Breaking down the Warriors’ tiebreakers in the West’s crowded middle
Golden State Warriors are currently No. 6 seed in West, but could still
finish anywhere between No. 5 and No. 9 by end of NBA season

>SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 18: Golden State Warriors’ Stephen
Curry (30) grabs a pass intended to against against Los Angeles Lakers’
Lebron James (6) as. Golden State Warriors’ Andrew Wiggins (22) defends
in the first quarter of their NBA season opener at Chase Center in San
Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2022. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News
Group) i
By ALEX SIMON | asimon@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
PUBLISHED: April 7, 2023 at 5:40 a.m. | UPDATED: April 7, 2023 at 6:00 a.m.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2023/04/07/breaking-down-the-warriors-tiebreakers-in-the-wests-crowded-middle/

As the Warriors enter the NBA’s final weekend, there is still a lot left
to determine in terms of playoff positioning.

The Dubs head to Sacramento on Friday as the No. 6 seed in the West but
could finish anywhere from the No. 5 seed all the way down to No. 9,
depending on how this weekend goes.

The NBA’s defending champs will finish their regular season at Portland
on Sunday afternoon after the road game at Sacramento, giving the
Warriors a chance to try and find their rhythm away from Chase Center.
The Dubs carry a 9-30 road record into this weekend, making them one of
only four teams in the NBA to lose 30 or more road games this season.
The other three are the league’s three-worst teams: Houston, Detroit and
San Antonio.

Could there be some strategizing about potential opponents heading into
this weekend? Teams obviously want to avoid the play-in tournament, but
the new-look Phoenix Suns, with Kevin Durant added next to Devin Booker,
are locked into the No. 4 seed and may be a foe other teams try to avoid.

Two wins would guarantee the Warriors a top-six spot and would allow
them to miss the play-in entirely. Any loss opens the door for others,
though.

Here’s how the muddied middle of the West stacks up and their remaining
games this weekend:

- Western Conference 5-9 seeds and remaining games

5. Clippers (42-38): Saturday vs. Portland, Sunday at Phoenix

6. Warriors (42-38): Friday at Sacramento, Sunday at Portland

7. Lakers (41-39): Friday vs. Phoenix, Sunday vs. Utah

8. Pelicans (41-39): Friday vs. New York, Sunday at Minnesota

9. Timberwolves (40-40): Saturday at San Antonio, Sunday vs. New Orleans

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In the event that Golden State finishes tied with any other Western
Conference foes, here is the Warriors’ tiebreaker situation with each team:

Lakers: LA wins tiebreaker by winning three of four head-to-head games
this season.

Clippers: Teams split four games this season. Clippers win tiebreaker
based on division record (Clippers 8-7, Warriors 6-9).

Pelicans: Teams split season series. New Orleans wins tiebreaker based
on conference record (Pelicans 29-22, Warriors 28-22, but results to
reach a tie would move New Orleans ahead).

Timberwolves: Teams split season series. Minnesota wins tiebreaker based
on conference record (Warriors 28-22, Timberwolves 27-23, but results to
reach a tie would move Minnesota ahead).

And some possible three-way tiebreaker scenarios:

GSW-LAC-LAL: Clippers first, Lakers second, Warriors third – based on
head-to-head record (Clippers 6-2, Lakers 3-5, Warriors 3-5, then goes
to Lakers 3-1 vs. Warriors)

GSW-LAC-NO: Pelicans first, Warriors second, Clippers third – based on
conference record (Pelicans 29-22, Warriors 28-22, Clippers 25-25)

GSW-LAL-NO: Lakers first, Pelicans second, Warriors third – based on
head-to-head record (Lakers 6-2, Pelicans 3-5, Warriors 3-5) and
conference record (Pelicans 29-22, Warriors 28-22)

GSW-MIN-NO: Timberwolves first, Warriors second, Pelicans third – based
on head-to-head record (Timberwolves 4-3, Warriors 4-4, Pelicans 3-4)

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Alex Simon | Sports Digital Strategist/Editor
Alex Simon is a sports digital strategist and editor for Bay Area News
Group. He’s been in journalism for years as an editor, reporter and
adjunct professor. Alex is a 2017 graduate of Elon University with a BA
in journalism and a 2019 graduate of Arizona State University with a MA
in journalism. He enjoys weekend adventures and loves In-N-Out Burger a
bit too much.Alex Simon is a sports digital strategist and editor for
Bay Area News Group. He’s been in journalism for years as an editor,
reporter and adjunct professor. Alex is a 2017 graduate of Elon
University with a BA in journalism and a 2019 graduate of Arizona State
University with a MA in journalism. He enjoys weekend adventures and
loves In-N-Out Burger a bit too much.