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As the NBA regular season draws to a close, the competition for teams in the Western Conference playoffs and play-off ranks has heated up, with multiple teams with very close records, and new team rankings may change after each game. With the Mavericks 111-92 Heat, Thunder 127-89 Spurs, Nuggets 116-107 Timberwolves, Suns 124-108 Clippers today, the standings and playoff situation of Western Conference teams have changed in a new way.
1. The Nuggets won the key card battle and regained the top spot. The Timberwolves and Thunder are in second and third place.
The Nuggets beat the Timberwolves at home to stabilize the No. 1 ranking in the West, Jokic efficiently cut 41 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 steals to lead the team to victory, the Nuggets and the Timberwolves only have two regular season games left, the Nuggets' first place in the West is stable, and Jokic's regular season MVP is also stable. Jokic is arguably the most dominant player on the roster, his impact on the game is unmatched, and coupled with the consistent play of Murray, Porter Jr. and others, the Nuggets are still the biggest favorites to win the championship this season.
The Timberwolves have been on the rise this season, Edwards is maturing, and Towns and Gobert are doing well on the inside twin towers. Towns will return to the team before the playoffs, and Edwards will add the twin towers of Towns and Gobert to the Timberwolves in the playoffs.
The Thunder are back on track after the return of Alexander and Jalen Williams, making it three wins in a row after today's big win over the Spurs, equaling the Timberwolves and remaining in third place in the West. This season's Thunder under the leadership of Alexander in the league has a youth storm, in the regular season all the way to the high, last season did not make the playoffs they jumped to the West this season to become the West's upstarts, lack of playoff experience they may still be difficult to compete for the championship this season, but the young Thunder has a promising future.
2. The first-round showdown between the Clippers and the Clippers in the West is a foregone conclusion.
The Clippers rested the Big Four in today's game against the Suns, losing at home to the Suns. The Mavericks are on a five-game winning streak after beating the Heat on the road, and the Eastern European duo continues to play steadily. At present, the Mavericks are only one win behind the Clippers, and the two teams only have two games left, and the Clippers are still not sitting firmly in fourth place in the West. However, the first round of the playoffs between the two teams is a foregone conclusion, and the Mavericks' Eastern European combination has a strong offensive ability, and the arrival of Gafford and PJ Washington makes up for the Mavericks' defensive shortcomings. The Eastern European combination vs. the Clippers Big Four, Mars collided with the Earth, this matchup is full of highlights, and the two teams are likely to play seven games.
3. The Suns continue to rank seventh and are still expected to rush to sixth in the West.
The Suns are just 0.5 wins behind the sixth-place Pelicans after today's win over the Clippers. The Pelicans' remaining three games are against the Kings, Warriors and Lakers, and the three card battles are crucial, and the Pelicans' main core Ingram has not returned for a long time, and the Pelicans may fall to the play-off zone.
The Suns will play the Kings and Timberwolves in their remaining two games, and if the Suns win both games to have a chance to return to sixth place in the West, the Suns have been elusive this season, giving the weak teams confidence and the strong teams lacking. It is believed that the Suns will also rivet their efforts to rush to sixth place in the West and avoid entering the play-in race.
4. The Kings, Lakers, and Warriors compete for a play-off top half of the tournament.
The Kings, Lakers and Warriors are ranked 8th, 9th and 10th in the West, respectively, and the Pelicans, who are behind sixth place with two wins, are inevitable. But the Lakers are 0.5 wins behind the eighth-place Kings, the Warriors are 1 win behind the eighth-place Kings, the Kings are injured and missing the sixth man Monk and the starting quarterback Huerter, the team's offensive firepower is insufficient, and the Kings' remaining three games are against the Pelicans, Suns and Trail Blazers, the Lakers and the Warriors have a chance to compete for the eighth spot in the West, after all, the 7th-8th places in the West will have two chances to hit the playoffs, and their final ranking is likely to be seen until the end of the regular season.