NBA Western Conference Playoffs Viewer Guide: May 14

May 14, 2021, 2:13 PM | Updated: 2:19 pm

The NBA Playoff logo seat covering, on the Utah Jazz team's chairs, before their game against the Golden State Warriors in Game Four of the Western Conference Semifinals during the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Vivint Smart Home Arena on May 8, 2017 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr/Getty Images)

(Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr/Getty Images)

BY BEN ANDERSON, KSL SPORTS

KSL Sports

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – There are three days left in the NBA regular season, and with the postseason fast approaching, every game has the potential to change the final seeding for the playoffs in the Western Conference.

With just a few of games left for each roster, the top-10 teams in the West are set, even if their seeding is not.

With that in mind, and the understanding that each game will impact among these teams will affect the final standings, let’s look at the most important games left on the NBA’s regular-season schedule each of the three remaining nights.

(This list will be updated as games gain and lose importance to close the season)

Current Standings:

x – Utah Jazz: 50-20
x – Phoenix Suns: 49-21 – 1 game back
x – Los Angeles Clippers: 47-23 – 3 games back
x – Denver Nuggets: 46-24 – 4 games back
y – Dallas Mavericks: 41-29 – 9 games back
y – Portland Trail Blazers: 41-30 – 9.5 games back
y – Los Angeles Lakers: 40-30 – 10 games back
xy – Golden State Warriors: 37-33 – 13 games back
xy – Memphis Grizzlies: 37-33 – 13 game back
xyz – San Antonio Spurs: 33-37 – 17 games back

x – Team has clinched an automatic playoff birth.

y – Team has clinched a spot in the West’s top ten.

xy – Team has clinched a spot in the play-in tournament.

xyz – Team is locked into seed.

Yesterday’s Games

Portland Trail Blazers: 117 @ Phoenix Suns: 118

With the win, the Phoenix Suns trim the Utah Jazz lead for the top spot in the West to just one game, with two games left to play.

The Suns own a two-game lead over the Los Angeles Clippers for the second seed and would eliminate the Clippers’ ability to overtake them in the standings with another win, or a Clippers loss.

With the Portland loss, they fall one half-game behind the Mavericks for the fifth seed and own just a half-game lead over the Lakers for the sixth seed.

This was the Suns’ final home game of the regular season.

This was the Trail Blazers’ final road game of the season.

This game is a potential first-round NBA Playoffs preview.

Los Angeles Clippers: 113 @ Charlotte Hornets: 90

With a win, the Clippers maintain a one-game lead over the Denver Nuggets for the third seed in the West and sit two games back of the Suns for the second seed.

The Clippers would be eliminated from passing the Suns in the standings with their next loss or Suns win.

Sacramento Kings: 110 @ Memphis Grizzlies: 116

With the win, the Memphis Grizzlies pulled even with the Golden State Warriors for the eighth seed in the West.

With Sacramento’s loss, the Kings have been eliminated from playoff contention.

Denver Nuggets: 114 @ Minnesota Timberwolves: 103

With a win, the Nuggets remained within two games of the Clippers with two games left to play.

Tonight’s Games: May 14

Utah Jazz: @ Oklahoma City Thunder:

The Jazz need a win to maintain control of their own destiny for the top seed in the West after the Suns beat Portland on Thursday night.

Denver Nuggets: @ Detroit Pistons:

With a Nuggets win, teamed with a Clippers loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, Denver can pass Los Angeles for the third seed in the West with one game remaining.

With a Nuggets win, teamed with a Clippers win, Denver would remain within one game of Los Angeles with one game left to play.

With a loss, teamed with a Clippers win, the Nuggets would be eliminated from being able to catch Los Angeles for the third seed in the West.

Los Angeles Clippers: @ New Orleans Pelicans:

With a Clippers win, teamed with a Nuggets loss to the Detroit Pistons, the Clippers would guarantee that the Nuggets could no longer pass them for the third seed in the West.

With a Clippers win, teamed with a Nuggets win, Los Angeles would maintain a one-game lead over Denver for the third seed with one game left to play.

With a Clippers loss, teamed with a Nuggets win, Los Angeles would slip behind the Nuggets into the fourth seed by way of the tie-breaker with one game left to play.

Toronto Raptors @ Dallas Mavericks:

With a win, the Mavericks can take a one-game lead over the Trail Blazers for the fifth seed with one game left to play.

A Mavericks win would also eliminate the Los Angeles Lakers’ from being able to overtake them in the standings by way of winning the season tie-breaker two games to one.

This is the Mavericks final home game of the regular season.