Warriors one win away from amazing first-round playoff series

With just one day of regular season games left standing in the NBA calendar, the Golden State Warriors remain in control of their own destiny. With a home win against the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday, the Warriors will secure their position as the sixth seed in the Western Conference playoffs.

And if indeed the Warriors can take care of business against the Clippers, they’ll be awarded the right to square off against the Lakers—who recently secured the third seed—in the first round of the playoffs.

While the Warriors have mostly been outmatched by the Lakers this season, dropping three of their four matchups, a lot has changed in recent months. Since the acquisition of Jimmy Butler, the Warriors have been on an absolute tear, touting a 23-7 record, and have understandably retaken their place among the league’s elite. Of course, the same can be said about the Lakers who have been playing better since acquiring Luka Doncic back in early February.

The arrival of both Butler and Doncic of course just adds intrigue to a potential first-round matchup. While we were treated to one such Warriors-Lakers matchup since the acquisition of both stars, a full seven-game series would be something undeniably desirable to even the most modest of NBA fans. 

Simply put, the sheer star power on display from guys like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Luka Doncic, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green and Austin Reaves, would dwarf that of any other potential first-round series. Additionally, the history, storylines, and relationships that entwine both franchises make them familiar yet embittered foes. It's no surprise that the NBA's most widely viewed game of the 2024-2025 season was when the Warriors hosted the Lakers on Christmas Day, and taking that into consideration, it goes without saying that the appetite for this series would be immense.