The race for the final West playoff spots

Written by Quixem Ramirez on .




6. Golden State Warriors (42-32)
With fewer than 10 games remaining, barring a minor collapse, the Warriors will likely remain in the sixth slot or, in a worst case scenario, in the seventh seed if the Rockets continue their blistering pace. Meaning a matchup with the Spurs is unlikely. This isn't bad news nor is it good news; Golden State is a volatile team -- in their last 20 games, they have drubbed their opponents, allowing 99.3 points per 100 possessions according to, which would be fourth over the course of the season -- and can disrupt even elite teams when Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson have space on the perimeter. But they are heavily flawed -- namely defensively, though they do allow the fewest attempts at the rim -- and until they dial down their mid-range attempts and distribute their shots more efficiently, they shouldn't be considered a legitimate playoff threat. (Note: Swapping super sub Jarrett Jack for Harrison Barnes may do the trick however; in a limited sample size, the Warriors starting lineup plus Jack has been incredibly effective, outscoring opponents by 12.3 points per 100 possessions.) But they will still be plenty fun.
7. Houston Rockets (40-33)
8. Utah Jazz (38-36)
9. Los Angeles Lakers (38-36)
Having won 13 of their last 20 games, the Lakers appear to be gelling at the right time. Although their recent play is encouraging, the Lakers have only been marginally better since the All-Star break. To compensate for a failing defense, which has regressed even more since February, the Lakers have upped their offensive pace. What resulted is an offense that is producing 107.3 points per 100 possessions, a mark that would be behind only Miami, Oklahoma City, New York and Denver. Defensive ineptitude aside -- Mike D'Antoni hasn't been able to commandeer his roster, which does include some halfway decent defenders, into playing active defense -- the Lakers have discovered a few positive silver linings; small-ball lineups including Earl Clark at power forward have been effective and, as long as Kobe Bryant doesn't jack up too many shots, the Lakers will Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sportshave little trouble scoring points in bunches. Integrating Pau Gasol is still a bit awkward, since Steve Nash, Dwight Howard and Bryant have already developed a healthy repertoire. Los Angeles should not be feared or overlooked at this point.
10. Dallas Mavericks (36-37)

Utah or the Lakers seem the weakest teams. But on the other hand, none of these teams have the strength of OKC or the Heat. So does it really matter?


@be_Spurs None of these teams should beat the Spurs in the first-round. That's obvious. But drawing the ideal opponent could shave off some unnecessary playoff games before OKC/DEN/LAC/MEM.

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