West Watch: Lakers vs Warriors First Round Matchup

[kivancb]

5050 matchup if everyone is healthy

At first glance I thought you were talking about until which year Lebron will be playing professional basketball, and for a moment there the year 5050 did not seem that far-fetched.

[durden_tyler]

Lakers faltering recently and Warriors sort of as well. Lakers now down to 43-28 and the 4th seed and Warriors stuck in 6th at 41-30.

Grizzlies (43-28) have the same record with LA but are just 2 full games ahead of the Warriors.

Also, the Clippers (40-31) and Timberwolves (41-32) are tied for the 7th seed and just ONE game behind the Warriors. And the other half of the race (for 2nd seed), the Rockets and Nuggets are just 1 1/2 and 1 games ahead, respectively of the Grizz/Lakers.

Should be an interesting final ~10 games of the season.

The order of SOS from among these teams (not that it matters because we are seeing more and more rest again. LOL):

1. Lakers - 4th Toughest Schedule
2. Grizzlies - 7th
3. Nuggets - 11th
4. Rockets - 12th
5. Clippers - 13th
6. Warriors - 15th
7. Wolves - 26th

Highlighted team schedule above:
In RED, match-ups that involve teams against each other
In GREEN, projected EASY WINS, because lotto teams. LOL (But again, spoilers abound are expected just ask the Wolves and Lakers recently).

Here's the schedule of those teams:

LAKERS
@Indiana
@Chicago
@Memphis
vsHouston
vsGolden State
vsNew Orleans
@Oklahoma City
@Oklahoma City
@Dallas
vsHouston
@Portland

GRIZZLIES
@Utah
@Oklahoma City
vsLA Lakers
vsBoston
vsGolden State
@Miami
@Detroit
@Charlotte
vsMinnesota
@Denver
vsDallas

WARRIORS
@Miami
@New Orleans
@San Antonio
@Memphis
@LA Lakers
vsDenver
vsHouston
@Phoenix
vsSan Antonio
@Portland
vsLAClippers

CLIPPERS
@New York
@Brooklyn
@Cleveland
@Orlando
vsNew Orleans
vsDallas
vsDallas
vsSan Antonio
vsHouston
@Sacramento
@Golden State

TIMBERWOLVES
vsPhoenix
vsDetroit
@Denver
@Brooklyn
@Philadelphia
@Milwaukee
@Memphis
vsBrooklyn
vsUtah

[Mavrelous]

What a mess, last week I though 8 seed 50 wins is possible, not I think 3rd seed below 50 wins is likely...
We'll still have photo finish, but not as impressive.
Clippers look like the best team right now 2-8.

Bottom play in race is also interesting, 0.5 a game separates 9th and 11th
Kings
Suns -0.5
Mavs -0.5

[doogie_hauser]

Neither team will make the West Conference Finals.

Just making up the numbers

[floppymoose]

Its not even clear that LAL will finish ahead of GSW, let alone 3 vs 6.

[durden_tyler]

Its not even clear that LAL will finish ahead of GSW, let alone 3 vs 6.

You sure missed the point.

3 vs 6, 6 vs 3, 4 vs 5, heck 2 vs 7, it does not matter-- a Lakers vs Warriors series will be the most anticipated and hyped this year. Maybe in recent memory, since it's going to be possibly the last of LeBron vs Steph. (Heck we haven't even factored in Luka yet.)

[durden_tyler]

Neither team will make the West Conference Finals.

Just making up the numbers

No one is expecting them to. Well, except Lakers and Warriors fans.

[Optms]

Neither team will make the West Conference Finals.

Just making up the numbers

No one is expecting them to. Well, except Lakers and Warriors fans.

One of either team will make it. West is too wide open. Too much inexperience elsewhere. OKC is the only top horse in the race but they are gonna have to prove they are in the same tier as a team like Boston in the playoffs.

Willing to bet money on any team with Curry + Jimmy and Bron + Luka.

[doogie_hauser]

Neither team will make the West Conference Finals.

Just making up the numbers

No one is expecting them to. Well, except Lakers and Warriors fans.

One of either team will make it. West is too wide open. Too much inexperience elsewhere. OKC is the only top horse in the race but they are gonna have to prove they are in the same tier as a team like Boston in the playoffs.

Willing to bet money on any team with Curry + Jimmy and Bron + Luka.

I don't think Lebron has one final great playoff run in him tbh, father time has finally caught up with him.

[nomansland]

Matchups are still up in the air. Denver has 10 games remaining, including against Minnesota, Memphis, Houston and Golden State. Lots of potential swings just with them.

Of course they have the potential to win 3 out of those 4 games and then lose to Utah and San Antonio. Wouldn't surprise me in the least.

[durden_tyler]

~6 games left and the West race is as interesting as it was a week ago!

