NBA results: Thunder vs Clippers, Hawks vs Cavaliers results, standings and playoff picture

Chet Holmgren says he has stopped “trying to win the Super Bowl on every single play” after scoring 30 points and 14 rebounds to help the the Oklahoma City Thunder seal the Western Conference number one seed with a 128-110 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.

The Thunder achieved the feat for a third straight season and are on a seven-game winning run – losing one of their last 20 contests – as they prepare to have home advantage throughout their title defense in the playoffs.

“I feel like my understanding of urgency with patience has gotten a lot better,” said Holmgren, an NBA champion in 2025 and All-Star this season.

“Now that I’ve played a lot of games, I understand a lot more that just putting pressure on other teams over 48 minutes, they’re going to make mistakes and you’re going to find cracks, you’re going to have opportunities.

“It’s not always about trying to force anything on one single play, but more about having the right amount of pressure that you put on the other team to give them a chance to mess up – and just take advantage of the cracks during the game.”

Thunder vs Clippers: How Daigneault ‘inspires’ Oklahoma

Oklahoma have thrived despite an injury-strewn season including issues for the likes of Ajay Mitchell, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams.

Gilgeous-Alexander added 20 points against the Clippers and Williams 18, but Mark Daigneault has had to rely more on Holmgren because the coach’s ranks have been depleted.

“Adversity is never unexpected,” said Holmgren. “It pops up in different ways and injuries is one of the ways we’ve seen it this year.

“You can’t turn them into excuses and I feel like we did a good job of fighting through everything we saw this year. It’s paid off.

“Mark is somebody who inspires us not only to be ready to play, but to play a certain way. We can trust that whatever he’s telling us is right because he’s taking the time to really learn the game, learn us as players and think through what is most advantageous for us, so it’s easy for us to trust what he says and go out there and try and do it.”

Got to it on both ends tonight ↔️ pic.twitter.com/cqFFgvxqYa

— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) April 9, 2026

Holmgren’s haul included 24 first-half points. “I have a unique skill set and a unique, I guess you could say, body type,” acknowledged the 7ft 1in center or power forward.

“I’ve been given certain god-given talents, but I’ve also tried to maximize the opportunity that has given me.

“I still have a long way to go and I have to keep getting better. But those plays are pretty fun and they get me juiced when they happen, too.”

Analysis: Donovan Mitchell on Hawks vs Cavaliers

Donovan Mitchell scored at least 20 points in a 200th regular-season game to help the Cleveland Cavaliers extend the Atlanta Hawks’ losing run to two games – having won their previous four – at the Rocket Arena.

Atlanta were 67-56 ahead in the first quarter and would have tied if Sam Merrill had scored a three-pointer in the fourth, but the Cavaliers are now guaranteed to finish at least fourth in the Eastern Conference courtesy of a 122-116 victory.

“This team has been playing phenomenal basketball,” Mitchell told ESPN of the Hawks, explaining that Cleveland’s task had been to “just stay with it”, facing opponents for whom Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 25 points and Jonathan Kuminga posted 24.

“They’ve got a lot of talent. Just stay with it. They’re playing as well as we are for something. They’re competing.

“You’ve got to give them credit. They battled for 48 minutes, but I told my guys it’s all mental. Continue to find a way. This is a playoff-like atmosphere, playoff-like game.”

James Harden registered 21 points in Cleveland’s fourth straight win. “Sometimes his presence is just good enough,” observed Mitchell.

“That’s the biggest thing. In the timeouts and the huddles, he’s been that leader for us. We’re just continuing to better ourselves, and he’s been a huge part of that.”

Evan Mobley finished on 22 points and matched his career-best with 19 rebounds. “I told him that’s the aggression we’re going to need throughout the entire playoffs,” said Mitchell.

“The scoring is great, but my thing is the aggression. Continue to be aggressive on both ends of the floor. That’s what he was doing.”

NBA results: Cade Cunningham returns for Detroit

Elsewhere in the NBA, the Denver Nuggets are on a 10-game winning run and on course for third seed in the Western Conference.

Eastern Conference leaders the Detroit Pistons beat the Milwaukee Bucks 137-111 at Little Caesars Arena, where Cade Cunningham scored 13 points in 26 minutes on the guard’s return from a collapsed lung.

Here are the latest NBA results from April 8, 2026.

NBA standings, playoffs bracket: How the picture looks

If the regular season had ended after the latest round of games, the Miami Heat would meet the Charlotte Hornets and the Philadelphia 76ers would encounter the Orlando Magic in play-in matches.

The Portland Trail Blazers would face the Golden State Warriors and the Phoenix Suns would also take on the LA Clippers in those games.

The confirmed first round play-off games would include the Los Angeles Lakers against the Houston Rockets, the Nuggets against the Minnesota Timberwolves, a rematch between the Cavaliers and Hawks and the New York Knicks against the Toronto Raptors.

You can find the latest play-off picture and standings on the NBA’s site.