The LA Clippers, Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves are in a tight race for the 6th seed in the Western Conference.
The Western Conference itself has been a war zone the whole season, but these three teams have been fighting for that last guaranteed playoff spot.
The most likely outcome sees one of these teams taking the 6th seed, while the other two face each other in the play-in.
All three teams have been on fire for the last couple of weeks, but none have been able to create distance from each other.
The Clippers have been a surprise team to many this season. With Paul George leaving for the Philadelphia 76ers and Kawhi Leonard out for the first few months of the season, many expected LA to falter.
Behind James Harden, Ivica Zubac and Norman Powell, the Clippers have kept their head above water throughout the season.
This season, Harden earned his 11th All-Star nod. Harden has averaged 22.5 points, 8.6 assists and 5.8 rebounds. The Beard has been the driving force behind the Clippers’ offense.
As a result of George’s departure, Powell and Zubac have received more touches on offense.
Powell has pushed his scoring average to 22.6 points, an 8.7 increase from the previous season. Zubac is averaging 16.5 points and 12.6 rebounds.
When Leonard returned from injury, he got off to a slow start. It was evident that Leonard would have to work his way back to superstar form.
And he has done just that. In his last 10 games, Leonard has averaged 25.4 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists.
The Clippers have won 8 of their last 10. In their remaining 7 games, only 2 of their opponents have winning records. LA needs to take advantage of their schedule in order to lock in the 6th seed.
The Warriors received new life when they traded for Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline. Golden State has gone 18-5 since the trade.
As a Warrior, Butler has averaged 17.1 points, 6.3 assists and 6.1 rebounds. While Butler’s stats aren’t eye popping, he impacts the game on both sides of the ball.
Butler also has a reputation for elevating his play in the playoffs. In his most recent playoff run, he led the 8th-seeded Miami Heat to the NBA Finals while averaging 26.9 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists.
Draymond Green has also inserted his name into the NBA Defensive Player of the Year conversation. Green, the 2016-17 winner of the award, has been crucial alongside Butler in turning Golden State’s defense around in the middle of the season.
In Butler, Stephen Curry now has the reliable co-star he has been lacking the last couple of seasons. Curry remains as one of the game’s most dangerous offensive players and adding a star of Butler’s caliber makes this Warriors team a threat come playoff time.
The Timberwolves were a top three seed last season, but find themselves in play-in territory this season.
In the offseason, Minnesota sent Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks in exchange for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo.
The Wolves departing with their All-Star center meant that most of the offensive responsibilities would now fall on the shoulders of Anthony Edwards.
Edwards is averaging a career high in points this season, with 27.2 points. He also adds 5.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists.
On the defensive side, Minnesota has regressed just a bit. Last year, they were first in defensive rating. They have fallen to sixth this season.
While the Wolves have not been on par with the success they enjoyed last season, they are still a dangerous matchup to any team in the Western Conference
Stay tuned for more NBA stories and follow The Game Haus on Instagram and X!
