The competition for the Western Conference playoffs is heating.

Pooja77

In the previous games between the Warriors and the Bulls, with 3 minutes and 51 seconds left in the game, Stephen Curry left the court due to an ankle injury. On the same night, in the game between the Lakers and the Kings, LeBron James headed to the locker room with 3 minutes and 56 seconds remaining in the game due to his ankle injury. Both teams are in similar positions in terms of records, and they have overtaken each other in the standings more than 10 times. Who can secure a higher seed will depend on their performance on the court and the effectiveness of their post-injury treatment.

Similar situations exist for other teams in the Western Conference competing for playoff spots. Karl-Anthony Towns of the Timberwolves recently underwent surgery for a torn meniscus and will be out for at least a month, currently trailing the top-seeded Thunder by half a game. The fourth-placed Los Angeles Clippers are only 2.5 games behind, but they will also be playing the remainder of the season without Russell Westbrook, who suffered a hand fracture earlier this month.

Devin Booker of the Suns is dealing with his ankle injury, while reserve player Damion Lee is still recovering from knee surgery he underwent five months ago. Bradley Beal is now recovered, but he has missed a total of 29 games this year due to three different injuries. Today, despite Kevin Durant scoring a season-high 45 points against the Suns, the team ultimately fell to the Celtics without Booker.

Although the injury report for the Pelicans only includes Dyson Daniels, their star Zion Williamson has been frequently injured, missing 135 games over the past two seasons. However, this season, Williamson seems to be in good shape, which is crucial for the Pelicans' push for a top-six spot in the West.

MVP candidate Luka Doncic of the Mavericks has ankle and elbow injuries, while another star player, Kyrie Irving, often sits out due to injury. However, the good news is that Doncic, in today's game against the Pistons, recorded his fifth consecutive game with 35+ points and a triple-double, indicating that his injuries may not have a significant impact on him.

Compared to the aforementioned teams, the Thunder and the Nuggets remain relatively healthy, which has become a strong asset in their battle for the top spot in the West.

As it stands, playoff seeding seems to depend more on the health of the teams rather than just their performance in crucial moments of the games.

Jatin255

Everyone put in effort.

Ritu77

It's good if no one gets injured.