標籤: seedings

Anything is gravy for the Los Angeles Clippers at this point in the season; Whatever they accomplish from here will already be such a huge win when taking into account where they have to start the 2025-26 NBA season. This Clippers team started the season losing 21 of their first 27 games, and looked like a complete bust. But then Kawhi Leonard turned in arguably his most impressive self to date and saved the Clippers from deep.

At the time of writing, the Clippers’ record is 36-36, meaning they have won 30 of their last 45 games. This is a team that cannot be underestimated, as LA has been stopped in its tracks by not making the slightest of roster changes before the trade deadline.

Now, the Clippers have faced a difficult situation recently. But they still went 9-5 in the month of March and managed to reach the eighth seed in the Western Conference – a scenario that would seem absurd to any fan of the team if this news had been delivered in mid-December.

But with everything going well for the Clippers, especially considering where they are coming from, some fans will be anxiously waiting for the other shoe to drop. After all, this is the Clippers franchise; There may have been some good moments in the team’s history, but bad luck somehow gets in the way of the franchise.

Ultimately, this is the scenario that any Clippers fan would dread as the start of the postseason and play-in tournament approaches.

Clippers’ nightmare scenario: Kawhi Leonard gets hurt before play-ins

As mentioned earlier, the fact that the Clippers have managed to rise from the dead in this way is already a huge win for the franchise. Never mind that the Clippers would blow up another first-round pick in the middle of the first round, the Oklahoma City Thunder. The fact that they have a chance to not accept a lottery pick is already a big win.

The Paul George business already has sunk costs. He invested a lot of resources on a team that had two to three years of competition experience and in the end, injury problems became too much for the team to overcome.

It would be a cruel twist of the knife if somehow, injury problems become the thing that prevents the Clippers from exceeding their lofty expectations once again.

Leonard, in particular, is the healthiest he has been in years. Last season there were signs that the 34-year-old star was in decline and that his career was on the decline. He had some memorable outbursts in the playoffs, but no longer appears to have the superstar ability to carry teams.

But Leonard’s knees look healthier than ever; In fact, it has been his ankles that have been giving him the most problems all season. For someone who has struggled with chronic knee problems, Leonard’s health has been quite a gift. It would be a shame if Leonard, knock on wood, somehow re-aggravates his knee problems that will keep him out of playing a tournament game or two for the Clippers.

Leonard’s injury problems in the playoffs are well documented. He tore his ACL in 2021, when it looked like the Clippers had the best chance to win the title. In 2023, George tore his meniscus after battling tooth and nail against the Phoenix Suns in the first round amid injury. And then in 2024, when the Clippers got a new lease of life with James Harden, Leonard was a strong player in his own right and was a non-factor in a six-game series loss against the Dallas Mavericks.

If Leonard suffers a serious injury, nothing could go wrong for the Clippers. This is the scenario that would cause the sky to fall outside the Intuit Dome and would put quite a spin on what has been a fun rollercoaster of a season for LA.

Clippers’ nightmare matchup scenario: LA slips to 10th, faces Stephen Curry-led Warriors

As far as matchups go, the Clippers should remain firmly entrenched within the seven to 10 range in the Western Conference postseason picture. They are 7.5 games behind the sixth-place Houston Rockets in the win-loss column at the time of writing, which is impossible to accomplish with 12 games remaining in the season.

The Clippers can still reach the seventh spot, giving them homecourt advantage in 7/8 play-in games. It’s suited for LA; They are 20-15 at home, and if they lose, they have another chance to make the playoffs in another home game against the winner of the 9/10 matchup.

However, the Clippers are closer to falling to 10th place than reaching seventh place. They are 3.5 games behind the Phoenix Suns, while they are just two games ahead of the struggling Golden State Warriors. There’s a chance the Clippers still move up to the 10th seed, especially as they have three games remaining against the Dubs (one) and ninth-place Portland Trail Blazers (two).

LA will want to avoid slipping to tenth place, as they will be forced to fight for their postseason lives on the road against one of two teams with a winning record at home. The Clippers are just 16-21 away from the Intuit Dome, which is far from the worst, but it’s not the most promising either.

What will be even more disappointing will be that the Clippers will be playing against a Warriors team in the 9/10 play-in game as Stephen Curry returns from injury. Now, there is nothing concrete yet about when Curry will be able to return.

But the Dubs are hopeful he can play before the season ends. And Curry, given how battle-tested he is, is not someone the Clippers want to face in a do-or-die situation on the road.

