NBA Playoff 2023 Scenarios: How Warriors Avoid Play-in Tournament
The 2022-23 NBA regular season is coming to an end, and the Western Conference playoff race is getting even more interesting, with several teams fighting for a spot.
The Golden State Warriors, however, are in trouble. They are currently placed in 6th position but could fall as low as ninth.
The 2022-23 NBA regular season is coming to an end, and the Western Conference playoff race is getting even more interesting, with several teams fighting for a spot.
The Golden State Warriors, however, are in trouble. They are currently placed in 6th position but could fall as low as ninth. The development would lead them to contest in the play-in tournament.
The Warriors are resolute in avoiding the play-in tournament as they had been eliminated last season. Unlike last year, they control their fate this time around.
Warriors have the last two games to go, and if they win both, they will end up in the top six and cement their playoff berth.
Let’s look at the Warriors’ playoff scenarios as outlined by the 95.7 The Game’s John Dickinson.
The Warriors have these playoff scenarios that could help them avoid the play-in tournament.
1 – They can finish fifth if they win both games and the Clippers lose one.
2 – They can secure the No. 6 seed if they and the Clippers win both their last games, or they win one game, and the Clippers, Pelicans, and Lakers win or lose specific games.
3 – The Warriors could still end up in the play-in tournament, even if they win one game. They could grab the No. 7 seed, meaning a home play-in game, if they win one game and the Clippers, Pelicans, and Lakers win or lose specific games.
They could also grab the No. 8 seed, which means a road play-in game if they win one game and the Clippers, Pelicans, and Lakers win or lose specific games.
4 – If they lose both games and the Timberwolves win both games, the Pelicans beat the New York Knicks, and the Lakers win one or both games, the Warriors could end up in the No. 9 seed.
The position will force them to play two play-in games to make the playoffs.
Here are the teams’ remaining schedules:
1- LA Clippers vs Trail Blazers (Saturday) and vs Suns (Sunday)
2- GS Warriors vs Kings (Friday) and vs Trail Blazers (Sunday
3- LA Lakers vs Suns (Friday) and vs Jazz (Sunday)
4- Pelican vs Knicks (Friday) and vs Timberwolves (Sunday)
5- Timberwolves vs Spurs (Saturday) and vs Pelicans (Sunday)
Warriors’ Playoff Tiebreakers
With all five teams so close, tiebreakers could come into play, and unfortunately for the Warriors, they would lose a two-way tiebreaker to the Clippers, Lakers, and Pelicans.
1- Warriors would lose a two-way tiebreaker to the Clippers, Lakers and Pelicans
2- Three-way with Warriors/Clippers/Pelicans goes: Pelicans, Warriors, Clippers
3- Three-way with Warriors/Clippers/Lakers goes: Clippers, Lakers, Warriors
4- Three-way with Warriors/Lakers/Pelicans goes: Lakers, Pelicans, Warriors
5- Four-way with Warriors/Clippers/Lakers/Pelicans goes: Pelicans, Clippers, Lakers, Warriors
The Clippers, Warriors, Lakers, Pelicans, and Timberwolves have two games left each, and the outcome of those games will determine the final playoff picture.
