It is no surprise that the Western Conference is the stronger of the two NBA conferences. The Golden State Warriors have dominated the NBA for half a decade. Arguably eight of the top 10 players in the league reside in the West. Heading down the stretch, there is still some work to be done to determine playoff seedings. The Warriors and Denver Nuggets are currently fighting for the No. 1 seed. The real logjam is at the bottom of the playoff race.
Only five games separate the seventh seed in the West from the 11th-place team. Three current playoff teams in the East are currently below .500. In the West, nine teams at or above .500 are fighting for eight spots. The Los Angeles Clippers are in the eighth spot right now. They are 35-29 and have a three-game lead over their immediate (ninth-place) pursuer. The Clippers traded their leading scorer Tobias Harris and got Landry Shamet in return. In eight games in Los Angeles, Shamet is scoring 11.4 points per game. Lou Williams and Danilo Gallinari are both scoring over 18 points per game. Montrezl Harrell has been a surprise addition for the Clippers as well.
There are a few teams that can sneak into that eighth spot in the West. Time is running out on the season, and it will be interesting to see which teams fall out of the race. Heading down the stretch, these are some of the surprise teams that can find their way into the playoffs.
1. Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota is the NBA team that annually turns out worse than expected. This season is no different. The Timberwolves are currently 29-33, in the 11th spot in the West. The Wolves are five games behind the Clippers. This team has the talent to make a run at the end of the season. The T-Wolves have had trouble putting it all together.
Karl-Anthony Towns was given a monster contract at the beginning of the season. He has made it look good so far. Towns missed two games recently due to a concussion, but he has been dynamite since returning. In his first game back, Towns racked up 34 points and 21 rebounds. He followed that up with 37 points and 18 rebounds and then 42 points and 17 rebounds. In those games, the Wolves went just 1-2.
Jimmy Butler was shipped out of Minnesota after some early-season drama. Since then, Derrick Rose has found himself.
Rose is scoring 18.2 points per game this season. He has shown isolation-based skills and explosive abilities that make a person think it is 2010. Andrew Wiggins has been his usual self. The Wolves certainly have the talent to be a playoff team, but they might have dug themselves into a hole that is hard to get out of.
2. Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers are the most intriguing team of the season. Why? LeBron James, of course. The King signed with Los Angeles in the offseason. So far, it has not been the match made in heaven that everyone was expecting. The Lakers are currently under .500 and outside of the playoff picture. The Lakers were automatically penciled into the playoffs because of James, but in the West, there is no guarantee.
James has missed some time due to a groin injury, but his numbers are still there. He is averaging 27 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 8.1 assists per game. The problem, on paper, has been his supporting cast. Kuzma is the second-leading scorer on the Lakers. This is not strong enough to make a championship push, or even a playoff push. Distractions have been present all year long. There were rumors that Anthony Davis was destined to end up on the Lakers. James' injury was a top story for all of January, and now he has been seen with rapper Two Chainz working on an album.
The dedication of James to basketball has been in question after he signed a four-year, $153 million contract. Despite all of the nonsense surrounding the franchise, the Lakers are still right there in the playoff race. They are certainly looking forward to free agency with many top players available. That does not mean, however, that they have given up on this season. James should never be counted out. The Lakers could win a round or two in the playoffs if they sneak in.
3. Sacramento Kings
Sacramento is in the ninth spot in the West, three games behind the Clippers. This is the team everyone wants to see. The Kings have not been in the postseason since 2006. All eyes will be on them if they get in. The Kings have a strong group of young talent. They are a year ahead of schedule, but will not shy away if they clinch the eighth spot.
The Kings' roster is full of players who were some of the best in the college game. Buddy Hield, De'Aaron Fox, Marvin Bagley III, Willie Cauley-Stein, Frank Mason III, and Harry Giles were all standout talents at the collegiate level. The production has not transferred to the pro level for all of them; however, they have become strong young players in some cases. Hield is scoring 20.9 points per game to lead the team. Fox has emerged as one of the top young point guards in the league. He is averaging 17.2 points and 7.3 assists per game. That is the duo Kings fans hope to see for many years in Sacramento.
Sacramento is currently .500 with just over 20 games left to play in the NBA regular season. The Kings have not played their best basketball in recent weeks, but there is still plenty of time to turn things around. If the Kings took on the Warriors in the first round, it would not be a close series.
The Kings have a future that is bright. They can be around for a long time in the West. As for the Warriors, their team might be blown up in free agency. There could soon be a lot of Kings fans around the NBA. This is an exciting team that will be a must-watch if it sneaks into the playoffs.
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