The most important games of the last week of the NBA regular season

It’s the final week of the 2022-23 NBA regular season and as you probably already know, there is still a lot at stake for many teams in the league. In the West the field is stacked with both the Lakers and Pelicans still in with a mathematical chance to land in any one of the eight slots available. The Clippers, Warriors and T’Wolves are all tied on seven and desperate for wins. Then we’ve got the East which is somewhat more stable, but keep in mind that we are yet to see a team in either conference that has secured a specific seed.

The biggest games of the final week of the 2022-23 NBA season

With so much to play for, these games aren’t in any specific order - aside from date - but rest assured these contests are as big as they get in the final week, and will undoubtedly shape the postseason prospects of not just the teams involved, but others as well.

Lakers @ Clippers - April 5

Though we said there’s no particular order, the truth is that this is probably the biggest game on this list and not just because of the standings, but the juicy sub plot. Before we get to that, let’s focus on the facts. Having clinched a 135-133 win over the Jazz on Tuesday, the Lakers are now tied with the Clippers at 41-28 as they head into Wednesday’s clash. To be clear, the winner of this game will clinch the No. 5 seed for themselves, while the loser will likely drop into the dreaded lottery that is the play-in tournament. This is all to say, that this is probably the biggest game these two LA based teams have played in recent memory. Then there is the above-mentioned sub-plot i.e., Russell Westbrook. The former league MVP did not have a good time in yellow and purple and quite frankly looked like a shadow of the player we’ve known him to be. Now with a new lease on life with the Lakers’ cross-town rivals, you can bet your last dollar that Westbrook will be itching to put one over on his former team. Conversely, the Lakers will be eager to prove that they were right to let him go. When it comes down to it, this game is likely as big as it gets in the final week of the season. So, don’t miss it.

Nuggets @ Suns - April 6th

This one is perhaps a bit of a strange inclusion. On the one hand, both teams are essentially the favorites in the Western Conference. As the No. 1 seed, the Nuggets are sitting pretty and to such an extent that they benched their three best players when the played the Suns this past Friday. On the other, you’ve got the fourth seeded Suns who did in fact win that game against downgraded opposition, meaning they will be eager to prove it wasn’t just a case of benefitting from the absence of better opposition. When Kevin Durant has played the Suns haven’t lost, but when looking at the six games in which he’s featured - with the exception of the win against Denver - they’ve all come against teams below .500. Ultimately, this will be an opportunity for both teams to pick up steam before heading into the postseason.

Warriors @ Kings - April 7th

While there isn’t as much on the line for either team in this one, as there is in other games in this list, it’s definitely going to be interesting. Firstly, we’ve got to consider that everyone wants to meet the Kings who are currently 6th in the conference, because of the clear inexperience and not-so-strong defense. Clearly aware of this, Sacramento will likely be looking at this game as a means to tilt the scales in their favor as they prepare for a postseason run. Add to that Draymond Green’s latest foray into controversy: the Warriors star declared he wants to face the Kings in the first round - apparently because of travel convenience - and you’ve got yourself a recipe for a spicy dish. Keep an eye on this one as it could well be fireworks and even more so now that Andrew Wiggins might return.

Suns @ Lakers - April 7th

Here’s some trivia for you: The last time that Kevin Durant and LeBron James played against each other was back on Christmas Day of 2018, when Durant was still with the Warriors and James had just joined the Lakers. While hard to believe, the two stars haven’t shared the court since. Fast forward to the present and it might well be that depending on results in this game and elsewhere, the pair might face each other in the first round of the playoffs. It’s worth noting that a loss to the Lakers would all but insure the aforementioned scenario i.e., don’t be surprised if you see Phoenix choosing to bench their best. On the other hand, with the prospect of a Durant vs James contest on the cards, we’re thinking that’s not going to happen.

Clippers @ Suns - April 9th

Two days after they face the Lakers, the Suns will be taking on their another LA based team in the Clippers. What’s interesting here is that once again if results go a certain way, it could be the Clippers who face Phoenix in the first round. To that end, there is once more the possibility that we may see the Suns resting players to ensure such a matchup occurs. Paul George is on the injured list and Russell Westbrook is just getting started, meaning handing the Clippers a win might not be a bad thing for the Suns. That being said, we don’t expect either team to lie down in this one.