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NBA PLAYOFFS

What do the Warriors need to get the 6 seed and avoid the play-in tournament?

The regular NBA season finishes on the 10th of April, and the current champion, the Golden State Warriors, don’t have resolved six-seed in the West yet.

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 04: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors talks to head coach Steve Kerr during their game against the Oklahoma City Thunder
EZRA SHAWAFP

The Golden State Warriors are keen to avoid the 2021 play-in tournament experience. That season, they were the No. 8 seed before losing to the No. 7 Lakers and then the No. 9 Memphis Grizzlies, ending the season.

As of last night, there is a sigh of relief within the “Dub Nation” as the Warriors can handle their fate. If they win their final two regular-season games, on Friday against the Kings and Sunday against the Trail Blazers, both away -- will be assured top-six seed and with a coincident playoff berth.

Warriors avoiding the play-in tournament situations.

These are the situations in which the Warriors can avoid the play-in tournament.

Golden State can still grasp the number 5 seed in the West if they go 2-0 in their last two games of the season, both on the road and in the meantime, the LA Clippers lose once until the end.

NBA:

The more realistic ending is for the Warriors to grab the No. 6 seed if they go 2-0 until the end, and again the LA Clippers go 2-0. The other option is if they go 1-1, while the LA Clippers go 1-1, the Pelicans go 2-0, and the Lakers go 1-1 or 0-2

The last hypothetical situation would be if the Warriors go 1-1, and their biggest contenders for the playoff spot, the LA Clippers, go 1-1 or 2-0, and on the other side Pelicans go 1-1 or 0-2, and the Lakers go 1-1 or 0-2

Warriors finishing in the play-in tournament

There are a few scenarios for the reigning champions who can end up in the play-in tournament, even if they go 1-1 in their remaining regular-season games.

Golden State can grab the number 7 seed, which will give them the advantage of playing at home if they go 1-1, the LA Clippers go 1-1 or 2-0, the New Orleans Pelicans go 1-1 or 0-2, and the Lakers go 2-0. Another plausible situation can be if they go 1-1, the LA Clippers go 2-0, the Pelicans go 2-0, and the Lakers go 1-1 or 0-2

The Warriors - grabbing the No. 8 seed and then playing their first play-in games on the road if they win one of their last two games, same as the LA Clippers, while New Orleans and the Los Angeles Lakers all go 2-0. And the last option for them to finish 8th if they go 1-1 while the Clippers, the Pelicans, and the Lakers go 2-0 all

The Warriors can also drop to the No. 9 seed, pushing them to win two play-in games to make the playoffs. That seeding situation is only feasible if the Warriors lose their final two regular-season games. In that situation, they will have to lose both of their games; Minnesota Timberwolves need a 2-0 score, the Pelicans need to beat the New York Knicks, and the Lakers finish 1-1 or 2-0.