The Western Conference standings are closely contested this season. The Lakers could end this week as a top-four seed in the West if they beat the Wolves and the right teams lose.
The Lakers are aiming to secure home court and move up the standings. This series will monitor the standings and games to watch across the league.
Lakers’ Climb in the West
LA is currently sitting at No. 5 in the West after beating the Pacers and Knicks this weekend. The Nuggets falling to Oklahoma City and New York also helped their cause.
If the Lakers beat the Wolves, they’ll be in a prime position to continue climbing up the rankings. This is the most important stretch of the season.
Here’s a look at the current playoff standings in the middle of the conference:
- Wolves — 40-24, 10 GB
- Rockets — 39-24, 10.5 GB
- Lakers — 39-25, 11 GB
- Nuggets — 39-26, 11.5 GB
- Suns — 37-27, 13 GB
Games to Watch
Several games could impact the Western Conference standings over the next few days.
Raptors at Rockets — It’s going to be tough for the Raptors to pull off a road win over the Rockets. The last time they beat a winning team was on Jan. 25 when they defeated the Thunder.
Suns at Bucks — Giannis Antetokounmpo is set to play in this contest. Phoenix will be relying heavily on Devin Booker, who is coming off another 30-point performance in a quality win over the Hornets.
Wolves at Clippers — Lakers fans may need to root for the other LA team as Minnesota plays the Clippers on the second night of a back-to-back.
The Clippers have been playing good basketball as of late and are somehow back at .500 after starting the year with an abysmal 6-21.
Rockets at Nuggets — Who Lakers fans should root for in this game will depend on where things stand before tip-off. Someone will fall in the rankings, either way, in this contest.
Nuggets at Spurs — Denver has to play Houston, then turn around and play San Antonio. That’s a rough back-to-back. It’s very possible that the Spurs beat the Nuggets on Thursday.
Suns at Pacers — Indiana is tanking and Phoenix is fighting to try and avoid the play-in, so don’t expect much of a game here.
The Western Conference race remains tight, with several teams vying for position.