Warriors' Playoff Opponent: Scenarios For Spurs, Pelicans, Wolves, Nuggets To Face Golden State

For the first time since their dynasty began in the 2014-2015 NBA season, there is some intrigue surrounding the Golden State Warriors’ first-round playoff series. With Stephen Curry’s knee injury expected to keep him out until at least the second round, the defending champs aren’t the perceived lock that they once were to reach the Western Conference semifinals.

With Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson still in the lineup, the Warriors will be heavy favorites to win their opening postseason series, though the exact odds will depend on their opponent. On the night of the 2017-2018 regular-season finale, that opponent could be any one of four teams.

Having won 58 of their 82 games, Golden State has clinched the West’s No.2 seed. The San Antonio Spurs, New Orleans Pelicans, Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets are all in play to get the No.7 seed and earn the first crack at upsetting Golden State in the playoffs.

The four teams are separated by just one game in the standings, and various tiebreakers will determine the final seeding.

It just so happens that all four of those teams will be featured in two games on Wednesday’s schedule. The winner of San Antonio’s visit to New Orleans and Denver’s visit to Minnesota will determine Golden State’s first-round opponent. It’s a complicated situation that will also depend on Wednesday’s contest between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Memphis Grizzlies.

Oklahoma City is expected to defeat Memphis, who has nothing to play for and owns the NBA’s second-worst record. The Pelicans will be eliminated as a possible Warriors’ opponent if the Thunder win Wednesday night.

Golden State can’t play the loser of Minnesota vs. Denver. The Warriors also can’t play the winner of San Antonio vs. New Orleans.

Scenarios for a Warriors-Nuggets matchup

• Denver and Oklahoma City win

Scenarios for a Warriors-Pelicans matchup

• San Antonio and Memphis win

Scenarios for a Warriors-Spurs matchup

• Denver, Memphis and New Orleans win
• Minnesota, Oklahoma City and New Orleans win

Scenarios for a Warriors-Wolves matchup

• Minnesota, Memphis and New Orleans win
• Minnesota, Oklahoma City and San Antonio win​​

The Pelicans begin Wednesday as the No.5 seed and the Spurs are the No.6 seed. Both teams have already clinched playoff berths.

Wednesday’s matchup between the Timberwolves and Nuggets is essentially a play-in game. The winner clinches a postseason berth, and the loser goes home. Minnesota is currently the No.8 seed, while Denver is the No.9 seed.

Oklahoma City holds the No.7 seed entering the regular-season finale, but that won’t be the case at the end of the night. A Thunder loss would give them the No.8 seed and a first-round matchup with the No.1 seed Houston Rockets. If Oklahoma City wins, they’ll meet the Utah Jazz.

Utah can clinch the No.3 seed if they beat the No.4 seed Portland Trail Blazers Wednesday. The Jazz were eliminated as a possible Golden State opponent when they defeated the Warriors Tuesday night.