This season has been nothing short of a pleasant surprise for the Boston Celtics, but as fans and pundits gear up for the NBA Playoffs in the final stretch of the regular season, it’s fair to wonder if their luck could worsen due to seeding effects.

Currently, Boston’s 47–24 record would keep them as the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. If the season ended today, they would have faced a play-in team in the first round of the tournament. While there is no doubt that they will be able to overtake their opening opponent, the Celtics’ real nightmare could come in the second round if they fall in the standings.

As good as the New York Knicks are, the team that resides in Massachusetts should fear the most from the Detroit Pistons.

With the return of Jayson Tatum, the team is still learning how to play with each other and finding ways to integrate the veteran back into the fold. As a result, it would be less advantageous for them to fall to the No. 4 seed and face a team that boasts one of the league’s best defenses and thrives on a physical offensive style that likes to generate contact.

The Celtics’ recent 102-92 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves featured a similar dynamic. Despite being without Anthony Edwards, the T-Wolves outscored the opponent 26–15 in the final quarter and earned an effort-driven victory, limiting Setlex’s 3-point shooting in the process.

“So tonight was not an example of what we’ve been doing all season,” Jaylen Brown told Jay King of The Athletic. “We’ve been a hard-playing team, we’ve rebounded aggressively, and we’ve matched the level of physicality. I think Minnesota overcame that tonight. But it’s a good wake-up call. We get back into it, we look at it, learn from it and move forward.”

The Celtics should avoid a second-round showdown with the Pistons.

Detroit is without point guard Cade Cunningham due to a collapsed lung, but they hope to have him back once the playoffs begin. Through the first 71 games of their season, the Pistons have posted the association’s second-best defensive rating, while also attempting the second-most free throws per game.

Players like Isaiah Stewart and Jalen Duren are willing to play at a high level of physicality. It is not known how comfortable Tatum will be in such a matchup, or whether the Celtics have created enough consistency with him to compete against the team with the East’s best record.

If the Cleveland Cavaliers were to leapfrog Boston and claim the second or third seed, the second-round pick could theoretically force a meeting between the Celtics and Pistons. It may not be likely, but it could cut his season short.

The Knicks are a better matchup, regardless of home-court advantage

New York is clearly a contender and could be a threat to defeat Boston in the series for the second year in a row. But it can be argued that this year’s Celtics group is more balanced, assuming Tatum remains available. Even if the Knicks end up with home-court advantage in a potential second-round showdown, their style of play may be more manageable for Boston to deal with.

Like the Celtics, New York attempts 3-pointers at a high clip and boasts defensive strengths that primarily concern the opposing wing rather than centers. Both teams will likely play a close series, but Boston may have a solid chance to advance.

The Celtics have already dashed many expectations, but the wrong draw could end the franchise’s quest for a 19th championship.

The Denver Nuggets have been a Western Conference powerhouse for years. They have made the playoffs in seven consecutive seasons, and they won the NBA championship in 2023. They have also made the Conference Finals and are one of the most consistent teams in the league in head coach David Adelman’s first full season as the team’s bench boss.
He has a cast of stars capable of stepping up and dominating the playoffs, but the Nuggets haven’t played at that level during the regular season.

Denver has 10 games remaining in the season and are tied for fourth place with the Minnesota Timberwolves. While there was no reason to think Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon would lead the Nuggets past the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the regular season and clinch the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, they certainly have the talent and all-around game to take the No. 2 seed. However, he has been ignored by the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Lakers. As a result, they are left fighting for homecourt advantage against the Timberwolves.

It’s important for the Nuggets to earn home-court advantage

If there is no change in the standings, the Nuggets and Timberwolves will meet in the first round of the NBA playoffs. Based on their records and the way each team has played this season, the Denver-Minnesota series has all the makings of a seven-game battle.

This may be the best thing for the Nuggets, as Jokic will be forced to focus on the business at hand. He is a dynamic leader and has been with the Nuggets throughout his illustrious 11-year career. Joker is a fantastic all-around center, but he is also an avid race horse owner and may be distracted by the biggest races because he loves that sport so much.

The battle between the Nuggets and Timberwolves will feature Jokic battling against Julius Randle, and there will almost certainly be a battle of attrition between those two big men as they fight for key rebounds and position below the boards. Jokic is the better player and will likely get the edge, but he will need Murray to get the job done against Anthony Edwards. Murray is certainly a dynamic player and the challenge of facing Edwards will probably be his best effort, but in the end Edwards will have the upper hand.

