The Thunder clinched the No. 1 seed entering the Western Conference playoffs two-plus weeks ago, but the remaining 19 postseason seeds are up for grabs in the final week of the 2024/25 regular season, according to the NBA (Twitter link).
There isn’t too much drama in the East, with the Cavaliers and Celtics leading the conference for the entire season. Four other clubs — the Knicks, Pacers, Bucks and Pistons — are guaranteed of making the playoffs, while the Magic, Hawks, Bulls and Heat will be in the play-in tournament. But the final seeds are technically still up in the air.
The West is a totally different story, however. Five teams — the Nuggets, Clippers, Warriors, Timberwolves and Grizzlies — each have 32 losses, with the Nuggets holding a slim half-game lead on their competitors by virtue of having one more win.
After losing four straight, the Nuggets are currently 47-32, while the Clippers, Warriors, Timberwolves and Grizzlies all have identical 46-32 records. They are, in that order, the current Nos. 4-8 seeds in the West.
This is the first time since the current playoff format was introduced in 1983/84 that the Nos. 4-8 seeds in a conference are within a half-game of each other in the standings 78-plus games into a season, per the NBA (Twitter link).
It’s also just the second time teams ranked 3-8 in a conference are within two games of each other 78-plus games into a season, with the other also coming in the West back in ’17/18.
The 48-30 Lakers currently hold the No. 3 spot, but could theoretically end up anywhere from No. 2 to No. 8 (moving up to No. 2 would require the Lakers to win their final four games and the Rockets to lose their final three; Houston is guaranteed of being either No. 2 or No. 3)
If the Lakers hold onto the No. 3 seed — certainly not a given considering how unpredictable and close the West is — and there ends up being a five-way tie between the current 32-loss clubs, then the final standings would be as follows, according to ESPN researcher Matt Williams (Twitter link via ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk):
- Timberwolves
- Clippers
- Warriors
- Nuggets
- Grizzlies
The Suns have the league’s highest payroll, but are in imminent danger of falling out of the West’s play-in picture. Phoenix has dropped six straight and is three games behind No. 9 Sacramento and two-and-a-half behind No. 10 Dallas with only four games remaining.
Amazing
I think TWolves run it out with victories get that 4 seed
Way Den been playing they couold be play in
That GSW Clips game next Sunday should be amazing
What a good week to catch the flu
According to Tankathon’s strength of schedule, hardest to easiest, it is Lakers, Nuggets, Clippers, Grizzlies, Warriors, T-wolves. Nuggets and Grizzlies have been playing the worst in their last 10. Lakers are next. But, they have 3 road games. Warriors and T-Wolves are next. Clippers have been playing the best, in their last 10. So, T-Wolves, Clippers and Warriors get the last 3 spots. Lakers, Nuggets and Grizzlies are playin teams.
I know someone will say I am to high on the Warriors because of their game against the Rockets. The Warriors lost because of to many unforced turnovers, shooting 50% from FT line, and Curry going 1 for 10. How often does Curry go 1 for 10. The turnovers and bad ft shooting have been their downfall all season long.
*And Dray losing his sh** 4,000 times
Ya Cap, Greymond really loves mixing it up. I almost can’t blame him because I can’t stand the way Sengun plays.
Don’t get me wrong. He’s an All-Star 20 and 10 guy and every team would love to have him, but I can’t deal with the high elbows on spin moves, and the flopping.
He does pretty well for an undersized center but his style makes my stomach turn.
On a positive note, I think he’s not as bad as others with complaining about calls. Once in a while, but he doesn’t go overboard like some other guys.
Gary, I like Dray but I thought he was horrifying last night in all regards
Ari- Probably good point on tired, Hou is the last team in the league you’d want to face gassed
I liked that Sengun didn’t just not back down to Green (@ GSW) but just destroyed him, and let him know while doing so. He’s growing up in real time to the next level
Complaining about Sengun thats funny. He is just smart giving Dra his own medicine. Playing down low is a lost art.
People kinda overreact when it comes to Draymond. Rasheed Wallace had such a bad reputation that he got a technical foul for just staring at a Ref. He is a smart player. His tantrums are probably calculated.
