NBA: 30 reasons to be excited for 2019-20 season

13. Race for 8th out West

It’s no secret the Western Conference reigns supreme in the NBA, leaving only so many playoff spots available for a handful of worthy teams. This has created a yearly game within the game, where the race for that final postseason spot always leaves at least one team in disappointment.

Of the eight teams that qualified for the playoffs in 2018-19, at least seven of them are either locks or will be right in the mix — the OKC Thunder are a tossup until we see their new-look roster. This doesn’t include the Los Angeles Lakers, who after acquiring Anthony Davis have sights set far higher than simply ending their six-year drought.

That leaves a total of zero open spots for success-starved teams like the Sacramento Kings, Dallas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves. Even the New Orleans Pelicans, with all their offseason additions, believe in their ability to compete at a level that will have them in the conversation.

If there is a reigning playoff team to be on the outside looking in — excluding OKC — a popular pick is the San Antonio Spurs given their lack of overwhelming star power. That being said, doubting Gregg Popovich has been a frivolous game played for the last few seasons.

The margin for error is slim and that’s simply to throw your name in the mix. The aforementioned up-and-comers would love nothing more than to qualify for the playoffs. Barring a massive injury, it’ll be an entertainingly hard-fought year-long competition that could very well come down to the final days of the regular season.