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Who Gets the Western Conference 8th Seed?

Western Conference

JONATHAN BACHMAN/GETTY

Western Conference
JONATHAN BACHMAN/GETTY

The race for the 8th seed in the Western Conference is heating up. We have now passed the All-Star break and teams currently on the outside looking in will look to make one last push within the final quarter of the season. Only 7 games separate the 8th and 12th seed in the Western Conference. Who gets in?

Memphis Grizzlies

The Grizzlies currently hold the 8th spot. They have been way ahead of the rebuild schedule and currently sit two games over .500. Be honest with yourself, did you or anyone else see this coming? I predicted the Grizzlies to win 30 games this season, but they have already won 28. Ja Morant is playing phenomenal basketball and deserves Rookie of the Year. The schedule is not kind to Memphis as February ends. Morant and company will have to stay on top of their game if they wish to get that 8th spot.

Portland Trailblazers

What has happened to the Trailblazers? Yes, they’ve been injured but C.J. McCollum has played bad this year. If Portland was at least the fourth spot, Damian Lillard would be in the MVP conversation. Lillard will have to keep playing god-like basketball if this team has a chance at making it to the playoffs. It is a miracle that they are only four games back. If Memphis falls off, Portland is in the best position to snag that final playoff spot.

San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs confuse me. Are they rebuilding or trying to compete? Are they just floating dead in the water and waiting till the offseason? I don’t really know. This team has good pieces, but coach Gregg Popovich just can’t get his team to win. DeMar DeRozan has played great but it is not enough. San Antonio is only five games out of the 8th spot. A classic Spurs run is entirely possible to keep their playoff streak alive, at least for one more year.

New Orleans Pelicans

If Zion Williamson had been healthy the entire year, perhaps this Pelicans squad would be further up the ladder. His debut was phenomenal and his play seems to only get better. The Pelicans have played great over the past month. Brandon Ingram has finally spread his wings and became an official All-Star this year. Everything about this team screams playoffs, but they currently sit five and a half games behind Memphis. It would be a lot of fun to see Zion in the playoffs this year, but he and the Pelicans are gonna have to get it done and finish the regular season strong.

Phoenix Suns

Suns Twitter has been relatively quiet since the beginning of the season. This is because their team has fallen off a cliff after starting hot. The Suns have good players in All-Star Devin Booker, Deandre Ayton and fan-favorite Aron Baynes. The Suns would have to become the hottest team in basketball to make the playoffs. Impossible? Not necessarily, but highly unlikely.

Putting my fandom aside, I believe the Spurs have the best chance of stealing the 8th spot away from the Grizzlies. There are good players on that team and I will never count out a team coached by Pop. But perhaps the Grizzlies can shock the NBA world and steal the hearts of fans everywhere? Time will tell.

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