Jokic and Murray have impressive numbers

Jokic is averaging 28.0 points, 12.6 rebounds, 10.6 assists and 1.5 steals per game. With 25.1 points and 7.1 assists per game, Murray is clearly a sensational partner on offense. Edwards is averaging 29.5 points and 5.1 rebounds per game for the Timberwolves, while Randle is scoring 21.0 points and bringing in 6.8 rebounds per game.

That’s why finishing fourth and gaining home-court advantage is important for the Nuggets. If they slip ahead and Minnesota gets the lead, it will be a nightmare for the Nuggets.

The Nuggets may also fall behind the Rockets and slip to sixth place

The Nuggets had just a half-game lead over the sixth-place Houston Rockets heading into Wednesday’s schedule. If the Rockets surpass the Nuggets and Denver moves up to sixth, a showdown with the red-hot Los Angeles Lakers will follow. The Lakers have won nine of their last 10 games and slowing down Luka Doncic will clearly be a top priority for the Nuggets defense. Doncic is averaging 33.4 points per game and is connecting on 47.4 percent of his shots.

Austin Reaves and LeBron James are key cogs in the Lakers’ offense as they average 23.5 and 21.0 points per game, respectively. The Lakers are playing their best basketball of the season and will be a tough matchup for the Nuggets. It won’t just be about Jokic and Murray if the Nuggets make it past the first round.

They will need a lot of production from Gordon, Peyton Watson and Tim Hardaway Jr. if they want to overtake the Lakers. Gordon is contributing 16.6 points and 2.5 rebounds per game, while Watson and Hardaway are averaging 14.9 and 13.8 points, respectively.

Falling to sixth place and meeting the Lakers may be another nightmare for the Nuggets.

It almost certainly can’t get any worse for the Nuggets. They have a four-game lead over the seventh-place Phoenix Suns, and that’s something Jokic and company want to avoid. Finishing seventh means participation in the Western Conference Play-in Tournament, and if they win the first play-in game it would almost mean a loss for the Spurs.

The rested No. 7 seed would have to meet the rested No. 2 seed in the first round, and that would be a nightmare for the Nuggets. It is very unlikely that luck will favor the team, but it is within the realm of possibility.

It may be hard to remember now, but the Golden State Warriors once had high expectations for the 2025-26 season. Their 2025 NBA playoff run ended in the second round, but that was mostly due to Stephen Curry’s hamstring injury, which the Dubs did not force him to return prematurely.

However, the Warriors’ injury problems went from bad to worse this season. In fact, his injury situation has been straight up one of his nightmares. First, an errant pass from Brandin Podziemski caused Jimmy Butler to go down with a torn ACL. And now, Curry is dealing with persistent knee problems that are unlikely to go away, considering he is already 38 years old.

The Dubs then complicated matters by acquiring Kristaps Porzingis, a man who is battling a chronic illness, and veteran big man Al Horford is also sidelined. Same goes for Moses Moody.

As a result, the Warriors have fallen off a cliff, and are now the 10th-place team in the Western Conference with a 33-36 record. This isn’t at all what the Dubs imagined their 2025-26 season would look like, and given the uncertainty surrounding Curry’s injury status, there doesn’t appear to be much hope available for the team as far as their competitive dreams this year go.

The Warriors will be hoping to make the most of Curry’s final comeback and at least qualify for the playoffs. However, things can always go from bad to worse in the NBA.

Warriors’ nightmare scenario: Finish 10th, lose 9/10 play-in games

If there’s a silver lining to the Warriors’ current situation, it’s that they’ll have to try and lose on purpose so they’re completely out of the play-in tournament picture. The Dubs are only 13 games into the season, and they are 8.5 games ahead of the 11th-place Memphis Grizzlies in the win-loss column.

Not only is this an insurmountable loss for the Grizzlies, but Memphis also has no incentive to do so given that they have embarked on a major rebuild.

However, it only provides cool comfort. They have gone just 2-8 in their last 10 games. They’re putting together a ragtag group on a nightly basis, and they’re playing in the background most nights. Curry is close to returning, but there is no specific timeline yet for when he will be back.

Another good news is that the rest of the Dubs’ schedule isn’t too difficult. According to Tankathon, they have the 22nd toughest schedule left, with only six of their last 13 games coming against teams above .500. However, the Los Angeles Clippers and Portland Trail Blazers, both the teams they are battling for in the battle for the eighth seed, somehow have easier schedules.

Combined with this and Curry’s absence, it is difficult to support the Warriors as a favorite for the eighth or ninth seed. The Clippers have faced another tough stretch (at least it feels like they have), and Benedict Mathurin will be sidelined indefinitely, but they have Kawhi Leonard and Darius Garland healthy. Meanwhile, the Blazers have Deni Avdija leading the way, as he has played in all of their last six games.

