Four-Way Tie for the First Seed in the Western Conference
Last night, the red-hot Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder lost to the Chicago Bulls, and the Utah Jazz respectively. Now, less than two weeks before we head into the NBA All-Star Break, there is a four-way tie for the first seed in the Western Conference. The Timberwolves, Thunder, Los Angeles Clippers, and Denver Nuggets are now at the top of the West. One of these four teams will eventually clinch the number one seed and show why they’ve been one of the best teams since the beginning of the 2023-2024 NBA season.
All four of these teams play fantastic at home. Denver has the best record at home going 21-4. Both Minnesota and Los Angeles are 19-4, while Oklahoma City is 20-6 on their home court. The Timberwolves have the best record against other Western Conference foes, going 24-8. Minnesota and Oklahoma City have the best record on the road out of these four, with a 16-11, and 15-10 record. Los Angeles has had the longest win streak out of these teams with nine wins in a row, and they're currently on a four-game win streak. These four teams have perennial stars, and MVP candidates, that’s played a massive role in the success of their respective teams.
While it’s not for certain, one of these four teams will claim the first seed in the Western Conference. The Sacramento Kings, who are the fifth seed with a 29-20 record, are five games back. With the severity of how tough the Western Conference is, it may be unlikely a team like the Kings, Suns, or Pelicans can catch up to the magnificent play of the top four teams of the West. It’s going to be interesting to see which of these four teams will climb to the top of the Western Conference standings. Home-court advantage is always key come playoff time but don’t be surprised if we see those Nuggets try to win it all and repeat. What do you think? Who will take the first seed within the West?
