Curry’s Warriors, LeBron James’ Lakers, Doncic’s Mavericks: Beware danger for the Playoffs

There won’t be room for everyone. If the NBA has reduced the risk of being eliminated from the race for the Playoffs by establishing a play-in since the Covid crisis, moving the waterline from 8th to 10th place, we can still be a big team in the league and tremble with less than two weeks left in the regular season. In the East, the dice seem cast with a gap of three successes between the Wizards (11th) and the Bulls (10th).

In the West, however, even the twelfth (Utah Jazz) can still believe it, although it would take a nice combination of circumstances. But from Dallas, eleventh and therefore first eliminated, to Minnesota, sixth, there are only two small victories. If all would obviously be disappointed to be eliminated, for three of them (Warriors, Lakers, Mavericks), it would really be a task.

Golden State Warriors

• With : 39 wins-37 losses
• Square to the West : 7es
• Dynamic : 5 wins-5 losses
• Matches restants : 6

Calendar : Pelicans, Spurs, Nuggets (away), Thunder, Kings (away), Blazers (away).

The Warriors are the best ranked team among the three we have chosen and yet… Because they are defending champions, the Californians obviously have a status apart from that they have defended very badly this season. Of course, they had to deal with Stephen Curry’s absences but above all they have a huge problem away from home where they have only won 9 of their… 38 matches.

Can Golden State miss the playoffs? The players do not believe it since they rather evoke the absolute necessity of not playing a play-in which they consider “dangerous“. With the Nuggets and the Kings playing on the road, Curry’s teammates do not have an easy schedule, especially since they must also receive two direct opponents (the Pelicans 8th and the Thunder 10th). The qualification for the Playoffs will depend on the outcome of these two matches, and Andrew Wiggins, who is so missed, is unlikely to return.

• Our opinion : The Warriors will not fall beyond 10th place. On the other hand, they will not escape the play-in and we even allow ourselves to think that they will not have the home advantage and will end the season in 8th place, at best.

Los Angeles Lakers

• With : 37 wins-38 losses
• Square to the West : 9es
• Dynamic : 6 wins-4 losses
• Matches restants : 7

Calendar : Bulls (away), Wolves (out), Rockets (out), Jazz (out), Clippers, Suns, Jazz.

“Now is the time, instead of constantly facing a deficit, to try to create a surplus, to create a gap between wins and losses” These words, Darvin Ham, the coach of the Lakers, pronounced them on Friday after the success of the Lakers against the Thunder. The teammates of LeBron James, who have since returned to the field, had just regained their balance (37-37) for the first time… of the season!

But on Sunday the return of James, who declined foot surgery to help his team, was not successful and the Lakers went the other way. The hour is serious, and if since the movements of February, things are generally better (12 wins-8 losses), the Purple and Gold are far from being off the hook because they have four matches to play away (Bulls, Wolves, Rockets, Jazz) before hosting two big teams (Clippers and Suns).

• Our opinion : The Lakers will not move and will remain in 9th place, which is a lesser evil after a chaotic season to say the least.

Dallas Mavericks

• With : 37 wins-39 losses
• Square to the West : 11es
• Dynamic : 3 wins-7 losses
• Matches restants : 6

Calendar : Sixers (away), Heat (away), Hawks, Kings, Bulls, Spurs.

In Dallas, the numbers are not good while the arrival of Kyrie Irving in February was to bring a boost to the Texans while relieving Luka Doncic of part of the offensive responsibilities. On paper, the idea sounded great except that the Mavericks have lost 11 of their 18 games since the arrival of the leader and that he and Doncic have only played 9 together.

It is little you will answer. It’s true but neither the American-Australian nor the Slovenian gives any guarantee of success. The proof, they make no effort to compensate for their respective weakness in defense. Dallas is the league’s fifth-worst team in the field since February. And the dynamic is scary (7 defeats in the last ten matches). If Luka Doncic avoided suspension with the cancellation of his 16th technical foul, the NBA will not catch him by the neck every time. With a difficult calendar (only the Spurs have nothing left to play) and a team far from having reached its maximum potential, Dallas is in very great danger.

• Our opinion : The Mavericks will be the turkeys of the farce and Luka Doncic will miss the Playoffs for the second time in his career after his rookie season. A hell of a step back.