Wild and Wooly Wind-up Seen in West Top 3-6
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 02 Apr 2025
A wild and wooly race for the last two of the Western Conference top six playoff slots is expected following wins today by the Golden State Warriors and the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Warriors (44-31) defeated the host Memphis Grizzlies, 134-125 to temporarily grab 5th place while sending Memphis in a tie for the 6th both at 42-32 with Minnesota which beat current 3rd placer Denver Nugget in double overtime, 140-139.
Golden State superstar Stephen Curry banged in a game high 52 points, becoming the oldest player to score at least 30 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in a half, to lead the Warriors to the hard-earned win over the Grizzlies. Ja Morant sparkled for team high 36 points for Memphis but the Warriors starring Curry and Jimmy Butler went 20 of 20 from the free throw line.
Minnesota spearheaded by Anthony Edwards laid to waste Nikola Jokic's 61 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists performance. Edwards topped for the Timberwolves with 34 points and he was supported by Julius Randle and Nickel Walker Alexander who scored 26 points each while Rudy Gobert tossed 19 points. Jokic was backed by Aaron Gordon who scored 30 points but he was the lone Nugget with substantial contribution to the losing cause.
Minnesota ousted Denver in the Western Conference playoff semifinals last year and has beaten the Nuggets in all their four meetings this season.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are runaway top placers at 63-12 while the Houston Rockets seem safely ensconced at second at 49-27.
Denver is at third with 47-29 with the Los Angeles Lakers just half a game behind at 47-26.
With only an average of six games remaining, it may be safe to say that these four teams will constitute the West's top four with the Lakers or the Nuggets finishing higher than the other at third.
The race is therefore will be for the last two lower automatic playoff spots -- the 5th and 6th among Golden State, Memphis and Minnesota with the Warriors holding a slight advantage including the tie-breaker.
However, current 8th placer Los Angeles Clippers (who are just two games behind could also create complications in the jostling, particularly for the sixth and final automatic slot.
Like the three teams ahead of them, the Clippers would want to avoid the sudden death play-in round where anything can happen. Waiting for the team that would drop off to 7th and 8th are the Dallas Mavericks (37-39) and the Sacramento Kings (36-39), currently 9th and 10th.
The Mavericks particularly have lately shown late resurgence following the return to action from injuries of star big man Anthony Davis, all around player PJ Washington and regular center Daniel Gafford.
It appears that the Phoenix Suns may have already dropped off from the race for the last play-in spot having lost four straight to drop to 35-41. The Suns also have Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, the Warriors and the Thunder in four of their last last six games.
The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.
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