The NBA All-Star weekend is now in the rearview mirror, and the race to the playoffs will take centerstage. A look at the standings will show that the Boston Celtics will likely be the number one seed in the East. However, there will be a battle for seeding below them, with seven teams separated by six games in the loss column. In the Western Conference, the competition for places is even more fierce, with the top four teams separated by three games and the fifth seed ahead of the tenth seed by just five games. The terrifying possibility of being in the play-in tournament and facing a single elimination game will push teams to produce their best in the final sprint to the playoffs. In this article, we will discuss the five biggest storylines to watch.
1. Who will be the top three seeds in the Western Conference?
Entering the All-Star Break, the top three seeds in the Western Conference were the Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder, and the Los Angeles Clippers. The Minnesota Timberwolves have been the big surprise team because last season, they finished with a 42-40 record, and this season have been a juggernaut with the best record (39-16) in the Western Conference. It means they are just three wins shy of matching last season’s mark with 26 games left this year. The Timberwolves have overwhelmed teams defensively with their size and athleticism, and I think they will maintain their spot as the top team in the West. The Thunder looked poised to keep their second-place spot in the conference buoyed by some of the best young players in the league. The team has a nice balance of talented scorers in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, and Josh Giddey, while Luguentz Dort brings a bit of tenacity on defense. Also, the Thunder made a shrewd trade to acquire Gordon Hayward from the Charlotte Hornets. I have the Denver Nuggets surprising the Clippers by leapfrogging them into third place. The Clippers have recovered from a dismal start after acquiring James Harden and have turned things around to surge up the standings. However, the Nuggets are poised to surpass the Clippers, with the defending champions finding form with one of the best starting lineups in the league.
2. Who will win the MVP?
The MVP race will likely come down to the wire and perhaps the last week of the regular season. Earlier this week, I explained why I thought Shai Gilgeous-Alexanders was the front-runner entering the All-Star break. However, I think Jayson Tatum has the best shot at winning the award because the Celtics have a shot at distancing themselves for the best record from every other contending team. The Celtics have a 44-12 record and have a four-game lead over the Minnesota Timberwolves. The team has one of the easiest remaining schedules, and Tatum should dominate two matchups each against the Detroit Pistons, Charlotte Hornets, Portland Trailblazers, and Washington Wizards. However, if he can excel in head-to-head matchups against the Golden State Warriors, Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns, and Milwaukee Bucks twice each, then Tatum will make a compelling case on a 60-plus-win team.
3. Can the New York Knicks challenge for the Eastern Conference when healthy?
The Knicks were one of the most aggressive teams prior trade deadline. First, the New York Knickerbockers acquired forward OG Anunoby from the Raptors in a trade that sent RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, and a 2024 second-round pick to Toronto. On deadline day, the Knicks made the most significant move by acquiring Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burns from the Detroit Pistons and moving Quentin Grimes, Evan Fournier, Malachi Flynn, Ryan Arcidiacono, and two second-round picks to the Detroit Pistons in the deal. The Knicks acquired three quality players to supplement the existing core of Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle, and Josh Hart. The problem for the Big Apple team is that Anunoby and Randle have been injured, putting a damper on the moves. However, when this team is healthy, this team can have one of the best lineups in the East while surrounding Brunson with sharpshooters. A healthy Knicks squad should be able to contend for a place in the Eastern Conference Finals and it would be the first time they would make it to that stage since the 1999-2000 playoffs.
4. Can the Warriors or Suns Make a run?
The past decade in the NBA has been defined by the battle between Lebron James vs Stephen Curry. The two superstars are the faces of the league, and they are still great individual players coming towards the end of their careers. However, their teams have struggled their season. and if the season ended today, they would face off in the play-in tournament as the 9th and 10th seed in the Western Conference. I think both teams will not contend for the title this season, but if I was pushed to pick the more likely, I would pick the Lakers. The combination of James and Anthony Davis is more consistent than any combination on the Warriors. The Lakers are bigger than the Warriors, who are susceptible to attacks in the paint. Despite the lack of experience for the Timberwolves and Thunder, I think they will be too much for the Warriors and Lakers.
5. Will Doc Rivers turn the Bucks season around?
The Milwaukee Bucks entered this season as one of the pre-season favorites to win the championship after they acquired Damion Lillard from the Portland Trailblazers. The Bucks made a surprise move to fire new Head Coach Adrian Griffin despite achieving a 30-13 record and the second-best team in the league. The Bucks were winning games, but they struggled defensively and against teams at the bottom of the league. The team made a controversial decision to hire Doc Rivers to replace Griffin, who served as a consultant to the team. However, in the ten games since the hire, the Bucks have a 3-7 record with back-to-back losses to the Heat playing without Jimmy Butler and an injury-riddled Memphis Grizzlies squad. I think the Bucks will improve, but they have fundamental issues on the defensive end that they will struggle to resolve. I think they will finish as the 4th or 5th seed, making them face a tough matchup for the 1st round.