NBA: Who will finish 5th to 8th seeds in the Western Conference?

The NBA season is down to its final three and a halfweeks of the season, with teams having anywhere from 11 to 13 games left in their regular season. In the Western Conference, the top four seeds of the playoff bracket are nearly set, with Golden State and San Antonio the clear one and two seeds, followed by the Thunder and the Los Angeles Clippers who are basically set in stone as the three and four seeds.Where the real fun begins is looking at the teams who are going to spend the final games fighting for a playoff spot and the right to miss out on playing the two juggernauts at the top.Right now, it looks like Memphis will make the playoffs, but with how many injuries they have faced of late, they could potentially tumble into one of those dreaded seven or eight seeds. Then you get to the jumble of 4 teams fighting for the last three spots, all currently separated by a mere 1.5 games.These teams are going to be fighting like hell to avoid the last two spots and at least, give themselves some hope of winning the first round series vs the Thunder.

#5 9th Seed

Derrick Favors missing time was probably the death knell for the Jazz playoff hopes

Utah Jazz

Currently: 9th place, 1 game back from 8th seed.

The Utah Jazz are going to be the team that was snake bitten by injuries to some of their best players early in the year and it is going to be what ultimately keeps them out of the playoffs. They have had Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert miss significant portions of playing time this year, while they watch young guards Alec Burks and Dante Exum suffer injuries in the offseason that have kept them out this year.

It is a tough pill to swallow for a team that many were picking to supplant a perennial Western Conference playoff team this year.

It doesn’t help that the Jazz gagged two games away earlier in the season vs the Houston Rockets a team directly ahead of them that would have catapulted them into the current playoff picture. The Jazz have been plagued with late game struggles all season, as they have both failed to score and defend consistently.

While the Jazz have two games against the teams ahead of them, one each vs the Rockets and Mavs, I do not trust them to win both of those games against more veteran teams.

#4 8th Seed

Even in year 18, it looks like Dirk Nowitzki will pilot another playoff team

Dallas Mavericks

Currently: tied with Houston for 7th place, losing the tiebreaker.

I predict the Mavs, the team everyone was predicting wouldn’t make it back to the playoffs after DeAndre Jordan spurned them to go back to the Los Angeles Clippers. But behind the warlock Rick Carlisle and the never aging Dirk Nowitzki, the Mavs have fought tough to stay in the playoff picture even as their schedule got tougher down the stretch and they seemed in peril of dropping out.

No where was this mind set more evident than Sunday night when the Mavs held off the Portland Trail Blazers in an entertaining 132-120 overtime win. Dirk reached into the bag of tricks and helped the Mavs pull out a much needed win.

Through these last 12 games, the schedule softens ever so slightly and I expect them to take care of business as needed to ensure they make it back to the playoffs. They are going to face six current playoff teams, in addition to one vs the Jazz, but luckily the only game against those teams that serve as a back to back is against the Jazz and Clippers in the last week.

It would shock me if they fell out of the playoffs, but I always bet on the veteran teams come this time of the season.

#3 7th Seed

James Harden won’t let this season end without a playoff trip

Houston Rockets

Currently: Tied for 7th with the Mavericks, hold the tiebreaker.

What a topsy-turvy season it has been for the Rockets, one of last year's Western Conference Finals participants. The Rockets have been sputtering all year long, not finding the chemistry they had last season and playing with an alarming lack of focus at times.

The end of the season will pose quite the challenge for the Rockets, who face seven current playoff teams in their last 12 games, as well as a matchup against the Jazz. Luckily for the Rockets, they hold a 2-1 regular season series advantage and get to play the contest at home.

There are many reasons to discount the Rockets as not having the mental fortitude to hold off the teams below them, I believe they have the talent overwhelm at times and that will propel them into the playoffs. James Harden has played very well in the second half of the season, carrying his team at times in a way only few in the league can.

As he goes, so does the team and I don’t see him allowing his team to miss the playoffs.

#2 6th Seed

Damian Lillard has balled since the All Star break

Portland Trail Blazers

Currently: 6th place, .5 games up on the Rockets and Mavs.

Ah, one of the best stories in the league this season. The Blazers left for dead when they lost 4/5 of their starting lineup from last season to flounder in the abyss of the playoff lottery for the season. However, Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum have stepped up greatly since January 1st to carry a team of parts that fit together around these two guards.

Now the Blazers have had a tough go of late, but the schedule is breaking just right for them to get back on track and ride into the playoffs.

The Blazers get to close the season with eight of 11 games at home, a big boost home for a team that is 21-12 at the Moda Center. Also, five of their games are against the bottom nine teams in the league. The Blazers have the propensity to ride a high during good times, and their schedule breaks right to get them flowing when they need to most.

All they need to do is play to their winning percentage at home and they will be rolling into a date with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

#1 5th Seed

Zach Randolph notched a triple-double the other day

Memphis Grizzlies

Currently: 5th place, 5 games ahead of the Blazers

This one was very easy, the Grizzlies are way ahead of the pack and it would take an unprecedented fall for them to even slip to 6th place. They are currently a mash unit, signing free agents at an alarming rate for a team that is 12 games over .500.

With Mike Conley not expected back until late in the regular season, the Grizzlies will have to survive about two more weeks with Briante Weber and Ray McCallum manning the lead guard spot. The back bones of grit and grind, Zach Randolph and Tony Allen have helped this team continue fighting against odds.

Even with four games against the Spurs and the Warriors and a game against the Raptors, losing all five plus another would force the Blazers to go 11-1 just to take over the 5 seed. That isn’t happening no matter how bad some people in the Pacific Northwest might want it too.

I also don’t see them making up three games over the last 12 to pass the Clippers who sit above them and will make for a highly entertaining, slugfest of a series.