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Slowly but surely, the NBA is heading towards the eventual season restart in Orlando. Having spent a good few days in the NBA bubble, teams will start playing scrimmage games next week and we will get a better idea of where they stand.
The concept of home advantage is a thing of the past while rosters will take a new shape due to absences beyond normal injuries. The one thing that remains constant though, is the uber-competitive nature of the Western Conference.
NBA's watertight Western Conference
Besides the Los Angeles Lakers who've almost confirmed the top spot, the rest of the West will be embroiled in a tussle for higher seeding in the NBA Playoffs.
The combination of old and new always opens up more possibilities. On that note, here are five bold predictions for the Western Conference that could become reality once the NBA season resumes in Orlando.
#5 LA Clippers to win all eight seeding games
The longest winning streak for the LA Clippers this season has been seven games so far. Yet, I expect them to do one better and win all of their remaining seeding games. The reasons are quite simple too.
Firstly, the Clippers have never been fully healthy for a long stretch during the season but they find themselves very close to that situation right now. Besides the absence of Landry Shamet – who is recovering from the coronavirus and expects to join the team in the NBA bubble – the Clippers aren't missing names elsewhere. They've gone 10-1 this season when fully fit.
Secondly, their schedule is rather favorable. Have a look at the same above. Besides the Los Angeles Lakers – whom they've already beaten twice this season – every other fixture looks like a simple win for the Clippers on paper.
#4 New Orleans Pelicans to make the NBA Playoffs
The New Orleans Pelicans will be resuming the season 3.5 games and two spots behind the eighth-placed Memphis Grizzlies. Well, luckily for the Pels, they have the easiest schedule to make a serious playoff push.
Yes, Zion Williamson did head home from the NBA bubble do deal with family matters. But you can certainly expect him to rejoin the team again. In the meantime – and I mean no disrespect to the Portland Trail Blazers – Alvin Gentry still has the most well-rounded side amongst the chasing pack at his disposal.
Also read: 5 Reasons why New Orleans Pelicans will qualify for NBA Playoffs 2020
Like elite defender Jrue Holiday said during a media call, the Pels have done it without Zion for the majority of the season. They still have five players averaging over 10 points this season besides the rookie, including NBA Most Improved Player candidate Brandon Ingram.
#3 Utah Jazz to get eliminated in the first round of NBA Playoffs
The Utah Jazz are currently sitting in the the fourth seed with a 41-23 record but there are a lot of factors that limit their appeal heading into the NBA restart. Firstly, Bojan Bogdanovic is out following surgery and it's just not easy to replenish the 20 points per game contribution he brought to the table.
Then there's the situation involving Mike Conley. The NBA veteran has a baby coming in late August and will be leaving the NBA bubble for the same. Depending on how that situation plays out, the Jazz could very well be without his services for the first round of the postseason which begins on 17th August.
We also don't know just how much the situation between Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert has improved. Considering all of the above and that the rest of the playoff-bound teams in the West aren't limited by so many contingencies, the Jazz seem doomed for a first-round exit.
#2 The Oklahoma City Thunder to reach the second round of the NBA Playoffs
The Oklahoma City Thunder are just one game behind the fourth-seeded Utah Jazz whom they'll play in their first resumption game on 1st August. The importance of this tie cannot be understated because a win here would give OKC the head-to-head advantage and possibly the platform for a top 4 finish in the West.
But in no way is their schedule amongst the easier ones. The Thunder play the Lakers, Clippers, Heat, and Nuggets in their seeding games. But Chris Paul and co. have shown enough grit in the past against these opponents to have some hope.
The recurring theme for OKC this year has been teamwork, with all the players chipping in from time to time. That is likely to continue in the NBA bubble as well with them not missing any key player. The return of Andre Roberson is a massive boost as well.
The Thunder are likely to come up against Denver, Utah or Houston in the first round, all of whom they have beaten this season. They can overcome them again in a seven-game series to progress in the NBA Playoffs.
#1 Los Angeles Lakers to reach the NBA Finals
No matter the competition, the Western Conference is likely to come down to the battle of LA. Ever since the Clippers recruited Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, both them and the Los Angeles Lakers have added pieces keeping in mind the strengths and weaknesses of the other. The Lakers match fire with fire thanks to LeBron James and Anthony Davis but it's the role players who give them an edge.
While both teams have made some shrewd signings, it's hard to ignore the freshest Lakers duo on the block. If you can look past how Dion Waiters and J.R. Smith parted ways with their previous franchises, both are veteran shooters who can give the Lakers 15 points a night combined.
Yes, the Clippers currently hold the edge in terms of head-to-head but the Lakers showed in the last meeting between the two that they aren't any pushovers either.
Besides their four-game losing streak in December, Frank Vogel's men haven't lost multiple fixtures in a row at any other juncture in the season. This bears testament to the Lakers' ability to absorb a bad result and immediately strike back, which is why I expect them to oust the Clippers in seven games.
Also read: NBA Playoffs 2020 - Predicting the 8 seeds from Western Conference
