First place in the West, the fight for the play-offs and play-offs, and the race for individual awards are among the challenges of the last two weeks of the regular season in the NBA.
There are between seven and eight matches left for each team to play between now and Sunday April 14, before the final phase begins on Tuesday April 16 with the play-ins.
First place is the Wild West
If the Boston Celtics are guaranteed to finish first in the East, and almost certain to obtain the best record in the entire league, and therefore home field advantage during the final phase, the fight for the N.1 seat is rage in the West between three teams.
The Oklahoma City Thunder (1st, 52 wins – 22 losses), the champion Denver (52-23) and Minnesota (51-23) are vying for the throne for home advantage at least until a possible final of conference.
Double MVP of the Denver Nuggets, Nikola Jokic (D), fighting for the ball with French pivot of the Minnesota Timberwolves Rudy Gobert, March 29, 2024 in Denver / MATTHEW STOCKMAN / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
The Wolves won a battle against the Nuggets on Friday (111-98), before falling on Sunday when they hosted the Bulls (109-101). They will return to challenge the gang in Jokic, Colorado on April 10.
A star released quickly?
Another issue in a denser and crazier Western conference, the Los Angeles Lakers of LeBron James are only 9th (42-33) and the Golden State Warriors of Stephen Curry 10th (40-34), in the last qualifying place for the dams.
Above all, the Warriors remain under threat from the Houston Rockets (38-36), to whom they travel on Thursday.
The current ranking would reserve a terrible barrage between the Warriors and the Lakers in a dry match, which would eliminate the loser and therefore a huge NBA star from the final phase.
Stephen Curry (D), of the Golden State Warriors, chased by LeBron James (L), of the LA Lakers, during an NBA regular season game on March 16, 2024 in Los Angeles / Sean M. Haffey / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/Archives
But the ranking is so tight in the West that the positions are far from fixed, from the New Orleans Pelicans (5th), to the Rockets.
The Eastern Conference is more readable, with Boston well ahead of Milwaukee. Eleventh and first virtual eliminated, the Brooklyn Nets have very little chance of worrying the Atlanta Hawks (10th).
Jokic MVP for the 3rd time?
Nikola Jokic, versatile pivot of the Denver Nuggets already named MVP of the season twice (2021 and 2022), is the favorite for a 3rd distinction. His Nuggets remain very well ranked, thanks to his 23 triple-double matches, and complete statistics (26.1 points, 12.2 rebounds, 9 assists).
Nikola Jokic carries the ball during a Nuggets NBA regular season game against the Phoenix Suns, March 27, 2024 in Denver / MATTHEW STOCKMAN / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
His new triple-double Sunday (26 points, 18 rebounds, 16 assists) against the Cavaliers (130-101 victory) “perfectly represents why he is going to be a triple MVP,” said his coach Michael Malone. “Tonight he decided to do what MVPs do, to lead us to victory. Which shows his maturity, his leadership, his sense of responsibility, everything that makes great players.”
According to the NBA’s weekly analysis, Slovenian Luka Doncic is 2nd in the race for the prestigious distinction, he who carries the Dallas Mavericks (33.1 points, 9.1 rebounds, 9.8 assists), and has multiplied the remarkable performances, notably with 73 points in one match in January.
Talented leader of the young Oklahoma City Thunder squad, Canadian Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (30.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, 6.3 assists) is in the race.
“He meets all my criteria, for me he’s the MVP, he has more than 50 matches with more than 30 points,” argues ex-star Shaquille O’Neal, influential commentator on TNT.
Wembanyama aims for several awards
French Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama (#1) on the counter against Isaiah Hartenstein (#55), of the New York Knicks, on March 29, 2024 in San Antonio / Ronald Cortes / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
French prodigy Victor Wembanyama, No. 1 in the 2023 draft, has long been eliminated from the race for the play-offs with his San Antonio Spurs, last in the West. But the giant (2.24 m), thanks to his remarkable performances, seems to have got the better of Chet Holmgren for the rookie of the year trophy. Best NBA blocker (3.4 on average), “Wemby” is one of the contenders for the title of defender of the year, just like his compatriot Rudy Gobert, already awarded three times (2018, 2019, 2021).
Treating the wounded
For many franchises, these last two weeks are also a race against time to try to recover injured players on their own two legs. Seven weeks after his knee surgery, 2023 MVP Joel Embiid is traveling again with his Philadelphia team, which is impatiently awaiting him after falling in the standings (8th) without his pivot.
Joel Embiid, recovering, attends a Sixers regular season game, alongside teammate KJ Martin, on March 29, 2024 in Cleveland / Jason Miller / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
The Los Angeles Clippers have recovered Russell Westbrook and are trying to preserve their stars plagued by injuries (Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, James Harden), while Minnesota hopes to soon see Karl-Anthony Towns back on the floor, injured in a knee in early March.
