There are too many potential scenarios to lay out exactly what could happen with every single possible game outcome in the wild, wild Western Conference.
So let’s narrow it down a bit to create a clearer picture.
If we assume all games that currently do, or are expected to, feature nine-plus point spreads are indeed won by the favorite, that means:
-Minnesota wins out (which would guarantee the Wolves a top-six seed — Wolves are 18.5 point favorites Friday against Brooklyn)
-The Lakers win at least one of their final two games (hosting the Rockets on Friday, currently a 9.5 point favorite, and at Portland on Sunday).
-Golden State beats Portland on the road Friday (currently a 12.5 point favorite).
At that point, there are only five games in play this weekend to determine seeds No. 4-8 in the Western Conference:
FRIDAY
-Memphis at Denver (Denver favored by 6.5 points)
-Clippers at Sacramento (Clippers favored by 6.5 points)
SUNDAY
-Dallas at Memphis
-Denver at Houston
-Clippers at Golden State
Which creates a far smaller, more manageable set of outcomes to explore.
So away we go.
*We’ll break down the subsets by Denver’s potential results.*
DENVER WINS OUT
Scenario
-Denver beats Memphis and Houston
-Clippers beat Sacramento
-Golden State beats the Clippers
-Memphis beats/loses to Dallas (irrelevant)
Seeds
3. Lakers
4. Denver
5. Minnesota
6. Golden State
7. Clippers
8. Memphis
Scenario
-Denver beats Memphis and Houston
-Clippers loses to Sacramento
-Golden State beats the Clippers
-Memphis beats/loses to Dallas (irrelevant)
Seeds
3. Lakers
4. Denver
5. Golden State
6. Minnesota
7. Clippers
8. Memphis
Scenario
-Denver beats Memphis and Houston
-Clippers beat Sacramento and Golden State
-Memphis beats/loses to Dallas (irrelevant)
Seeds
3. Lakers
4. Denver
5. Clippers
6. Minnesota
7. Golden State
8. Memphis
DENVER LOSES TO MEMPHIS, BEATS HOUSTON
Scenario
-Denver loses to Memphis and beats Houston
-Clippers beat Sacramento
-Golden State beats the Clippers
-Memphis beats Dallas
Seeds
3. Lakers
4. Minnesota
5. Clippers
6. Golden State
7. Memphis
8. Denver
Scenario
-Denver loses to Memphis and beats Houston
-Clippers beat Sacramento
-Golden State beats the Clippers
-Memphis loses to Dallas
Seeds
3. Lakers
4. Minnesota
5. Clippers
6. Golden State
7. Denver
8. Memphis
Scenario
-Denver loses to Memphis and beats Houston
-Clippers beat Sacramento and Golden State
-Memphis loses to Dallas
Seeds
3. Lakers
4. Clippers
5. Minnesota
6. Denver
7. Golden State
8. Memphis
Scenario
-Denver loses to Memphis and beats Houston
-Clippers beat Sacramento and Golden State
-Memphis beats Dallas
Seeds
3. Lakers
4. Clippers
5. Minnesota
6. Memphis
7. Denver
8. Golden State
Scenario
-Denver loses to Memphis and beats Houston
-Clippers loses to Sacramento
-Golden State beats the Clippers
-Memphis beats Dallas
Seeds
3. Lakers
4. Golden State
5. Minnesota
6. Memphis
7. Denver
8. Clippers
Scenario
-Denver loses to Memphis and beats Houston
-Clippers loses to Sacramento
-Golden State beats the Clippers
-Memphis loses to Dallas
Seeds
3. Lakers
4. Minnesota
5. Golden State
6. Denver
7. Clippers
8. Memphis
DENVER BEATS MEMPHIS, LOSES TO HOUSTON
Scenario
-Denver beats Memphis and loses to Houston
-Clippers beat Sacramento and Golden State
-Memphis beats or loses to Dallas (irrelevant)
Seeds
3. Lakers
4. Clippers
5. Minnesota
6. Denver
7. Golden State
8. Memphis
Scenario
-Denver beats Memphis and loses to Houston
-Clippers beat Sacramento
-Golden State beats the Clippers
-Memphis beats or loses to Dallas (irrelevant)
Seeds
3. Lakers
4. Minnesota
5. Clippers
6. Golden State
7. Denver
8. Memphis
Scenario
-Denver beats Memphis and loses to Houston
-Clippers lose to Sacramento
-Golden State beats the Clippers
-Memphis beats or loses to Dallas (irrelevant)
Seeds
3. Lakers
4. Minnesota
5. Golden State
6. Denver
7. Clippers
8. Memphis
Scenario
-Denver beats Memphis and loses to Houston
-Clippers lose to Sacramento
-Clippers beat Golden State
-Memphis beats or loses to Dallas (irrelevant)
Seeds
3. Lakers
4. Minnesota
5. Clippers
6. Denver
7. Golden State
8. Memphis
DENVER LOSES OUT
Scenario
-Denver loses to Memphis and Houston
-Clippers beat Sacramento
-Golden State beats the Clippers
-Memphis beats Dallas
Seeds
3. Lakers
4. Clippers
5. Golden State
6. Minnesota
7. Memphis
8. Denver
Scenario
-Denver loses to Memphis and Houston
-Clippers beat Sacramento
-Golden State beats the Clippers
-Memphis loses to Dallas
Seeds
3. Lakers
4. Minnesota
5. Golden State
6. Clippers
7. Memphis
8. Denver
Scenario
-Denver loses to Memphis and Houston
-Clippers beat Sacramento and Golden State
-Memphis beats Dallas
Seeds
3. Lakers
4. Clippers
5. Memphis
6. Minnesota
7. Denver
8. Golden State
Scenario
-Denver loses to Memphis and Houston
-Clippers beat Sacramento and Golden State
-Memphis loses to Dallas
Seeds
3. Lakers
4. Clippers
5. Minnesota
6. Golden State
7. Denver
8. Memphis
Scenario
-Denver loses to Memphis and Houston
-Clippers lose to Sacramento and Golden State
-Memphis beats Dallas
Seeds
3. Lakers
4. Golden State
5. Memphis
6. Minnesota
7. Denver
8. Clippers
Scenario
-Denver loses to Memphis and Houston
-Clippers lose to Sacramento and Golden State
-Memphis loses to Dallas
Seeds
3. Lakers
4. Golden State
5. Minnesota
6. Clippers
7. Denver
8. Memphis
Scenario
-Denver loses to Memphis and Houston
-Clippers lose to Sacramento
-Clippers beat Golden State
-Memphis beats Dallas
Seeds
3. Lakers
4. Minnesota
5. Clippers
6. Memphis
7. Denver
8. Golden State
Scenario
-Denver loses to Memphis and Houston
-Clippers lose to Sacramento
-Clippers beat Golden State
-Memphis loses to Dallas
Seeds
3. Lakers
4. Minnesota
5. Clippers
6. Golden State
7. Denver
8. Memphis
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