With the latest win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Lakers have all but ensured they will be either third or fourth seed in the Western Conference. But the difference between the Nuggets, Clippers, Warriors, Timberwolves, and Grizzlies is half a game. They are ranked fourth to eighth. So, who gets into the final Western playoff spots and who has to fight through the play-in? Let’s take a look.
Timberwolves Over Nuggets? Tie-Breakers for Western Conference Playoff Spots
Here is a fun school of thought. If the Timberwolves have the same record as the Nuggets, they will be higher in the standings. But if they have the same record as the Warriors, they will be a lower seed. What happens if all three have the same record? Well, that will be a fun thing to see. The tiebreaker criteria are as follows: head-to-head record and then better record in games with the tied teams. With that in mind, here are some important tiebreakers.
- The Nuggets hold the tiebreaker over the Warriors, they are tied with the Clippers, have a losing record to the Timberwolves, and have an upcoming game against the Grizzlies for the tiebreaker.
- The Warriors hold the tiebreaker over the Timberwolves and Grizzlies, but they lose to the Clippers and Nuggets.
- The Clippers have an advantage over the Warriors, and Grizzlies, but lose to the Timberwolves and they are tied with Denver.
- The Grizzlies hold the tiebreaker over the Timberwolves, lose to the Clippers and Warriors, and have to decide the one with the Nuggets.
- The Timberwolves hold an advantage over the Clippers and Nuggets but lose to the Warriors and Grizzlies.
Who Has the Easiest Schedule?
With half a game between No. 4 and No. 8 in the West, the last few games are crucial. Teams that end up in the playoffs will get one more week of rest, while the remaining two will have to battle through the play-in. The fight for the last Western Conference playoff spots will come down to the performance of stars like Nikola Jokic, Steph Curry, Ja Morant, Kawhi Leonard, and Anthony Edwards.
Speaking of schedule, the Timberwolves have the easiest schedule remaining. While they have two tough road games, in Milwaukee and Memphis, they close the season with two easy games against two tanking teams: the Nets and the Jazz. the Warriors have the second-easiest schedule remaining among these teams. They have four more games, but three of them are against non-playoff teams, Portland, San Antonio, and Phoenix, and they have one game against the Clippers. Their last game will probably define whether they make it as a playoff team or a play-in team.
Notably, the Nuggets have the toughest schedule according to Tankathon of these West teams that are fighting for seeding, they also have the sixth most challenging schedule overall. They have three games left against the Kings, Grizzlies, and Rockets. The Grizzlies have two games against direct opponents. They have an easy road game in Charlotte, but then they play the Timberwolves at home and on the road in Denver and will finish off the season with a home game against the Dallas Mavericks. The Clippers have two home games remaining, against the Spurs and Rockets, and then they play on the road in Sacramento and Golden State.
Photo credit: © Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
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