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NBA Playoffs: Predicting West standings and compelling close races

By Duncan Smith

Apr 7, 2021; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) against Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell (45) at Phoenix Suns Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 7, 2021; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) against Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell (45) at Phoenix Suns Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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NBA playoffs
NBA playoffs Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /

NBA Playoffs: Predicting the middle of the pack in the Western Conference

4. Denver Nuggets (40-21)

The Denver Nuggets have been hit the hardest with injury woes of all the Western Conference contenders, losing Jamal Murray for the rest of the season and playoffs after he tore his left ACL earlier this month. In spite of this disastrous misfortune, they’ve kept the ship afloat and have gone 6-1 in the first seven games his Murray went down.

Mind you, two of those wins came against the Houston Rockets, who are debatably not an NBA team right now, and another came against the Portland Trail Blazers who have suddenly decided they don’t want to be competitive anymore. But still, the Nuggets had the opportunity to fold, but Nikola Jokic and company have not allowed for it.

5. Los Angeles Lakers (36-25)

No matter what their record or seeding, a LeBron James team will be a force in the NBA playoffs and a Finals favorite. This year, however, getting out of the Western Conference will likely be the toughest task James has faced outside of the NBA Finals themselves.

If the playoffs began today, they would face the Denver Nuggets in the first round, then perhaps the winner the Phoenix Suns and LA Clippers in the second round, and perhaps the Utah Jazz in the Western Conference Finals. The Lakers had a fairly easy path last season, comparatively speaking, but this season they will face a murderer’s row if they’re to come out of the West.

6. Dallas Mavericks (33-27)

As the play-in tier coalesces and the cream of that level rises, the Dallas Mavericks seem to have solidified their claim as the last non-play-in team. They probably won’t catch the Lakers, who have a 2.5 game lead, but they are 1.0 games ahead of the free-falling Portland Trail Blazers, 2.0 games ahead of the San Antonio Spurs and Memphis Grizzlies and 2.5 games ahead of the Golden State Warriors.

Luka Doncic took some time to get into form after the stunningly quick turnaround period from last season into this season, but he eventually got things in gear as we knew he would. There’s no MVP award in his future this season, but he’s probably going to have his team safe from the play-in, and all things considered, that’s enough.