We have final reached the final week of the 2022/23 NBA regular season, but there’s still a lot to figure out. This means, every single minute of the next games will be crucial to either potentiate their playoff ambitions, or surrender until the next campaign. Up to this point, there isn’t a single team in either conference that has clinched a specific seed.
With the Western Conference as crowded as it is, there’s still much to consider. As the Lakers and Pelicans are still able to land in eight different spots in the standings, Timberwolves, Warriors and Clippers stand close by. However, we won’t dismiss the Dallas Mavericks’ Play-In Tournament aspirations until the final buzzer goes off.
THE WESTERN CONFERENCE RACE IS 🔥
Just 0.5 GAMES separate the Clippers, Warriors, Lakers and Pelicans in the CRUCIAL 5-8 spots, while 5 other teams lurk just above or below them!
Full standings 📲 https://t.co/02ml5YIBRq pic.twitter.com/qf8oD27s25
— NBA (@NBA) April 3, 2023
This just means that all the basketball to be played over the next six days will be as relevant as ever, so it’s important to know which games you’ll want to watch.
Here are our 5 most important matches left for this final week of regular season:
5. Celtics at 76ers, Tuesday April 4
Even though this clash won’t mean much in the East’s standings, it’s still a match between the two of the league’s strongest teams. This is also a potential conference Finals, if any of them are able to beat the Bucks to the top.
The are two main reasons why this game is vital. The first is that the Celtics have dominated Philadelphia over recent years, and this season has been no exception as they’ve defeated them in their three encounters so far. This is the Sixers’ opportunity to show the reigning champions what they are made of.
And secondly, this match might be the last real showcase for Joel Embiid’s MVP candidacy, after missing last week’s confrontation against Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets.
4. Pelicans at Timberwolves, Sunday April 9
Like we said before, the Western Conference’s mid-table is on fire, and still anything can happen. As Minnesota stand two defeats behind the Pelicans, who own the 8th spot, this is a direct clash for Play-In permanency. Even though this means the Timberwolves might just be able to clinch the No.9 place, they have two “winnable” matches coming up against the Nets and Spurs, and finally close at home against New Orleans.
The Pelicans, on the other hand, have a very difficult schedule ahead of them, meaning this clash against Minnesota is crucial for their playoff aspirations. Important to mention that the winner of this game will be able to pick up the head-to-head tiebreaker over the other.
3. Warriors at Kings, Friday April 7
Even though the Kings have already clinched its first playoff berth in 17 years, the Warriors haven’t. So this match, besides slowly becoming a new California classic, it’s moslty a must-win for Stephen Curry’s Golden State. Nevertheless, Sacramento will still want to manipulate the bracket to guarantee an “easier” rival in the conference’s playoffs.
Even Draymond Green went on to say last week that he would prefer to encounter a team like the Kings in postseason, but it is preference especially based on close travel and mileage. This game is mostly an opportunity for both teams to make a strong statement; the Warriors that they are playoff worthy, and Sacramento out to prove they aren’t inexperienced and can beat the reigning champions.
2. Clippers at Suns, Sunday April 9
One of the teams with the most difficult week ahead are the Clippers, finishing their regular season campaign with a strong battle in Phoenix. The Suns, on the other hand, are well into the next stage of the tournament, but will want to manuever the playoff brackets to their will as much as possible. But curious enough, if the standings in the West stay as they are, both Phoenix and Los Angeles will face each other in the first round of postseason.
With Paul George injured, you might think that the Suns would want the Clippers as their rivals for the next round. On the other hand, a clash between Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook would be exciting to see, considering they’ve only faced each other 12 times in the past, and a first-round playoff contest would add at least four more games to that tally.
1. Lakers at Clippers, Wednesday April 5
Tomorrow’s contest between the two Los Angeles sides is probably the only game this week to have historical, emotional and practical stakes at hand. In its most practical purpose, if the Lakers beat Utah tonight, they will be tied with their city rivals at 41-38, and their clash would decide who should stand firm in the conference’s fifth spot. The loser will probably have to stick to Play-In territory.
Emotionally, well, this would be the first time that Russell Westbrook plays against his former teammates ever since he left for the Clippers days before the trade deadline in February. As for its historical nature, the Lakers have lost their last 10 matches against their Los Angeles opponents. Their last victory against the Clippers was on July 30, 2020.
Will this new revitalized purple and gold squad be able to finally beat the current owner of the LA basketball derby?
