Julian AndrewsWeb Editorial AssociateTwitter
In an insane Western Conference race, the Wolves control their own playoff destiny. But their potential playoff seeding could easily come down to what happens tonight.
There are four games between Western Conference teams that are either already a part of or fighting to be a part of the postseason, including a showdown between two teams with everything to lose. More on that in a minute.
While the NBA undoubtedly plans their schedule hoping for an exciting finish, there’s no way they predicted this kind of race in the Western Conference. It’s the closest finish in at least a decade and the depth of quality in the West is seriously impressive. The top 10 seeds in the conference are all above .500, and only six games separate the No. 10 and No. 4 seeds. That’s really amazing and says a lot about where the league stands today.
The Wolves have business to take care of. This late in the season, it can be difficult to pick who to root for in some of these key matchups. The Wolves would prefer every team in the West to lose, but with almost every game feeling like a season-defining showdown, some results would help Minnesota significantly more than others.
Here’s your cheering guide:
Nuggets at Clippers, 2:30 p.m., NBATV
My goodness this is a huge game for these teams.
With their loss to the Jazz on Thursday, the Clippers (42-37) are in troubled waters, and if they lose this one, their playoff hopes will be doused. The Nuggets, meanwhile, are 44-35, in ninth place in the conference and a half game behind the Wolves.
While in any other circumstances, the Wolves would not want Los Angeles to win, it’s great for the Wolves when their competition beats up on one another. With the Clippers maintaining only an outside shot at making the playoffs, and the Nuggets breathing down the Wolves’ necks with one more head-to-head matchup still to come, Minnesota fans should be rooting for the Clippers.
Los Angeles has already beaten the Nuggets twice this season and will be playing at home in what should be a playoff-type atmosphere at Staples Center. It’s very possible the Wolves get a bit of help Saturday afternoon — knock on wood.
Thunder at Rockets, 7:30 p.m., ABC
The Rockets have the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference locked up, but they still display odd moments of weakness. On Thursday, they let the Blazers’ bench hang a 19-2 run on them late in the fourth quarter. It took a Chris Paul layup with 0.8 seconds left to seal a two-point win.
The Thunder lost to the Warriors on Tuesday and have lost four of their last five. Not how you want to enter the playoffs. When this Thunder team was built over the summer, a postseason run seemed inevitable, but if you look at the standings today they’re only one game away from dropping out of the playoffs entirely.
The Thunder (45-34) don’t hold tiebreakers over the Wolves, Nuggets, or Pelicans, so they’re entering dangerous territory if they get their 35th loss tonight. That would tie them in the loss column with the Wolves and Nuggets and drop them to ninth place.
Wolves fans should be rooting for the Rockets. A weakened Oklahoma City gives the Wolves a lot more room for error in their playoff hunt and opens the door for Minnesota to climb out of the eight seed.
Pelicans at Warriors, 7:30 p.m., League Pass
The Warriors have owned the Pelicans this year, in fact, the Warriors have won 10 straight dating back to 2015 against New Orleans.
Wolves fans should be hoping that dominance continues tonight.
The Pelicans are in fifth place because of tiebreakers over the Spurs and Thunder, but a loss would drop them below the Wolves in the standings, helping Minnesota move up.
New Orleans padded their record with their excellent play in February and early March, but they’ve looked shaky since, dropping four of their last six. But it’s been enough to keep pace in a competitive Western Conference.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr blasted the team’s effort in a blowout loss to the Indiana Pacers, but the Golden State has some wiggle room. They’ve locked up the West’s No. 2 seed, and at the end of the day, they’re still the defending champions.
Wolves fans should be hoping the Warriors come out motivated and get back to their winning ways.
Blazers at Spurs, 8 p.m., League Pass
Damian Lillard missed Portland’s loss to Houston on Thursday, but he’s expected to be back in the lineup when the Blazers meet the Spurs tonight. That’s good news for the Blazers—and for the Wolves.
Spurs losses are essential to Minnesota’s ability to move up in the standings. The Spurs are 45-34, and are the only team Minnesota is fighting for position with that it does not hold a tiebreaker over. The Spurs were unexpectedly defeated by both the Lakers and the Clippers last week, opening the door for a team like Minnesota to climb the standings.
The Blazers have lost two straight in Texas to the Mavericks and Rockets. They need one more win to clinch home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Needless to say, both these teams have a lot to play for. This should be a good one.
Wolves fans should be rooting for a Blazers win.