How will the west be won? The uncertainty of the Western Conference is one of the most intriguing storylines of the NBA season, and as the regular season draws to a close, several playoff spots are still up for grabs.
The Golden State Warriors sit atop the conference, having already clinched the top seed in the playoffs. After the Warriors, however, parity abounds. Only two games separate the second-place Houston Rockets from the sixth-place San Antonio Spurs, and with five games remaining, anything can happen. Over the next week, the Western Conference playoff picture will begin to take shape, and the wild ride to the NBA finals will begin.
Although they currently sit in sixth place, San Antonio has the ability to move up in the rankings, something it desperately needs to do. They have won their last seven games, and as usual, Greg Popovich’s team is playing its best basketball at the most important time. For the Spurs to find success in the playoffs, home-court advantage will be important. For the Spurs to make the finals for the third straight year, they likely will have to go through Golden State. If San Antonio cannot find a way to move into the top four spots in the conference, it will have to play most of its playoff games on the road. For an old team, especially one that has played into June both of the last two years, too many road games could be disastrous.
A battle is also underway for the final playoff spot in the West. Only a half game separates eighth-place Oklahoma City from ninth-place New Orleans. Even without reigning MVP Kevin Durant, the Thunder could pose a problem for Golden State in a first round playoff matchup, provided that Oklahoma City can survive the regular season. Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook is having an MVP-caliber season, and a seven-game series pitting Westbrook against Golden State’s Stephen Curry would be thrilling to watch. The Warriors are the best team in basketball, but an early exit from the playoffs could be looming.
The situation in the Eastern Conference is just as open. Only one game separates eighth-place Boston from 10th place Miami. The Celtics have exceeded most experts’ expectations this year, and a playoff berth would be a well-deserved prize, but Paul George has returned for the Indiana Pacers, and with only one game separating the teams, Indiana has a good chance to make the playoffs. If the Pacers sneak into the playoffs, they could give top-seeded Atlanta trouble in a series. The Hawks play great team basketball, but in the playoffs, stars frequently take over games. Without a go-to player, the Hawks cannot afford to have even one player play poorly.
Likewise, if ninth-place Miami moves into the seventh spot, another intriguing matchup would be created. The Cleveland Cavaliers would play the Heat in the first round, as LeBron James would square off against his former team. The Cavs have been the best team in the East after their dismal 19-20 start, but they have struggled against the Heat this year, splitting four games with Miami. James often plays his best games in the playoffs, and the Cavs are a vastly superior team, but the pressure of a return to Miami and the determination of the Heat to make him regret leaving could lead to the downfall of the King.
As teams make one final push to secure playoff spots, one thing can be known for sure: the playoffs are sure to be a wild ride full of can’t-miss matchups.
