The fierce battle to avoid the play-in in the Western Conference

It seems unbelievable that at this stage of the season we already have a clear idea of which ten teams will be competing in the postseason. The fate of many tanking-prone franchises has left 10 teams in the Western Conference eager to compete, creating an insurmountable gap for others wishing to enter the battle. The big question is which teams will avoid the play-in.

It is assumed that San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets will solidify their positions in second and third place, closely chasing Oklahoma City Thunder who can start focusing on the playoffs. However, beyond these three teams, it would be risky to label Houston Rockets as a reliable team free from potential crises, especially with Minnesota Timberwolves being playoff threats. The Rockets will have to fight in the regular season to break into the top six positions, contested by Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns.

All these teams look back and see the significant distance between Golden State Warriors and Portland Trail Blazers, while also remaining cautious of Los Angeles Clippers on the rise. Even if none of these three teams were to have an exceptional streak to become playoff contenders, either the Rockets, Wolves, Lakers, or Suns will have to go through the play-in to secure their playoff spot. This poses a real challenge given the competitiveness of the Western Conference.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, La encarnizada lucha por evitar el play-in en la Conferencia Oeste