NBA icon Paul Pierce thinks seven teams are already locked for the playoffs in the Western Conference, though his list noticeably didn't include the Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Lakers.
On Twitter, Pierce said that he sees the Memphis Grizzlies, Phoenix Suns, Denver Nuggets, Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Pelicans, Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Clippers making it to the postseason this 2022-23. Aside from the Clippers who are currently ninth in the standings, all other teams are in the Top 8 of the conference.
The former Boston Celtics star didn't include the Utah Jazz (no. 4) and Sacramento Kings (no. 8), perhaps because of the expectations on Utah to tank and the inconsistencies of the Kings. Sure enough, however, the biggest names missing are the Warriors, Lakers and Timberwolves.
Pierce is not saying it's impossible for those teams to make the playoffs, but his take suggests it would be difficult for any of them to topple the seven franchises he mentioned. With just one spot to fight for, there's a good chance that only one between Golden State, LA and Minnesota makes it to the postseason.
Of course it's still too early to predict the 2022-23 playoff teams with certainty, but it's easy to see where Paul Pierce is coming from. The Warriors are struggling with their defense and bench depth, while the Lakers continue to be in disarray with what's proving to be a badly built team.
As for the Timberwolves, their Rudy Gobert gamble has not paid off, with the team unable to make the pieces they have work in unison.
It remains to be seen who'll make the playoffs in the West, but Pierce might be right that the only question left is which team will be taking the eighth seed.
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