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Warriors vs. Lakers within the play-in? LA practically boxed in initially appeared on NBC Sports activities Bayarea
With every day that passes, the NBA playoff image positive factors extra readability. And although the Warriors did not study who they’d face within the play-in match on Wednesday, they did get a greater concept of which staff it is going to be.
It will not be the New Orleans Pelicans, who have been eradicated from play-in rivalry with their loss to the Dallas Mavericks. The San Antonio Spurs misplaced as properly, which retains the Sacramento Kings‘ hopes alive for the tenth seed. Will probably be both the Spurs or Kings that declare it.
The Warriors are assured to be both the eighth or ninth seed within the West play-in match. If it is the latter, they’d host the tenth seed in one of many play-in video games.
Nevertheless, it is extra probably that Golden State finishes eighth within the convention, which might imply the Warriors would face whichever staff finishes in seventh within the play-in. Even when the Warriors misplaced that sport, they’d nonetheless have another probability to safe the No. 8 general seed within the playoffs in opposition to the winner of the opposite play-in sport.
Coming into Wednesday’s video games, there have been three groups that might end in seventh (and within the play-in): the Dallas Mavericks, Portland Path Blazers and Los Angeles Lakers.
That is nonetheless the case. Nevertheless, the percentages have shifted, and it is virtually actually going to be the Lakers.Just like the Mavericks, the Blazers have been victorious Wednesday night time, having defeated the Utah Jazz on the street. Although the Lakers saved tempo by beating the lowly Houston Rockets, the wins by Dallas and Portland have considerably boxed within the defending champs.
If the Blazers win not less than one among their ultimate two video games, they can not end decrease than sixth.
If the Mavericks win not less than one among their ultimate two video games, they can not end decrease than sixth.
The one manner for the Lakers to keep away from the seventh seed — and the play-in — is that if they win each of their ultimate two video games, and not less than one of many Blazers or Mavericks loses out.
That is actually attainable, however extraordinarily unlikely, particularly contemplating the Lakers won’t have LeBron James and/or Anthony Davis for his or her ultimate two contests. The Blazers and Mavericks subsequent play on Thursday and Friday, respectively, whereas the Lakers do not play till a back-to-back over the weekend. So, it is attainable the Lakers might get locked into the seventh seed and the play-in earlier than they subsequent step on the courtroom.
The earliest the Warriors might study who they’re going through within the play-in is Friday night time, and there is just one state of affairs by which that is attainable.
First, the Blazers must defeat the Phoenix Suns and the Kings must beat the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday. Then, on Friday, along with the Warriors defeating the New Orleans Pelicans, the Mavericks must beat the Toronto Raptors, and the Kings must beat the Grizzlies for the second time in 48 hours.
If all of that occurs, the Warriors will end eighth within the West, and can face the Lakers within the play-in match with the No. 7 general playoff seed on the road.
RELATED: Warriors formally protecting this yr’s first-round choose
If the Blazers or Mavericks lose, then the seventh-place staff will not be decided till Saturday on the earliest. And if the Warriors lose to the Pelicans, or if the Kings do not sweep each video games in opposition to the Grizzlies, then Golden State’s personal play-in seeding shall be decided by the result of the season finale in opposition to Memphis on Sunday.
Technically, the Warriors might nonetheless face any one among six totally different groups within the play-in. With that stated…
Prepare for Warriors-Lakers, of us.
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