Wild West: Viewer’s guide to NBA playoff race
With nine days to go in the NBA regular season, seven Western Conference teams are separated by four losses while vying for five playoff spots. Only Houston (62-15) and Golden State (5621) having locked up seeds and thirdplace Portland (48-29) are safe – barring a collapse.
The Trail Blazers have a three-game lead on San Antonio with five to go. A Saturday game at the Spurs looms large because it will establish the tiebreaker. Then again, maybe the Kawhi Leonardless Spurs falter and find themselves out of the playoffs for the first time since 1997.
A look at this wild West landscape:
San Antonio (45-32), 4th
Games remaining: at Clippers Tuesday; at Lakers Wednesday; vs. Portland Saturday; vs. Sacramento April 9; at New Orleans April 11.
Outlook: It remains unclear if Leonard (quadriceps tendinopathy) will play again this season, but the Spurs have won eight of their last 10 games. When they last missed the postseason, David Robinson (back and foot injuries) played just six games. But San Antonio’s 20-62 record helped it land Tim Duncan in that year’s draft.
Oklahoma City (45-33), 5th
Games remaining: vs. Golden State Tuesday; at Houston Saturday; at Miami April 9; vs. Memphis April 11.
Outlook: The bad news for Russell Westbrook’s Thunder? With Paul George’s free agency this summer hanging over their heads, they picked a terrible time to lose four of their last six games. The good news? They got that much closer to a possible first-round matchup with the ailing Warriors, who aren’t expected to have two-time MVP Steph Curry until the second round because of his MCL injury and would rely heavily on Kevin Durant in his absence. It’s safe to assume Westbrook would love nothing more than kicking the defending champs and his former co-star while they’re down.
Utah (44-33), 6th
Games remaining: vs. Lakers Tuesday; vs. Clippers Thursday; at Lakers Sunday; vs. Golden State April 10; at Portland April 11.
Outlook: First-round foes don’t get much more dangerous than these Jazz, who have the league’s second-best record since Jan. 24 (25-5, behind Houston’s 29-3) and the top net rating (11.6, ahead of the Rockets’ 10.6, per NBA.com/stats).
Minnesota (44-34), 7th
Games remaining: at Denver Thursday; at Lakers Friday; vs. Memphis April 9; vs. Denver April 11.
Outlook: The Timberwolves are trying to end the league’s longest playoff drought; they haven’t been in the postseason since 2004. If only they could get four-time All-Star Jimmy Butler back.
The Wolves star has been out since tearing his meniscus on Feb. 23, but – according to a person with knowledge of the situation – planned to take part in five-on-five action for the first time on Monday. It remains unclear when Butler will be back, but Minnesota – which has gone 8-8 in his absence – needs him in a major way. The person spoke to USA TODAY on the condition of anonymity because Butler’s practice session wasn’t publicized.
New Orleans (43-34), 8th
Games remaining: vs. Memphis Wednesday; at Phoenix Friday; at Golden State Saturday; at Clippers April 9; vs. San Antonio April 11.
Outlook: From a four-game winning streak to the current four-game losing streak, the Pelicans – who are 17-13 since losing DeMarcus Cousins for the season to an Achilles tendon tear on Jan. 26 – are playing with fire again. And considering the omnipresent question of Anthony Davis’ happiness level and the reality that New Orleans has been in the playoffs just once in his five seasons, it would behoove them to finish this job.
Denver (42-35), 9th
Games remaining: vs. Indiana Tuesday; vs. Minnesota Thursday; at Clippers Saturday; vs. Portland April 9; at Minnesota April 11.
Outlook: The Nuggets, fresh off overtime wins against Oklahoma City and Milwaukee, refuse to give up on this playoff mission after missing the cut last season by just one game. Still, their spirit and synergy at this late juncture should bode well for the future of thirdyear coach Mike Malone.
Clippers (41-36), 10th
Games remaining: vs. San Antonio Tuesday; at Utah Thursday; vs. Denver Saturday; vs. New Orleans April 9; vs. Lakers April 11.
Outlook: The post-Blake Griffin Clippers have lost seven of their last 11 and look like the favorite to fall out of contention.