NBA Western Conference Playoffs Viewer Guide: May 7

May 7, 2021, 11:21 AM | Updated: 11:29 am

Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard and Los Angeles Lakers guard Dennis Schroder (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

BY BEN ANDERSON, KSL SPORTS

KSL Sports

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – There are nine days left in the NBA regular season, and with the postseason fast approaching, every game has the potential to change the final seeding for the playoffs in the Western Conference.

With just a handful of games left for each roster, the top-10 teams in the West are almost set, even if their seeding is not.

With that in mind, and the understanding that each game will impact among these teams will affect the final standings, let’s look at the most important games left on the NBA’s regular-season schedule each of the nine remaining nights.

(This list will be updated as games gain and lose importance to close the season)

Current Standings:

x – Utah Jazz: 48-18
x – Phoenix Suns: 47-19 – 1 game back
x – Los Angeles Clippers: 45-22 – 3.5 games back
x – Denver Nuggets: 44-22 – 4 games back
y – Dallas Mavericks: 38-28 – 10 games back
y – Los Angeles Lakers: 37-29 – 11 game back
y – Portland Trail Blazers: 36-29 – 11 games back
Golden State Warriors: 34-33 – 14.5 games back
Memphis Grizzlies: 33-33 – 15 game back
San Antonio Spurs: 31-34 – 16.5 games back
New Orleans Pelicans: 30-36 – 18 games back

x – Team has clinched an automatic playoff birth.

y – Team has clinched a spot in the West’s top ten.

Yesterday’s Games

Brooklyn Nets: 109 @ Dallas Mavericks: 113

With the win, the Mavericks retained the fifth seed and built a one-game lead over the Los Angeles Lakers with six games left to play.

Dallas has also locked up a top-eight seed in the West, meaning they would need to win only one game in the play-in tournament to qualify for the postseason should they not finish inside the West’s top six.

The Mavericks will be eliminated from being able to host the first round of the playoffs with their next loss.

Los Angeles Lakers: 94 @ Los Angeles Clippers: 118

With the loss, the Lakers stay in the sixth seed but are no longer be able to climb into the top four seeds in the West. That means if they qualify for the playoffs, they will open their first-round series on the road.

The Lakers also dropped into a tie with the Portland Trail Blazers at 37-29 with the tie-breaker being played May 7 to determine who would own the higher seed.

With six games left to play, the Lakers now trail the Denver Nuggets by seven games and can no longer catch them in the regular-season standings, meaning Denver has locked up a top-five seed in the West.

With the win, the Clippers clinched a top-four seed in the West and climbed ahead of the Nuggets for the third seed by a half-game.

Memphis Grizzlies: 97 @ Detroit Pistons: 111

With the loss, the Memphis Grizzlies fell a half-game behind the Golden State Warriors for the eighth seed in the West, and as of today, would have to win two games in the play-in tournament to qualify for the playoffs

Oklahoma City Thunder: 97 @ Golden State Warriors: 118

With the win, the Warriors overtook the Grizzlies by a half-game for the eighth seed and would now need only one win in the play-in tournament to advance to the playoffs.

Tonight’s Games: May 7

Denver Nuggets @ Utah Jazz:

A Jazz win would guarantee they hold onto the top spot in the West by at least one game regardless of the outcome between the Phoenix Suns and New York Knicks.

Additionally, the Jazz would win the Northwest Division with a victory and guarantee the Nuggets couldn’t overtake them in the final standings by winning the season tie-breaker, clinching a top-three seed in the West.

After beating New York on Wednesday, the Nuggets can clinch a top-four seed in the West by beating the Jazz. However, a loss would eliminate them from contention for the top seed in the West.

New York Knicks @ Phoenix Suns:

The Suns can overtake the Jazz atop the West with a win and a Utah loss to the Nuggets.

Los Angeles Lakers @ Portland Trail Blazers:

With the two teams tied at 37-29 in the standings, the winner of this game will take a full game lead over the other and own the tiebreaker in the series with just five games remaining.

The winner will move into the sixth seed in the West while the loser will drop to the seventh seed and would have to win a play-in game to qualify for the postseason if the playoffs began tonight.

This is also a potential play-in tournament preview.

San Antonio Spurs @ Sacramento Kings:

This is the Spurs’ last game of the season against a team that won’t play in either the playoffs or play-in tournament.

A Spurs loss would eliminate them from being able to reach the sixth seed in the West by way of losing the tie-breaker against the Lakers and Trail Blazers.

With a win, the Spurs could guarantee themselves that they maintain at least 1.5 game lead over the New Orleans Pelicans with just six games remaining.

A Spurs loss, teamed with a Pelicans win would trim San Antonio’s hold on the 10th and final play-in tournament seed to just a half-game.

New Orleans Pelicans @ Philadelphia 76ers:

The Pelicans need a win to stay within 1.5 games of the Spurs for the 10th and final seed in the Western Conference play-in tournament.

A loss, teamed with a Spurs win over the Sacramento Kings would extend San Antonio’s lead over the Pelicans by 2.5 games with just five games remaining.

Cleveland Cavaliers @ Dallas Mavericks:

A loss for the Dallas Mavericks would drop them into a with whichever team wins the Lakers vs. Trail Blazers matchup. However, as divisional leaders, the Mavericks would retain the fifth seed.

It would also eliminate Dallas from being able to climb into the fourth seed in the West, guaranteeing a top-four seed for the Nuggets.

A win would keep the winner of the Lakers and Trail Blazers one game back in the standings and would put two games between the Mavericks and the seventh seed with just five games left to play.

May 8

Brooklyn Nets @ Denver Nuggets:

The Nuggets will play their final home game of the season against Brooklyn and conclude their toughest stretch to close the season after facing the Knicks, Nets, and Jazz over a four-day stretch.

Houston Rockets @ Utah Jazz:

The Jazz could retake the top seed over the Suns regardless of the outcomes of games played on May 7.

San Antonio Spurs @ Portland Trail Blazers:

With a win, the Trail Blazers could prevent Spurs from overtaking them in the final seeding. The winner will also own the tie-breaker in the season series.

May 9

New York Knicks @ Los Angeles Clippers:

This is the Clippers’ final home game of the regular season before finishing the year with four consecutive road games.

Phoenix Suns @ Los Angeles Lakers:

The Suns can sweep the season series with a win over the Lakers.

May 10

Utah Jazz @ Golden State Warriors:

This is the Jazz final road game against a playoff or play-in tournament team and a potential first-round NBA Playoffs preview.

Houston Rockets @ Portland Trail Blazers:

This is the Trail Blazers’ final game of the season against a non-top-four seed in the West before concluding the season on the road against the Jazz and Suns before returning home to face the Nuggets.