NBA legends Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce recently shared their views on the intense competition in the Western Conference. Teams vying for playoff spots below the third seed promise exciting postseason matchups this year. The Dallas Mavericks have notably emerged as one of the most dominant teams. Additionally, the Los Angeles Clippers and the New Orleans Pelicans have made significant noise in the final stretch of the season.
In the lower seeds, the Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings, and Los Angeles Lakers are contending for the 7th and 8th spots in the Play-In tournament. The Western Conference boasts a competitive and intense atmosphere with talented teams battling it out, with the playoffs just a week away.
Seeing this, and understandably, Pierce has likened the competition in the West to “Game of Thrones.” Pierce compared the Western Conference competition to “Game of Thrones” because it’s intense and competitive, with teams battling fiercely for playoff spots, similar to the drama and unpredictability of the TV show.
The whole West is a gauntlet. It's Game of thrones in the West. Like, straight up... I don't know what's going to come out the West. Paul Pierce via All the Smoke
One of the teams that is on the rise recently is the Mavericks. The Mavs have won 16 of their last 19 games, coming from the 8th seed to now the 5th. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are the most lethal duo in the league. The duo is putting up almost 60 points per game which is backed by the team’s elite defense. With 50 wins, the Mavs will probably face the Clippers or the Nuggets in the first round.
Kevin Garnett warns the West of the two-headed monster
There’s no doubt Kyrie Irving, and Luka Doncic have been phenomenal so far. However, as the playoffs approach, the duo will have to show similar performance to make a deep run this year. The Mavericks as a team have also done a fantastic job, prioritizing the defensive end of the floor and coming on top against some of the top teams. Kevin Garnett, fascinated by the duo’s confidence, sent a warning to the West.
If we talk about anybody playing with some playoff grit or a playoff engine, man, the Mavs. You know what I'm saying, they're playing with a different type of purpose. And they're making defense a priority. You know, the two headed monster is a real thing. said Kevin Garnett
Squads like the Nuggets, the Clippers, and the Wolves are a much bigger threat to Dallas in the initial rounds of the postseason. Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets, the defending champs, have a different mode when it comes to the playoffs.
Anthony Edwards had another fantastic season as he leads the Timberwolves. The Clippers big three are of major concern if Kawhi Leonard is healthy. All these factors stand in Mavericks’ path to making out of the West. It will be interesting to see how far Doncic and company will go in the postseason amidst this intense buzz around them.
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