The Golden State Warriors are looking to defend their title this year, but the road is looking a little tough for them. Amid all the injuries and inconsistency, they face the very real possibility to going to the Play-In Tournament. However, not all hope is lost for the Warriors' playoff chances. There's still a way for them to completely skip the Play-In and go to the playoffs. Here's how they can do it. (graphics via @NBAPR)
Updated Western Conference Playoff and Play-In scenarios through today's games.
Seeds 5, 6, 7, 8 & 9 ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/RBf48BWeHP
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 9, 2023
Amid the chaos of the Western Conference, one thing is clear: none of these teams are falling out of the Play-In picture. It's all just a matter of seeding. With that in mind, the Warriors' dream playoff scenario is crystal clear: win against the Portland Trail Blazers.
A Warriors win would guarantee a top-6 finish for them and an outright playoff berth. If they want to get the fifth seed, they will need the Clippers to lose to the intentionally short-handed Suns. However, even if they land at sixth, it's still a win for them. Skipping the Play-Ins gives your players a much-needed rest for the upcoming playoff run.
The real problem, though, comes if the Warriors lose to the Blazers. If that ever happens, the Dubs could fall to as low as the eighth seed. That scenario is possible if the Pelicans defeat the Timberwolves, and the Lakers win against the Jazz. In that situation, Golden State will fall to eight, and they will visit either the Pels or the Lakers (depending on the winner of Suns-Clippers) for the seventh seed.
So, to sum it all up succinctly: all the Warriors need to do to make sure their life is easy is to win against the Trail Blazers. If they lose… well, they'll need to start praying to every god they know. Beating a team without their star shouldn't be that hard… right?
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