If the Wolves win out, who do they play? Every Western Conference playoff scenario (making a few assumptions)

[ASFN Admin]

There are too many potential scenarios to lay out exactly what could happen with every single possible game outcome in the wild, wild Western Conference.

So let’s narrow it down a bit to create a clearer picture.

If we assume all games that currently do, or are expected to, feature nine-plus point spreads are indeed won by the favorite, that means:

-Minnesota wins out (which would guarantee the Wolves a top-six seed)

-The Lakers win at least one of their final two games (hosting the Rockets on Friday, currently a 9.5 point favorite, and at Portland on Sunday).

-Golden State beats Portland on the road Friday (currently a 12.5 point favorite).

At that point, there are only five games in play this weekend to determine seeds No. 4-8 in the Western Conference:

FRIDAY​

-Memphis at Denver (Denver favored by 6.5 points)

-Clippers at Sacramento (Clippers favored by 6.5 points)

SUNDAY​

-Dallas at Memphis

-Denver at Houston

-Clippers at Golden State

Which creates a far smaller, more manageable set of outcomes to explore.

So away we go.

*We’ll break down the subsets by Denver’s potential results.*

DENVER WINS OUT​

Scenario

-Denver beats Memphis and Houston

-Clippers beat Sacramento

-Golden State beats the Clippers

-Memphis beats/loses to Dallas (irrelevant)

Seeds

3. Lakers

4. Denver

5. Minnesota

6. Golden State

7. Clippers

8. Memphis

Scenario

-Denver beats Memphis and Houston

-Clippers loses to Sacramento

-Golden State beats the Clippers

-Memphis beats/loses to Dallas (irrelevant)

Seeds

3. Lakers

4. Denver

5. Golden State

6. Minnesota

7. Clippers

8. Memphis

Scenario

-Denver beats Memphis and Houston

-Clippers beat Sacramento and Golden State

-Memphis beats/loses to Dallas (irrelevant)

Seeds

3. Lakers

4. Denver

5. Clippers

6. Minnesota

7. Golden State

8. Memphis

DENVER LOSES TO MEMPHIS, BEATS HOUSTON​

Scenario

-Denver loses to Memphis and beats Houston

-Clippers beat Sacramento

-Golden State beats the Clippers

-Memphis beats Dallas

Seeds

3. Lakers

4. Minnesota

5. Clippers

6. Golden State

7. Memphis

8. Denver

Scenario

-Denver loses to Memphis and beats Houston

-Clippers beat Sacramento

-Golden State beats the Clippers

-Memphis loses to Dallas

Seeds

3. Lakers

4. Minnesota

5. Clippers

6. Golden State

7. Denver

8. Memphis

Scenario

-Denver loses to Memphis and beats Houston

-Clippers beat Sacramento and Golden State

-Memphis beats Denver and loses to Dallas

Seeds

3. Lakers

4. Clippers

5. Minnesota

6. Denver

7. Golden State

8. Memphis

Scenario

-Denver loses to Memphis and beats Houston

-Clippers beat Sacramento and Golden State

-Memphis beats Dallas

Seeds

3. Lakers

4. Clippers

5. Minnesota

6. Memphis

7. Denver

8. Golden State

Scenario

-Denver loses to Memphis and beats Houston

-Clippers loses to Sacramento

-Golden State beats the Clippers

-Memphis beats Dallas

Seeds

3. Lakers

4. Golden State

5. Minnesota

6. Memphis

7. Denver

8. Clippers

Scenario

-Denver loses to Memphis and beats Houston

-Clippers loses to Sacramento

-Golden State beats the Clippers

-Memphis loses to Dallas

Seeds

3. Lakers

4. Minnesota

5. Golden State

6. Denver

7. Clippers

8. Memphis

DENVER BEATS MEMPHIS, LOSES TO HOUSTON​

Scenario

-Denver beats Memphis and loses to Houston

-Clippers beat Sacramento and Golden State

-Memphis beats or loses to Dallas (irrelevant)

Seeds

3. Lakers

4. Clippers

5. Minnesota

6. Denver

7. Golden State

8. Memphis

Scenario

-Denver beats Memphis and loses to Houston

-Clippers beat Sacramento

-Golden State beats the Clippers

-Memphis beats or loses to Dallas (irrelevant)

Seeds

3. Lakers

4. Minnesota

5. Clippers

6. Golden State

7. Denver

8. Memphis

Scenario

-Denver beats Memphis and loses to Houston

-Clippers lose to Sacramento

-Golden State beats the Clippers

-Memphis beats or loses to Dallas (irrelevant)

Seeds

3. Lakers

4. Minnesota

5. Golden State

6. Denver

7. Clippers

8. Memphis

Scenario

-Denver beats Memphis and loses to Houston

-Clippers lose to Sacramento

-Clippers beat Golden State

-Memphis beats or loses to Dallas (irrelevant)

Seeds

3. Lakers

4. Minnesota

5. Clippers

6. Denver

7. Golden State

8. Memphis

DENVER LOSES OUT​

Scenario

-Denver loses to Memphis and Houston

-Clippers beat Sacramento

-Golden State beats the Clippers

-Memphis beats Dallas

Seeds

3. Lakers

4. Clippers

5. Golden State

6. Minnesota

7. Memphis

8. Denver

Scenario

-Denver loses to Memphis and Houston

-Clippers beat Sacramento

-Golden State beats the Clippers

-Memphis loses to Dallas

Seeds

3. Lakers

4. Minnesota

5. Golden State

6. Clippers

7. Memphis

8. Denver

Scenario

-Denver loses to Memphis and Houston

-Clippers beat Sacramento and Golden State

-Memphis beats Dallas

Seeds

3. Lakers

4. Clippers

5. Memphis

6. Minnesota

7. Denver

8. Golden State

Scenario

-Denver loses to Memphis and Houston

-Clippers beat Sacramento and Golden State

-Memphis loses to Dallas

Seeds

3. Lakers

4. Clippers

5. Minnesota

6. Golden State

7. Denver

8. Memphis

Scenario

-Denver loses to Memphis and Houston

-Clippers lose to Sacramento and Golden State

-Memphis beats Dallas

Seeds

3. Lakers

4. Golden State

5. Memphis

6. Minnesota

7. Denver

8. Clippers

Scenario

-Denver loses to Memphis and Houston

-Clippers lose to Sacramento and Golden State

-Memphis loses to Dallas

Seeds

3. Lakers

4. Golden State

5. Minnesota

6. Clippers

7. Denver

8. Memphis

Scenario

-Denver loses to Memphis and Houston

-Clippers lose to Sacramento

-Clippers beat Golden State

-Memphis beats Dallas

Seeds

3. Lakers

4. Minnesota

5. Clippers

6. Memphis

7. Denver

8. Golden State

Scenario

-Denver loses to Memphis and Houston

-Clippers lose to Sacramento

-Clippers beat Golden State

-Memphis loses to Dallas

Seeds

3. Lakers

4. Minnesota

5. Clippers

6. Golden State

7. Denver

8. Memphis

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