NBA Western Conference Playoff Picture: Predicting Final Seedings and Records
The Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers seem locked in a two-team race to represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals.
The Lakers have a somewhat comfortable 5.5-game lead over the No. 2-seeded Clippers, who need to remain steady as the Denver Nuggets sit 1.5 games behind them in third spot. Head coach Mike Malone's squad could break up the Los Angeles teams' stronghold on the conference.
In the middle of the standings, we could see some movement because of a surge from an intriguing club with a key player who's healthier now than he's been over the last two seasons.
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Two teams at the bottom of the bracket may have to play a couple of extra games to claim the final seed. Will the fans see two of the top rookies go head-to-head for a playoff spot?
Let's take a look at seeding and record projections for the West as teams prepare for exhibition games Wednesday.
Western Conference
1. Los Angeles Lakers (56-15)
2. Los Angeles Clippers (51-21)
3. Denver Nuggets (48-25)
4. Utah Jazz (46-26)
5. Dallas Mavericks (45-30)
6. Houston Rockets (44-28)
7. Oklahoma City Thunder (43-29)
8. New Orleans Pelicans (33-39)
9. Memphis Grizzlies (34-39)
10. Sacramento Kings (32-40)
11. Portland Trail Blazers (32-42)
12. San Antonio Spurs (28-43)
13. Phoenix Suns (27-46)
Los Angeles Clippers Hold on to No. 2 Seed
The Clippers have too much ground to cover for a shot at the No. 1 seed. With LeBron James and Anthony Davis healthy, the Purple and Gold should finish strong going into the playoffs.
The Clippers cannot go into cruise control with the Nuggets on their heels. With that said, Los Angeles will have Kawhi Leonard and Paul George to close out as the No. 2 seed in the conference.
George provided an encouraging update on his condition, specifically his surgically-repaired shoulders (h/t Jovan Buha of The Athletic).
"I'm feeling back to myself again," George said.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, Montrezl Harrell had to leave the bubble for a family emergency. Still, the Clippers have enough firepower with their two star forwards and three-time Sixth Man of the Year Lou Williams ready for action. At some point, sharpshooting guard Landry Shamet, who tested positive for COVID-19, could rejoin the club.
Dallas Mavericks Slide into the No. 5 Spot
Keep an eye on the Dallas Mavericks. This squad could leapfrog a couple of teams in the final eight games.
Head coach Rick Carlisle has an emerging star in Luka Doncic, who's an All-Star averaging 28.7 points, 9.3 rebounds and 8.7 assists per contest. In the frontcourt, Kristaps Porzingis has range on his shot, knocking down 2.5 triples per outing, and gives great effort on defense. He's seventh in blocked shots (106) this season.
Almost two years removed from a torn ACL, Porzingis is in good shape, per Callie Caplan of the Dallas Morning News.
"I knew if we had the chance [to resume the season], I had to be ready physically, mentally and in every other aspect, so I stayed ready the whole time,” Porzingis said. "I feel great physically, super excited. Mentally, I'm there. I was able to heal little things I had going on, and I’m super excited to get back on the court."
Porzingis thinks the Mavericks can exceed outside expectations.
"We don't want to try to go too far ahead," he said. "But I think all of our mindsets are that we’re a dangerous team, and I think we can surprise people."
Along with their two stars, the Mavericks have a sharpshooter who picks his spots beyond the arc. Seth Curry has converted on 45 percent of his three-point attempts. He's carved out a solid role on a talented Dallas team that's capable of winning a playoff series.
New Orleans Pelicans Take Over Eighth Seed
The New Orleans Pelicans won't have their young phenom to restart the season. Zion Williamson left the team for an "urgent family medical matter." Since he's out with an excused absence, the 20-year-old forward will need to quarantine for 10 days upon his return.
Even if Williamson misses more than a few games, the Pelicans can still take advantage of the easiest remaining schedule based on opponent winning percentage:
After games against the Utah Jazz and Clippers, New Orleans will play against sub-.500 teams, including the eighth-seeded Memphis Grizzlies.
Without Williamson on the floor, look for Brandon Ingram, Jrue Holiday, a slimmer JJ Redick and Lonzo Ball to keep this club in playoff contention.
Ingram developed into an All-Star this season, leading the Pelicans in scoring (24.3). He's familiar with Ball, who pushes the pace on offense. While they have youth and vigor, Holiday and Redick provide balance with their experience.
New Orleans will pull within four games of Memphis for the eighth seed to force a play-in matchup. Assuming Williamson returns in time to suit up, we'll see a classic battle between this year's top two draft picks with Ja Morant on the opposing squad.
Overall, the Pelicans have a stronger roster compared to the Grizzlies. Holiday and Redick should come up huge with their big-game experience. If New Orleans pushes the pace, Memphis will struggle to keep up on the scoreboard.
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