Johnny Flores: Instead of focusing on the battle for the top spot in the Western Conference, I’m more interested in the competition between teams vying for a spot in the Play-In Tournament. As of now, if the season were to end, the Phoenix Suns and the Dallas Mavericks would face off as the 7th and 8th seeds, respectively, while the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors would face off as the 9th and 10th seeds. These games boast incredible talent and are sure to be must-watch TV.
“It’s a battle to avoid the play-in games. Currently, there are two races happening. In the Eastern Conference, only 3.5 games separate the fourth place Knicks from the eighth place Heat. In the Western Conference, only two games separate the fifth place Pelicans from the eighth place Mavericks.”
Apart from that, however, everything is still open to being decided. As we prepare for the upcoming exciting weeks of basketball, here’s a rundown of the playoff races that our experts are monitoring closely.
As we head into the end of the week, the high-performing Nuggets and Thunder both hold a record of 46-20, with a slight advantage over the Timberwolves who will be missing Karl-Anthony Towns for the rest of the regular season. The Nuggets have a history of winning and have shown a noticeable improvement after the All-Star break, with an easier schedule ahead, making them a top contender. However, at this point, it’s difficult to determine who will come out on top.
However, the real excitement lies in the Play-In Tournament structure, as the team placed seventh or eighth only needs to win one game to move on to the Western Conference playoffs. The team that emerges victorious from the ninth and tenth seeds must win two games, with the final showdown between the loser of the previous matchup. If you happen to be one of the star players such as LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Kevin Durant, or Stephen Curry, it is likely that you would want more than one opportunity to secure a spot in the playoffs, rather than risking elimination in a single game.
The 2023-24 NBA regular season will end in less than a month on April 14. On this final day, all 30 teams will play, leading to potentially exciting finishes in the standings. There are still undecided races to look forward to based on the current standings.
Currently, Phoenix and Dallas are only separated by half of a game in terms of potentially hosting a game. The No. 7 seed, Los Angeles, is currently 2.5 games away while Golden State is 3.5 games behind. Any of these teams have a chance to make it to the Western Conference Finals, but the Play-In Tournament and its seeding will be their first obstacle to overcome.
Assuming the current standings, the postseason qualifiers would be the Knicks, Magic, Pacers, Pelicans, and Kings. On the other hand, the 76ers, Heat, Suns, and Mavericks would have to go through the play-in round, a scenario that was not anticipated by many people. Last season, Miami surprisingly reached the Finals despite being ranked seventh in the regular season and losing the no.7 vs. no.8 game. However, it should not be overlooked that the chances of progressing in the playoffs are significantly greater for teams that do not have to go through the play-in.
Jack Maloney believes that the three-team competition for the top spot in the Western Conference is the most important race due to the high stakes involved. The disparity between securing the number one seed, which guarantees home-court advantage for the entire Western playoffs, and the third seed, which only promises home-court advantage in the first round, is significant. This also doesn’t account for the level of opponents faced. The team who clinches the top spot will avoid playing the other top-three teams until the conference finals, while the second and third seeds will have to compete against each other to reach that point.
The teams who have secured spots in the lottery are probably determined in both the Eastern and Western conferences. In the East, the Atlanta Hawks currently have a 3.5-game advantage over the Brooklyn Nets for the 10th spot and the last spot in the Play-In Tournament. Meanwhile, in the Western Conference, the Golden State Warriors also hold a 3.5 game lead over the Houston Rockets for 10th place.
As we head into the last month of the season, the Boston Celtics with a record of 52-14 are the sole team to have secured a spot in the playoffs. They are dominating the Eastern Conference and hold the top record in the entire league, with a lead of 9.5 games and 6 games, respectively.
