The 2020-21 NBA is definitely a different beast so far. Offense is way up, as are blowouts. Defense is way down, even in the grittier Eastern Conference. We have a new Big Three, as James Harden has joined Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant in Brooklyn. In the Western Conference, Utah and Phoenix are both streaking, winners of nine in their last ten. Dallas just got a team-record 90 points from Luka Doncic over his last two games, but the team only won one of them, because they give up 124.5 points per 100 possessions — and that’s after adding players who focus on defense in the off-season. This year, the top ten teams at the end of the regular season can all make the playoffs, as the 7-10 teams will play in a mini-tournament for the last two seeds.
Let’s look at the updated standings and then consider the playoffs from a NBA betting perspective.
NBA News: Western Conference Finals — Possible Matchups
West Playoff Standings (2/15/2021)
- Utah Jazz (22-5)
- L.A. Lakers (21-7, 1 ½ games back)
- L.A. Clippers (20-8, 2 ½ GB)
- Phoenix Suns (17-9, 4 ½ GB)
- Portland Trail Blazers (16-10, 5 ½ GB)
- San Antonio Spurs (16-11, 6 GB)
- Denver Nuggets (15-11, 6 ½ GB)
- Golden State Warriors (14-13, 8 GB)
- Memphis Grizzlies (11-11, 8 ½ GB)
- Dallas Mavericks (13-15, 9 ½ GB)
It’s not like the Utah Jazz have been dancing on the edge of disaster in their 18-1 run. Of those 18 wins, 16 have been by double digits. The last two teams to win 16 games by at least 10 in a 19-game span were the 1970-71 Milwaukee Bucks and the 2008-09 Cleveland Cavaliers, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Forward Royce O’Neal was an unsung hero, playing solid defense against Jayson Tatum, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jimmy Butler in beatings of the Celtics, Bucks and Heat.
Are the Lakers starting to take on a bit of water? Anthony Davis reinjured his Achilles tendon in a loss to Denver on Sunday, ending a seven-game winning streak. He missed three wins that had gone to overtime (one against the Pistons, two against the Thunder). He is set for an MRI on Monday to determine the damage, and if AD has to go down for an extended period of time, expect the Lakers to wilt in the standings a bit.
The Clippers have dealt with some injury woes of their own. Kawhi Leonard had to miss Sunday’s game with a contusion in his left leg, so he and Paul George (toe) were in street clothes watching the Clippers win. Even so, they have gone 14-4 in their last 18. They might have the durability to make it farther in a season that will likely continue to see key players miss due to COVID-19.
The Phoenix Suns have won six in a row and nine of ten. That six-game winning streak is their second longest in the last ten seasons, ranking behind their eight-game run in the bubble last year. Devin Booker had three straight games of at least 30 points and outscored the Orlando Magic by himself in the first period (17-16) on Sunday. Booker finally has some help around him, making the Suns look like contenders.
Obviously, a Lakers-Clippers final would bring all sorts of drama to Hollywood. However, they would need to get on opposite sides of the bracket, which would mean that one of them would have to pass the Jazz…or slide down to fourth in the conference. Watching Kawhi and LeBron go at it, possession after possession, for a best-of-seven series would make for some great basketball.
What about a Jazz-Lakers final? Donovan Mitchell could also go toe to toe with LeBron, and the Jazz have O’Neal and reigning Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert to get stops. That’s an even more intriguing matchup than the all-L.A. pairing.
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