There is a lot still at stake in the Western Conference heading into the final day of the 2024-25 regular season. The most important clash of the lot is the one between the fifth-placed Los Angeles Clippers and the sixth-placed Golden State Warriors, and Draymond Green spoke about it on The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis.
“This is a tough challenge for us,” Green said. “It’s a really good playoff team. They thriving at the right time, we thriving at the right time. Two great coaches, two incredible Hall of Fame coaches. Like, what can you ask for as an NBA fan? Not as an NBA player. As an NBA fan, I’m excited. As a player, obviously, this is what you live for.”
Considering the implications, co-host Baron Davis felt this would feel like a Game 7, and Green agreed.
“100%, this is Game 7,” Green stated. “Both teams trying to solidify that spot. This is definitely a Game 7 atmosphere. You got to make those adjustments fast; you got one shot at it, one crack at it. So, I’m looking forward to it.”
The winner of this Warriors-Clippers clash will finish in the top six, while the loser will likely find themselves in the play-in. They both could potentially end up booking their spot in the playoffs regardless of the result, if they get some help from elsewhere, but that’s unlikely.
The fourth-placed Denver Nuggets are taking on the Houston Rockets, who have already secured the second seed and are likely to rest players. The seventh-placed Minnesota Timberwolves, meanwhile, will face the Utah Jazz, who are at the bottom of the standings in the West.
The Nuggets and the Timberwolves will most probably win, so it looks like only one of the Warriors and the Clippers will punch their ticket to the playoffs on Sunday. It’s hard to say which one it will be.
The Clippers won the first three games between these teams this season, but all of them came before the Warriors acquired Jimmy Butler. They’ve been a completely different team with him.
The Warriors have a 20-6 record after the All-Star break, good enough for second-best in the West. They are also playing at home here, but have lost their last two games at Chase Center.
The Clippers have also been one of the hottest teams in the West since the break, going 18-9. They are only 7-8 on the road, though, which is concerning. You might just give the Warriors the edge because of that. Green, who is averaging 8.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game in 2024-25, is desperate to get the win too, as he could use some rest.
“Nowadays, you get a week off if you clinch top six,” Green said. “So, you kind of get that new boost. You got a couple of ailments, let them heal a bit. Kind of get back to it.”
Another reason why the Warriors would like to avoid the play-in is that they’ve never won a game in the tournament. They have a 0-3 record, thanks to losses to the Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies in 2021, and the Sacramento Kings in 2024.
