Re: All Western Conference Playoff Scenarios Entering Final Day Of Regular Season

[RealGM Wiretap]

Here are all of the playoff seed scenarios for the Western Conference entering the final day of the regular season.

• Oklahoma City Thunder: No. 1 seed with win over Mavericks combined with win by Nuggets, or win combined with loss by Wolves, or loss by Thunder combined with losses by Nuggets and Wolves. No. 2 seed with win over Mavericks combined with loss by Nuggets and win by Wolves, or loss combined with win by Nuggets and loss by Wolves. No. 3 seed with loss combined with wins by Wolves and Nuggets.

• Minnesota Timberwolves: No. 1 seed with win over Suns combined with loss by Nuggets, or win over Suns combined with loss by Thunder. No. 2 seed with win over Suns combined with wins by Thunder and Nuggets, or loss combined with either loss by Nuggets or Thunder. No. 3 seed with loss combined with wins by Nuggets and Thunder.

• Denver Nuggets: No. 1 seed with win over Grizzlies combined with losses by Thunder and Wolves. No. 2 seed with win combined with loss by Thunder or Wolves. No. 3 seed with any result combined with wins by Thunder and Wolves.

• Los Angeles Clippers: Clinched No. 4 seed 

• Dallas Mavericks: Clinched No. 5 seed 

• New Orleans Pelicans: No. 6 seed with win over Lakers, or loss combined with loss by Suns to Wolves. No. 7 seed with loss combined with win by Suns.

• Phoenix Suns: No. 6 seed with win over Wolves combined with loss by Pelicans to Lakers. No. 7 seed with loss or win by Pelicans.

• Los Angeles Lakers: No. 8 seed with win over Pelicans, or a loss combined with losses by Kings and Warriors. No. 9 seed with loss combined with loss by Kings and Warriors win, or loss combined with loss by Warriors and win by Kings. No. 10 seed with loss combined with wins by Warriors and Kings.

• Sacramento Kings: No. 8 seed with win over Blazers combined with loss by Lakers. No. 9 seed with win over Blazers combined with win by Lakers, or loss combined with loss by Warriors. No. 10 seed with loss to Blazers combined with win by Warriors.

• Golden State Warriors: No. 8 seed with win over Jazz combined with losses by Kings and Lakers. No. 9 seed with win combined with loss by Kings, or win combined with loss by Lakers. No. 10 seed with loss, or with win combined with win by Kings.

Via RealGM Staff Report

[shrink]

This is a little easier to read for some, explaining the outcomes for the top three seeds

MIN W, DEN W, OKC W .. #1 OKC, #2 MIN, #3 DEN
MIN W, DEN W, OKC L .. #1 MIN, #2 DEN, #3 OKC
MIN W, DEN L, OKC W .. #1 MIN, #2 OKC, #3 DEN
MIN W, DEN L, OKC L .. #1 MIN, #2 OKC, #3 DEN

MIN L, DEN W, OKC W .. #1 OKC, #2 DEN, #3 MIN
MIN L, DEN W, OKC L .. #1 DEN, #2 MIN, #3 OKC
MIN L, DEN L, OKC W .. #1 OKC, #2 MIN, #3 DEN
MIN L, DEN L, OKC L .. #1 OKC, #2 MIN, #3 DEN

PHX @ MIN: Suns have tie-breaker over NOP. They will compete hard to try to avoid the Play In, hoping NOP loses vs LAL

DEN @ MEM: MEM is locked into the 7th lottery spot, no reason to compete except for their fans. DEN hopes MIN or OKC loses, or else rests their starters to face OKC in semi’s. Without tie-breaker vs either MIN or OKC, most scenarios keep them in third seed.

DAL @ OKC: DAL is locked in as the #5 seed. LAC has the tiebreaker over DAL, so DAL can’t move up to #4. DAL has the tie-breaker over NOP, so they can’t fall to #6. No reason for them to compete, and rumor is they will rest their main starters.

MIN has two-team tie-breakers over both DEN and OKC, but OKC has the three team tie-breaker if they all end with the same record. This makes for the odd situation where OKC is in 1st now, they could win Sunday, and end up #2, (if DEN loses).

[Dubs23]

Prime example of trying to be overly clear but making things way more complicated.

[Alex_84]

Whatever happens, kudos to OKC. Who would've guessed they will be positioned this high before the season