NBA Playoff Predictions: Western Conference

1. Utah Jazz (55-17)

The Utah Jazz’s offense has been clicking all season and their defense has been elite like it has been for the better part of the last few seasons. They rank in top-five in offensive and defensive ranking this year. Currently, they have the best record in the Western Conference, and unless they slip dramatically, I don’t see the Clippers, Suns or Lakers catching them for the number one seed.

2. Los Angeles Clippers (52-20)

The Clippers have lost their last few games, but before that, they had won six games in a row, including a dominant 24 point win over the Milwaukee Bucks. During the win streak, their offense was putting up points and they were playing better defense. With the addition of Rajon Rondo from the Atlanta Hawks, along with Paul George working his way back from his injury, the Clippers are in a good position to go on a run to close out the season as the number two seed. They have two big matchups on the horizon with the Phoenix Suns who are currently three games ahead of them in the standings.

3. Phoenix Suns (50-22)

Led by Chris Paul and Devin Booker, the Suns are primed to return to the playoffs for the first time in 11 years. Ironically, they will be the third seed this just year like they were the last time they made the playoffs in 2010. The Suns have been excellent this year on both ends of the court, ranking in top 10 in both offensive and defensive efficiency. They are continuing the run that they went on in the bubble when they went 8-0 and narrowly missed out on the playoffs. CP3 has been a great addition to the team and has made Phoenix a contender in the West this year.

4. Denver Nuggets (49-23)

Currently, the MVP frontrunner is Nikola Jokic, he has been a monster this season for the Nuggets. If it wasn’t for a slow start, the Nuggets would probably be in the race for the #1 seed in the West. As it is right now, they are 5th in the West and are in the thick of the race for the two seed. They just beat the Clippers and evened up their season series with one game left against them still. With how close the seeding is in the West right now, any slip up could send them down to the sixth seed.

5. Los Angeles Lakers (45-27)

The Lakers are only this low because Anthony Davis and LeBron James are out dealing with injuries right now. LeBron is scheduled to be out for at least another three weeks, while Anthony Davis might be back in a week or two. I don’t see the Lakers winning enough games without their two stars to maintain a spot in the top half of the standings. They’re currently the fourth seed, but there are only two games separating them from the sixth-seeded Trailblazers.

6. Portland Trailblazers (42-30)

Damian Lillard has been on fire this season and has been nearly automatic with the game on the line. Every week it seems like he’s draining another game-winning three-point shot. Now that CJ McCollum is back, the Trailblazers have a real shot at moving up in the standings due to the injuries to LeBron and AD. The one hindrance on the Trailblazers however could be the fact that their defense is horrible. Their defense is the flip side of their explosive offense. Down the stretch, they need to tighten up on defense if they hope to improve their position in the standings.

7. Dallas Mavericks (39-33)

The Dallas Mavericks haven’t experienced the same kind of success that they did last year as they statistically were the best offense in NBA history. Luka Dončićs stellar play has continued, but I don’t believe that it will be enough for the Mavericks to move up in the standings. Depending on who gets the second seed, however, that might not be a bad thing for them considering they proved last year they can hang with the top teams in the conference.

8. San Antonio Spurs (36-36)

The Spurs return to the playoffs after taking a one-year hiatus. With the way the Warriors have looked without Steph Curry, they might be looking to tank the rest of the way to improve their draft position once again. With the Grizzlies, the Spurs have to stay ahead of them due to the fact that the Grizzlies won the season series 2-1, but I predict that the Spurs edge out the Grizzlies for the eighth and final spot and win their play in game to secure a playoff berth once again.