Giants74, seriously? His techs (and 95% of his flagrant fouls) may be an unavoidable part of his game, but they’re overwhelmingly bad for the team.
There are, literally, zero instances where it makes sense for Draymond to intentionally draw a technical foul for arguing with a referee. It hurts the team. It also increases the likelihood of the league penalizing him more heavily in the future.
It may make sense for a normally well-behaved player like Steph Curry to deliberately draw a tech to draw attention to being fouled
@Giants74 yes Draymond is a basketball genius and a fast processor.
But he can’t control himself.
And he’s stubborn.
Funny. You proved my point. Great defenders get a lot of technical fouls. And Draymond is not the worst offender. You can look them up. Yeah. Rasheed Wallace had 41 Ts one season,and 29 career suspensions. Wallace was a beast in the paint. He had a reputation around the league. It led to the Pistons winning a couple of Championships.
It is like a brushback pitch in Baseball. It is a wasted pitch as far the count goes. And, can lead to ejection. But, it is a strategic pitch.
Yeah, Draymond has had a few bad incidents. He openly talks about it. He has continued to be in therapy since the Poole punch. And plans to continue after he retires.
You think the Pistons wouldn’t have won if Sheed wasn’t suspended 29 times? Interesting theory.
Umm…Rasheed played 15 season. The 29 suspensions happened over a career, not one season.
Giants74 aren’t you confusing a tech with a flagrant?
You get techs for arguing with the ref. That’s not a brushback pitch bro.
Thankfully, Draymond hasn’t had a game like that in a long time, but it was a reminder of those painful games where he turns the refs against us.
When a player, literally, screams at the refs for almost 10 minutes, delaying play over and over, his team is not going to get the benefit of calls.
Yes, all of that plus the rockets are trying to prove they belong. Every game means something to them.
Obviously, as the second seed right now they DO belong and they’re not about to give up that position and lose home court for most of the way.
A game just like last night means a lot to the Rockets and they showed up, had enough poise and got it done defensively.
Not to knock the Rockets, as Monte Poole pointed out, the Warriors didn’t do themselves any favors. Those unforced turnovers kill them every time. It leads to easy baskets the other way.
Gotta give Rockets credit. They are growing up. Plenty of talent there. I’m impressed how they are doing it now. Higher seed helps them. Still a young team in playoffs.
Another take: the biggest factor in the Warriors poor play against Houston is that they were exhausted.
1) They played 4 games against top competition in less than 5 days (time from beginning of Memphis game on Tuesday to Houston game on Sunday).
2) Travel made it worse. The effects of the compressed schedule were compounded by a 4-hour flight from Memphis to LA on Wednesday, returning home to the Bay Area after playing the Lakers for a Friday night game and Sunday afternoon game.
When you reach your late 30’s, the body eventually says no.
Excuses don’t belong in the NBA. Seasons is coming to an end. You are either ready or not. Rockets are not a proven playoff team. Still growing up. Have plenty talent that can still be better.
I’m not afraid to blame the refs for that loss to the Rockets – one of the most one sided travesties I’ve seen all year.
Curry going 1-10 without getting a free throw proves it perfectly.
With Murray out it could happen.
That Dubs/Clips game is gunna be another Kawhi masterclass with Kerr playing 15 guys who never gel together, rather than shorten his roster to 9 players like he should be doing
Play-in makes this even more exciting
Grizz have been falling since coach firing.
Grizz, TWolves, Warriors have easiest games left.
Warriors or TWolves can get that 4th seed. Possibly the 3rd seed. Lakers could go 1-3 down stretch.
It’s going down to last game.
Nuggets in trouble without Murray. If ever they needed HOF Westbrook …. its now
It may mean nothing. But, the Lakers play the Mavericks. Lakers should probably win it. But, you have to wonder if AD is going to want to seek some revenge.
I expect him to have a big game. All thats left this year for him. Mavs as a team have to show up for this game. Even if you loose.
Lakers “could go 1-3 down the stretch”, but that’s highly unlikely.
Lakers starters are resting today so they’re fresh vs the Mavs on the B2B, and then with a win over the (likely resting)n Rockets and Blazers and they’re 3rd.