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Who Will Win the Last Day of NBA’s Western Race?

by Sophia Chen
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The NBA is getting its wish – something exciting will happen during the last day of the regular season. On Sunday, all 30 teams will play their 82nd game this season and four of those games are especially important; New Orleans versus Minnesota, Utah against the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State playing Portland and Los Angeles Clippers vs Phoenix. These 4 games will decide which teams make it into the playoffs or to the play-in tournament in the Western Conference.

Now that four games have been played, there are sixteen possible combinations that can complete the bracket for the season! All games will start at 3:30 pm Eastern Time, so it’s very likely that the final shot of the regular season could be what finishes out the bracket.

The Golden State Warriors and the LA Clippers have an important game this Sunday. If either team wins, then they automatically get to play in the playoffs and have a whole week off for preparation. But if both teams lose, then they must compete in an extra tournament starting Tuesday which would be their only chance to make it into the playoffs.

The coach of the Golden State team said, “We need to take control and make sure that we win our games. We’re in a strong position here, so let’s go for it!”

The top five teams in the west have already been decided. The number one team is Denver, then Memphis, followed by Sacramento and Phoenix. Oklahoma City will need to do a play-in tournament before they can reach the top 5.

As for the other teams, it’s going to be a close race on who secures the 6th place!

At the end of Sunday, teams like the Clippers, Warriors, Lakers and Timberwolves will finish in different places among the top nine teams in the West. For example, the Clippers could be as high as 5th or go all down to 7th. The Warriors range from 5th-8th and Lakers 6th-8th. Even crazier for the New Orleans Pelicans – they could go all the way from 5th place to 9th! Last night coach Willie Green reminded his team that one more game was left to determine where they would land.

This Sunday, there are a few likely outcomes:

— If New Orleans and Minnesota lose their game, the loser will become the No. 9 seed and have to play Oklahoma City on Wednesday in a match that decides who goes further.

— If Los Angeles wins, they will be the No. 5 seed and challenge Phoenix in Round 1, having already played them in the finale of this Sunday’s games.

— Finally, if New Orleans wins their game, then combined with wins from Phoenix and Portland gives them the No. 5 seed for the tournament.

If the Lakers lose to Utah tonight, they will become the #8 seed and have to go on a road game. If they win, they could be either #6 or #7. But, if New Orleans, Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns all also win their games, then the Lakers would stay as #8. That way, there is a chance for an LA Clippers vs. LA Lakers play-in game Tuesday night instead! However, for this to happen, New Orleans and Phoenix have to win their games plus either the Lakers-Warriors or Jazz-Warriors or Jazz-Blazers have to be successful in those match ups too.

The Warriors have the chance to become either the No. 5 or 6 seed (depending on who they play) with a win. They’ll face Phoenix if they get the No.5 seed, but will go up against Sacramento if they end up with the No.6 seed – both of these teams are very close by in distance. Donte DiVincenzo, a player for the Warriors, said that no matter which one it is, his team will be ready for them!

Six teams from the Eastern Conference already have spots locked in for this year’s playoffs, and the two remaining places in the bracket are still up for grabs. On Tuesday, Miami and Atlanta will go head-to-head in a special play-in game, while Toronto and Chicago will compete against each other in an elimination game on Wednesday. Whoever loses between Miami and Atlanta will then face the winner of the Raptors versus Bulls match on Friday.

The Heat-Hawks winner will face off with Boston in Round 1 on Friday. Also, the Milwaukee team will be playing against the winner of this game for Round 1.

Moreover, Joel Embiid is currently going to claim the scoring champion title for a second time in a row. He has the highest points per game (33.1), while his contenders – Luka Doncic from Dallas (32.4) and Damian Lillard from Portland (32.2), have already finished playing so he won’t be taking part tomorrow in Philadelphia’s final match which has no significance.

This season, Lillard and Doncic managed to do something that only one other player did in the past 59 years.

Only two players ever averaged more than 32 points per game without winning the scoring crown within this time period: Allen Iverson (33 PPG) who was second behind Kobe Bryant (35.4) in 2006 and Elgin Baylor (averaged 34 PPG, 38.3 in 1961-62 and 34.8 in 1960-61).

Baylor did not win the highest point scoring record in basketball during that three year period, Wilt Chamberlain did.

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