Seed Clinched After Today
West
East
OKC have definitely been rewarded for fighting to keep the 1 seed with how the bracket is looking
They’re currently on track to get probably the literal exact bracket that they would have wanted and by resting all their guys next game they can even play a role in locking that in
Yup Denver just has to win 1 more game, something tells me they’re going to beat the team they face next
Nugs not ready for the barnhizer-Carlson-topic lineup
We’re gonna take the Cream City title from Milwaukee
Wonder what Kalshi says
Think Denver needs to win both games unless Lakers drop one of their last three, because Lakers own the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Lakers aren’t winning out lol
They might… Phoenix has nothing to play for on Friday now and then they play Utah on Sunday.
Golden State is favored to beat them tomorrow though
Lakers might want 4. I highly doubt they want an exact repeat of last year
If I’m the Lakers I’d much rather play Houston than Minnesota in the first round
Eh, Houston is really hot right now and ant/mcdaniels have been out with overuse injuries that could very likely linger over then next several weeks. Momentum is real, two weeks ago I definitely say the rockets, today I’m leaning the twolves. Of course, the nuggets still have the choice to drop two and likely end up the 4 seed to play the lakers if they choose.
This is a fair take but I think most people are assuming the wolves will be mostly healthy and are cruising a bit being now locked into 6
I mean, whether they are or not, as of this moment, Denver cannot clinch the third seed winning only one of their last two.
Well yea at this moment lol. But we have common sense and the odds of LA winning out missing Luka Reaves and possibly LeBron is close to 0 percent. There’s a reason Denver is the massive odds on to win the 3 seed. And that doesn’t take into account both OKC and SA very likely resting their guys in meaningless games the last weekend.
Clinching doesn’t matter when we know what the result will be lol. This lakers team isn’t beating both suns and golden state of Denver wins their next game and they will, the rockets can’t pass them either
Lakers are missing their MVP candidate and their #2 scorer. It’ll be pretty incredible if they win another game this season.
Suns have nothing to play for and Utah is tanking.
So if they can beat Golden State, I don’t think it’s implausible they go 3-0.
I’m not even mad at that
its wide open to the western conference finals unless you play Denver in 2nd round .. Lakers, Houston, Timberwolves.. none of those teams go more than 5 games vs OKC/SA
if you think you can beat Denver in 5, you are delusional
so yeah.. OKC will rest everyone
Timberwolves are literally the only team in the league to beat both SA and OKC multiple times this season. Ant could be back from injury by Friday and Jaden McDaniels was back today.
Not saying they’re going to sweep anyone by any means, but they are a very dangerous 6th seed.
Yeah, people are too quick to dismiss Wolves. Wolves will likely be mostly healthy by playoff time and their core have proven track record of playoff success. MIN/DEN whoever comes out of that first round it is not going to be easy for sure
Remember Kane in WWE? Remember how he spent a good part of his career being a big enough deal that he could beat any of the top guys, but he was low enough on the card where he could lose to anybody below him?
We’re Kane.
That’s a deep pull and it somehow makes a lot of sense hahab
That is only true for regular season. I just don’t think that fully healthy Wolves could be beaten by everybody during playoffs. You guys are less volatile post season and clear top-4 for me.
People are being fooled by recent Wolves games. I’d be worried if Wolves were doing the opposite and running their guys to the ground before playoffs. They are giving time for their guys to heal up/rest.
They need to play at absolute peak. Maybe the first round will grease the gears a bit to get them in the flow. It’s not their offense that’s going to hold them back
I’m really hoping for Denver’s sake you guys help us out, but 1 more win isn’t automatically enough. Depending on what the rockets and the lakers do down the stretch Denver might also have to win… vs the Spurs last game of the season
Denver holds the tie breaker and is 1 win ahead of the rockets, if Denver wins vs okc rockets cannot pass them
True yeah. Just need Steph to show Bron what’s what 1 more time and then Denver beating OKC will be enough
Honestly, depends who we rest. Whoever plays is gonna play to win still.
Given all their injuries this season, if there was ever a season to unseat them from #1, it would have been this season.
True, but Shai had other ideas.
SHAI HULUD!
Best part of all is San Antonio and Denver beating the shit out of each other in round 2, leaving the winner depleted heading into the WCF
Goodness gracious I pray that we get this match up. Jokic and Wemby would go so hard.
Nug would have to play wolves in rd1. That’s no easy feat and wolves would also be a tough matchup for SAS.
I would be shocked if they lost more than 2 games until the WCF
Regular season matters, for at least a few teams who took it serious and fought for the east and west top seeds.
The fact that we won’t know who is 5-10 out east until the very last day of the regular season lol
Orlando, ironically probably the worst team out of the 6, is the most likely to win out
The Raptors are the worst and this is coming from a lifelong Raptors fan.
If only we got to see the Magic and the Raptors play each other recently
No thanks
Did you see the raptors just beat down the magic like a week ago?
look i don’t mind realistic takes but when you just blew out 2 of those teams 5-10 recently (one of them by 50 btw), there’s no way as a fan u should still think you’re worse. That’s just hating atp lol
There’s like 3 teams calling an iso on Toronto right now hoping for them in the bracket lol.
