After the top teams in the NBA‘s Eastern Conference took center stage to solidify their position in the upper echelon, attention now shifts west where multiple playoff-bound teams are battling for position in a tightly contested race.
Here are the key storylines to watch in this week’s NBA games on Disney+ in the Philippines.
Which teams can complete the top four in the West?
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With how the standings have taken shape, defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs appear poised to secure the top two seeds in the Western Conference.
However, the race behind them remains wide open. Seeds three through six are separated by just one and a half games, meaning the final order could come down to the closing stretch of the regular season.
For now, the Minnesota Timberwolves have surged after the All-Star break to take a slim hold of the third seed. That push has been fueled by superstar Anthony Edwards, who has elevated his play with averages of 31.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.3 assists on an efficient 62.1 TS% during this span.
Minnesota will look to strengthen its grip on that position when it faces the Thunder (March 16, 1 a.m. PHT).
Meanwhile, the Houston Rockets remain in fourth spot despite an up-and-down stretch. A bright spot recently has been rookie guard Reed Sheppard, who has averaged 18.3 points over the past ten games while shooting 43% from three-point range on a high 9.3 attempts per contest.
Houston faces a crucial test against the Denver Nuggets (March 12, 10 a.m. PHT), a matchup that could have major implications in the crowded standings.
For their part, the Nuggets have slipped to the sixth seed after a strong 22-9 start to the season. Defense has been the primary concern for the usually potent offensive squad, as Denver currently ranks just 22nd in defensive rating, allowing 116.5 points per 100 possessions.
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The Los Angeles Lakers are another team trying to climb into that upper tier while still searching for championship-level consistency. Encouragingly, their offense has improved significantly, posting 117.4 points per 100 possessions since the All-Star break, the sixth-best mark in the league.
With Luka Dončić orchestrating the attack alongside LeBron James and Austin Reaves, the Lakers will try to capitalize on Denver’s defensive struggles when the two teams meet (March 15, 8:30 a.m. PHT).
Will the Magic have a great finish to the season? (March 12, 7:30 a.m. PHT: Cavaliers vs. Magic)
There were lofty expectations for the Orlando Magic entering the season, especially with the young star tandem of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner gaining another offensive weapon in Desmond Bane.
Instead of climbing firmly into the upper tier of the Eastern Conference, however, Orlando has spent most of the year hovering around the play-in picture.
Still, the Magic appear to be gaining momentum at the right time.
Orlando has gone 7-3 in its last ten games with the fourth-best net rating in the league at +10.9 during that stretch to crack the top six. A major factor has been Banchero’s surge on offense, averaging 26.2 points on 50.8% shooting from the field and a 60.3 TS%.
That late push will be tested against a legitimate contender in the Cleveland Cavaliers, a matchup that could reveal whether the Magic have the form needed to close the season strong.
Clippers surging towards the playoff picture (March 15, 11 a.m. PHT: Kings vs. Clippers)
It was once a gloomy start to the season for the LA Clippers, who stumbled to a 6-21 record early in the campaign.
Head coach Tyronn Lue set a modest goal of finishing the regular season at .500, and the team has already reached that mark by Game 64 with a 32-32 record, signaling a remarkable turnaround.
Since Dec. 18, the Clippers have posted the fourth-best record in the league, powered by the stellar play of Kawhi Leonard, who has averaged 29.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists during that span.
Their resurgence has also been boosted by trade deadline additions, with Darius Garland providing scoring punch at 17.0 points per game while shooting 42.9% clip from beyond the arc, and Bennedict Mathurin delivering instant offense off the bench with 19.2 points per game.
Another exciting Ant-Man versus SGA clash (March 16, 1 a.m. PHT: Timberwolves vs. Thunder)
The Timberwolves have held their own against defending champion Oklahoma City this season, leading the season series 2-1. Minnesota has shown it can match up well with the league’s top team, setting the stage for another high-level showdown between two of the NBA’s brightest superstars.
Edwards has been particularly dominant against the Thunder, averaging 27.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists while posting an elite 73.9 TS%, including 46.2% from beyond the arc.
On the other side, MVP contender Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been just as sensational against Minnesota, putting up 35.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game on 68.9 TS%, while consistently getting to the free-throw line with ten attempts per contest.
With both stars performing at an elite level in the matchup, another explosive duel could be on tap when the two Western Conference contenders meet again.