar for the Dallas Mavericks and an instant fan favourite. Despite entering the league as its youngest player, he’s played with the poise of a seasoned veteran from day one.
Flagg can do it all, displaying a breathtaking set of both offensive and defensive tools all season long. He averaged 21.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per contest. Still, Flagg found a contender for the rookie crown. And it’s his friend and former teammate from Duke, Kon Knueppel.