If we draw the Knicks, it’s ova
Wrong because the Miami sheat is 0-7 against Orlando dating back to preseason
don’t think they’re the worst but they definitely got lucky with their opponents resting players.
the last 3 games each opponent was missing multiple starters.
Bros been a magic hater on this app for years lol, but I agree our closing stretch is veryyyyy lucky, I’ll take it though since we had a hard ass march
The Heat already clinched 10th in my heart.
Part of me believe yall will find a way to be in the playoffs once again haha
OKC go into playoffs well rested.
That WC bracket opposite OKC is going to be a blood bath. And the reward for surviving 2 rounds is going to be a well-rested Thunder team.
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Thank you Thunder very cool
Win against the Lakers and this is an extraordinary deal
suns being where they are after literally everyone was shitting on the coach hire is pretty great and shows no one knows anything
Sad thing is the coach was probably responsible for not climbing into 6. Lot of wins given up lately due to terrible rotations
Also shows that youth can be important as they were really old last year
Suns being where they are despite 3-6 spending literally the entire RS since december trying to run away from them is also kinda funny.
They never really moved past 7, but nuggets, Lakers, rockets, and wolves spent most of the season thinking “ffs don’t be 7…” With Phoenix hort on their heels.
Kevin Durant been a freaking cesspool to any roster-build/team chemistry yet this sub would not give a damn bout him.
OKC not clinching first seed a month becore the playoffs will come with benefits
Last season Shai was incredibly rusty in the first round. Only 2 games off this year might actually be a good thing. His injury also helps with making sure he got the rest, just earlier than last year, which allowed him to get back into rhythm and shape.
Just fan speculation though. Hopefully he plays better in round 1 than last year
with 1 and 2 locked, i imagine denver has a free path to 3 since their last 2 games are vs OKC and vs SAS who don’t have a reason to play their starters
In theory SAS may want to keep Denver out of the 3 seed
If sas plays everyone to avoid Denver and wins then why would they be scared of them in the first place
Wouldn’t you want your wcf opponent to have faced the tougher competition and be more tired and beat up?
Denver is the toughest opponent beside OKC, its better for both the spurs and the thunder to avoid them
Denver tank to face Lakers in the first round lmao
Well it’s a sweep for Denver if they do. I imagine most laker fans (and the lakers) are praying for Houston. Seems like their best (long) hope.
None of this will matter we will clinch the 3 seed once GSW smoke Lakers tomorrow
That only matters if Rockets keep winning AND Denver loses to OKC. Otherwise everything will be decided before that game
Spurs could have an incentive to beat Denver if the Lakers can win their next two games and potentially jump Denver with a tiebreaker (if Lakers go 3-0 and Denver goes 1-1 with a loss to the Spurs).
So many spots in East damn
I have slowly grown to love this post
Took a couple days now I look forward to it
Praying for Nuggets-Timberwolves once again.
The only team I dread
Likewise.
Not the Thunder???
God no, the wolves are by far my least favorite matchup, then it would have been healthy lakers cuz I feel like there is still a curse out there somewhere from the 2000s/2010s despite our recent success, and then OKC
Versus Thunder you’re the slight underdog so winning the series feels great, but losing isn’t some major disappointment.
Versus the wolves, especially in the first round, you’re favored but they’ve proven to have the tools to stop you. At best you’ll feel relieved to get out of the round.
I used to pray for times like these
Low key as an OKC fan, I love it more that we didn’t clinch the 1 seed until the end of the season. Last season, I remember we had something absurd like clinching the west before any other west team made the post season. Kinda led to us sleep walking the entire last month of the season
I wouldn’t worry, this is like one week extra vs last year which was almost a month?
We clinched it middle late march last season
But here it’s just less than a week left
kinda cool that the east is still so open ended
This is TBA erasure
It’s TBD erasure before that. Can’t have an announcement without a determination
Idk why they made den vs spurs an espn game lmao.
Should’ve grabbed an east matchup that will have seeding implications.
Cancun West: Today - Jazz, Kings, Pelicans, Grizzlies, Mavericks. 1 week - Warriors, Clippers. 2 weeks: Lakers, Suns, Trailblazers
Cancun East: Today - Pacers, Nets, Wizards, Bucks, Bulls. 1 week - Heat, Magic. 2 weeks: Raptors, Knicks
This Friday’s Blazers vs Clippers game is literally the battle for the 8th seed, a bonus play-in game pretty much.
West 3 seed TBA
Bro please.
I’m lost
What is your implication? That Denver has it locked up with a remaining schedule against OKC and Spurs? lol okay
Or… that somehow the Lakers would have a shot at overtaking? That can’t possibly be what you meant…
Or, did you mean that Houston would win out, and both Denver and LA would drop one, and usurp the 3-seed?
You see, all 3 of these have issues
It’s still feels surreal to see the Pistons in first place, man. I was so pessimistic until Cade came and saved this franchise.
Okc SA den houston LA minny phoenix San diego
Detroit boston ny cle
Idk/idc about bottom east they’re too close and anything can happen in the play ins lol