Getting the 10th seed would be a nightmare for the Warriors. For starters, it will force them to play their 9/10 play-in games on the road. This season, the Warriors have a 14–21 record away from Chase Center (compared to 19–15 at home). Facing a must-win situation without the support of the home crowd doesn’t sound very attractive.

Of course, the Warriors have the advantage of experience compared to the Blazers, and once Curry returns, they can definitely go head-to-head with the Clippers. The Warriors have gone a combined 2-5 against those two teams this season.

So in short, they are facing the teams they have struggled against this year, in a do-or-die situation, with the potential to do so on the road. And if they ultimately win those 9/10 games, they will have to win one more game, once again on the road, to book a first-round matchup against the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.

Still, it’s much more attractive than the nightmare scenario, which is that they’ll be eliminated from the postseason without a single win to their name. It’s just a sign that the end of an era for the Warriors is truly here, as if it hasn’t already arrived.

With only a month left in the regular season, it never seems too early to be discussing the NBA playoff picture. The Western Conference, as always, is very competitive, with a few teams clustered in the middle seeding behind the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs – with the Los Angeles Lakers jockeying for position against three other high-tier teams in the Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Lakers have had to deal with a number of injury problems, and there have been stretches this season where they have not looked like a competitive team in any way. Be that as it may, at the time of writing, the Lakers have a record of 40-25, which puts them in fourth place in the West standings.

Last season, it looked like the Lakers had a manageable first-round matchup against the Timberwolves. Minnesota swallowed them whole in the glass. There is no such thing as an easy matchup in the West, but some potential matchups may be easier than others.

Ultimately, this is a first-round matchup the Lakers will want to avoid at all costs.

Lakers say no to another playoff showdown vs. Nuggets

The four aforementioned teams competing for position in the West are playing musical chairs, meaning that every win and every loss causes them to change their position in the standings. Realistically, the Lakers could face any of those three teams in the first round of the playoffs, with the Phoenix Suns within striking distance of those four teams – so they’re also emerging as a potential first-round matchup.

But among those teams, the Lakers would like to avoid a first-round matchup against Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets for obvious reasons.

The Nuggets faced the Lakers in the 2023 and 2024 NBA playoffs, and the purple and gold could not challenge Denver. They were keeping the game closed, but the story was all too familiar; Jokic would take over and hit ridiculous shots, and Jamal Murray would make things worse by hitting clutch shots of his own to put the Lakers away.

It’s hard to think that anything will be much different with Doncic still on the roster. Doncic provided the Lakers with a greater offensive level and ceiling than when Anthony Davis was on the team, but their defense is now even more helpless against Jokic without Bro.

This was very evident in their recent clash; The Lakers had to resort to fake defensive coverages to slow down Jokic, and it’s hard to see that working in a playoff setting where the Nuggets can gameplan for Marcus Smart coverages as well as Rui Hachimura matchups.

That series will be an offensive bloodbath, but suffice it to say that the Nuggets have a more explosive offense and a better superstar in Jokic. Deandre Ayton is not the answer, and never was. The Lakers can probably win at least a game or two in this playoff matchup, but in a seven-game series, their lack of size and defensive problems on the perimeter will make it impossible to win four against Denver.

Their aggressive defense against Jokic will force a lot of turnovers from the Lakers defense, and it doesn’t seem like the best idea at all to have a team with a backcourt of Doncic and Reeves have to cover a ton of ground on that end of the floor.

As far as other matchups, the Lakers can definitely handle the Rockets and Timberwolves, and they have the talent advantage over the Suns if it comes down to it.

Houston’s offense can be a clogged toilet at times, as they have to labor to take open shots, which will work in the Lakers’ favor as they have two explosive scoring guards in Doncic and Reaves. Houston doesn’t have as many offensive weapons as Denver, which will shorten the rotation for LA, making life easier.

He has the Timberwolves’ number this season; They swept the season series and learned a lot from their embarrassing first round loss last season. Ayton has been disappointing down the stretch this season, but he has helped tremendously in Timberwolves matchups where he was dominant against Rudy Gobert last year.

Seeing how Dillon Brooks makes LeBron James’ life miserable, the Suns could be a difficult matchup. Whatever the case, Doncic has beaten Devin Booker and the Suns in the past, and the Lakers should have the best player on the floor in that matchup.

Ultimately, the Nuggets are looking like the worst possible matchup for the Lakers, and L.A. will be begging the West standings to swing in their favor in a month’s time.