Current Standings:

3 Lakers (46-29)
4 Nuggets (47-30)
5 Warriors (44-31)
6 Grizzlies (45-32)

7 Wolves (45-32)
8 Clippers (44-32)
9 Mavericks (38-39)
10 Kings (36-40)
11 Suns (35-41)

Lakers vs Warriors currently playing tonight. Lakers need a win to stay in number 3 and loser will be in the 6-8 tied teams (or by half game)

SOS, ranked from toughest to no so tough, and Remaining Schedule:
*In bold teams within this race or against better/playoff teams, which we all hope won't rest their starters as they have virtually clinched spots already)
* In Green, guaranteed easy wins. (LOL if upset)

1 Rockets (vs Thunder, @ Warriors, @ Clippers, @ Lakers, @ Nuggets)

2 Suns (@ Celtics, @ Knicks, vs Warriors, vs Thunder, vs Spurs, @ Kings)

3 Lakers (vs Warriors, vs Pels, @ Thunder, @ Thunder, @ Mavericks, vs Rockets, vs Blazers)

5 Denver (@ Warriors, vs Pacers, @ Kings, vs Grizzlies, @ Rockets)

10 Mavs (@ Clippers, @ Clippers, vs Lakers, vs Raps, @ Grizzlies)

11 Kings (@ Hornets, @ Cavs, @ Pistons, vs Nuggets, vs Clippers, vs Suns)

12 Warriors (@ Lakers, vs Nuggets, vs Rockets, @ Suns, vs Spurs, @ Blazers, Clippers)

17 Clippers (vs Mavs, vs Mavs, vs Spurs, vs Rockets, @ Kings, @ Warriors)

19 Grizz (@ Pistons, @ Hornets, vs Wolves, @ Nuggets, vs Mavs)

28 Wolves ( @ Sixers, @ Bucks, @ Grizz, vs Nets, vs Jazz)

[durden_tyler]

~2 games left update:

Current Standings:

3 Lakers (49-31)
4 Nuggets (48-32)
5 Clippers (48-32)
6 Warriors (47-33)

7 Grizzlies (47-33)
8 Wolves (47-33)

9 Kings (39-41)
10 Mavericks (38-42)

Obvious takes:
- Clippers the biggest winner since last update with a six-game winning streak and rise to the 5th spot
- Grizzlies the biggest losers dropping to a play-in spot
- HOWEVER, ONE GAME separates the fourth seed from the 8th seed, so the next two games are still crucial for the teams involved. Tiebreaker scenarios likely to come into play...

Remaining Schedule:

Nuggets (vs Grizzlies, @ Rockets)
Warriors (@ Blazers, vs Clippers)
Clippers (@ Kings, @ Warriors)
Grizz (@ Nuggets, vs Mavs)

Lakers (vs Rockets, vs Blazers)
Wolves ( vs Nets, vs Jazz)

Those GSW vs LAC and DEN vs MEM final dates are marquee match-ups the last two playdates and could very well decide who gets the 4th and 5th spots.

- Nuggets could get lucky with a late meeting with the already locked-in-second-spot Rockets, who are expected to rest their key players.
- Warriors visit the Blazers, who are fighting for nothing but could pull off a (recent) Spurs-like upset over Golden State.
- Clippers get a Kings team who might also be looking forward to the play-in already before facing Golden State on final day...
- Grizz plays in Denver...

Lakers and Wolves virtually on the same boat in that all remaining games are *non-bearing* games for their opponents.

And oh, current standings, we have Warriors vs Lakers in the first round, wooohoo!!!

[Mavrelous]

Mem@Den is the key game, Memphis win will really complicate the bracket.

[_NoMas]

~2 games left update:

Current Standings:

3 Lakers (49-31)
4 Nuggets (48-32)
5 Clippers (48-32)
6 Warriors (47-33)

7 Grizzlies (47-33)
8 Wolves (47-33)

9 Kings (39-41)
10 Mavericks (38-42)

Obvious takes:
- Clippers the biggest winner since last update with a six-game winning streak and rise to the 5th spot
- Grizzlies the biggest losers dropping to a play-in spot
- HOWEVER, ONE GAME separates the fourth seed from the 8th seed, so the next two games are still crucial for the teams involved. Tiebreaker scenarios likely to come into play...

Remaining Schedule:

Nuggets (vs Grizzlies, @ Rockets)
Warriors (@ Blazers, vs Clippers)
Clippers (@ Kings, @ Warriors)
Grizz (@ Nuggets, vs Mavs)

Lakers (vs Rockets, vs Blazers)
Wolves ( vs Nets, vs Jazz)

Those GSW vs LAC and DEN vs MEM final dates are marquee match-ups the last two playdates and could very well decide who gets the 4th and 5th spots.

- Nuggets could get lucky with a late meeting with the already locked-in-second-spot Rockets, who are expected to rest their key players.
- Warriors visit the Blazers, who are fighting for nothing but could pull off a (recent) Spurs-like upset over Golden State.
- Clippers get a Kings team who might also be looking forward to the play-in already before facing Golden State on final day...
- Grizz plays in Denver...

Lakers and Wolves virtually on the same boat in that all remaining games are *non-bearing* games for their opponents.

And oh, current standings, we have Warriors vs Lakers in the first round, wooohoo!!!

If Denver beats Memphis and LAC beats the kings tonight the chances of GS making top 6 are almost zero (they’d need T-Wolves to lose to either Brooklyn or Utah). So the GS lakers match up hopes could be pretty much ended tonight

[-Spyda-]

Lakers in 5

[Andri]

If I were OKC, I will be praying Denver wins today. They will be favorites against any 8th seed, but the toll playing whoever is not Memphis will carry to the second round if they make it.

[Liam_Gallagher]

The Wolves actually control their own destiny now to avoid the play-in. If they win their next two, they're the 6 seed. It's because GSW plays LAC and MIN owns the tiebreaker if all three teams end with the same record. If LAC beats GSW, LAC likely gets the 6 seed.

[Mavrelous]

I think I got it.
Assuming all winnable games are won.
If Mem loses today, they are 8th seed.
If DEN loses today, they are a play in team, and very likely 8th seed.
P.S. Tried to get AI to do it, SOB refused and bitched that it's hard for it to determine the results

Denver has been 4th seed and above every day since December 31st except a single day at 5th early January, they can find themselves 8th seed! with a loss to Memphis, absolutely brutal.

Mem>DEN & GSW>LAC
4.Minny
5.GS
6.LAC
7.MEM
8.DEN!!!!

Mem>DEN & LAC>GSW
4.LAC
5. MIN
6. MEM
7.DEN
8.GSW

Mem<DEN & GSW>LAC
4. DEN
5. MIN
6. GSW
7. LAC
8. MEM

Mem<DEN & GSW<LAC
4. DEN
5. LAC
6. MIN
7.GSW
8.MEM

LAC, MIN and GS are rooting for Memphis today, Memphis win will make their game against the Clippers much less critical for the Clips (4th vs 6th seed for the Clips, much less critical than being in play in), MIN will have HCA if the dice roll their way.

[Liam_Gallagher]

~2 games left update:

Current Standings:

3 Lakers (49-31)
4 Nuggets (48-32)
5 Clippers (48-32)
6 Warriors (47-33)

7 Grizzlies (47-33)
8 Wolves (47-33)

9 Kings (39-41)
10 Mavericks (38-42)

Obvious takes:
- Clippers the biggest winner since last update with a six-game winning streak and rise to the 5th spot
- Grizzlies the biggest losers dropping to a play-in spot
- HOWEVER, ONE GAME separates the fourth seed from the 8th seed, so the next two games are still crucial for the teams involved. Tiebreaker scenarios likely to come into play...

Remaining Schedule:

Nuggets (vs Grizzlies, @ Rockets)
Warriors (@ Blazers, vs Clippers)
Clippers (@ Kings, @ Warriors)
Grizz (@ Nuggets, vs Mavs)

Lakers (vs Rockets, vs Blazers)
Wolves ( vs Nets, vs Jazz)

Those GSW vs LAC and DEN vs MEM final dates are marquee match-ups the last two playdates and could very well decide who gets the 4th and 5th spots.

- Nuggets could get lucky with a late meeting with the already locked-in-second-spot Rockets, who are expected to rest their key players.
- Warriors visit the Blazers, who are fighting for nothing but could pull off a (recent) Spurs-like upset over Golden State.
- Clippers get a Kings team who might also be looking forward to the play-in already before facing Golden State on final day...
- Grizz plays in Denver...

Lakers and Wolves virtually on the same boat in that all remaining games are *non-bearing* games for their opponents.

And oh, current standings, we have Warriors vs Lakers in the first round, wooohoo!!!

If Denver beats Memphis and LAC beats the kings tonight the chances of GS making top 6 are almost zero (they’d need T-Wolves to lose to either Brooklyn or Utah). So the GS lakers match up hopes could be pretty much ended tonight

No actually that isn't true. If Minnesota wins out, they are the 5 seed, but that's only if GSW beats LAC on the last game of the season. If GSW wins out, they are the 6 seed regardless, unless Memphis beats Denver. That would screw everything up and probably make them the 6 seed. But again LAC beating GSW on the last game would put LAC in fifth, and Minnesota 6th.

[EArl]

I just don’t want GSW, LAC or Denver in the first round.
Everyone else, is fair game.
Lakers need to take care of business and win tonight to secure 3rd place and see where the chips fall for everyone else.