By: Adam El-Zein

With only three weeks left of the 2023/24 regular season, the NBA standings are shaping up to bring us an exciting Western Conference play-in tournament. With the Mavericks, Suns, Lakers and Warriors holding the 7-10 seeds, it’s hard to tell who will make it out the tournament and into the playoffs.

The Dallas Mavericks

Dallas holds the 7th seed and are at the top of the play-in teams. Their stars, Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving, have been playing exceptional basketball all season long. Dončić is averaging a whopping 34 points, 9 rebounds and 10 assists in his 60 games played this season. Irving on the other hand is putting up 50/40/90 shooting splits.

Though the Mavs had a slow start to the season, things have been picking up for them since the trade deadline. Their two stars weren’t getting much help from the team initially, but after picking up Daniel Gafford and PJ Washington they’ve been a very lethal squad. The supporting cast is coming together with Derick Lively playing like a monster in the paint, and Tim Hardaway Jr doing what he does best, hitting his shots and making the game easier for Dončić and Irving.

The Phoenix Suns

The Suns are a flat out super-team. Their record doesn’t show it, standing just 8th in the West. They have three of some of the game’s best scorers. Durant is putting up MVP caliber numbers, averaging 28 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. He’s also as efficient as ever, shooting 53% from the field and 42% from three.

His running mates Booker and Beal are putting up a combined 46 points a game. This big three knows how to get buckets, but more importantly how to play together, with them each being so ball-dominant. The Suns also have an absolute marksman in Grayson Allen, who’s leading the league in three-point percentage. When they’ve got it rolling, this is one difficult team to slow down.

The Los Angeles Lakers

When healthy, the 9th seeded Lakers should never be dismissed. LeBron James has been nothing shy of excellent this season, with his efficiency being at a career high. In his 21st season, the oldest player in the league is averaging 25 points on 53% from the field, and at a remarkable 41% from three. He’s also leading the league in fourth quarter field goals made. Pair that with his top level basketball IQ and 21 years of experience, and he’s someone who can lead his team to a championship.

The teams been struggling on the defensive end since the all-star break, but their starting lineup of D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, LeBron James and Anthony Davis has been on a tear. The Lakers came out the break with this lineup, and went on to win 6 straight games. Davis has been an absolute monster in the paint, and Russell has been lighting it up from distance, recently becoming the Lakers 3-point record holder.

The Golden State Warriors

It’s always hard to count Stephen Curry and the Warriors out, even if they do stand 10th in the West. This team being so far down in the standings is a true indication of how stacked the Western Conference is this season. Steph Curry’s been Steph Curry, but it’s the guys around him that are making all the difference.

His splash brother has been making some noise off the bench this season. He’s averaging 20 points in his 11 games as a reserve. Andrew Wiggins seems to be back on track following some personal issues. Chris Paul is healthy again and leading the second unit in a way only a few can. Jonathan Kuminga has made a big leap this year, and is tied for third on the Most Improved Player ladder. With their experience and young editions, this team is one you can’t overlook.

Sacramento is on the verge of falling into the play-in slot as well, so things may shape up very differently by the end of the season. Regardless, either of the four teams in the play-in have a shot at winning the Larry O’Brien this year. It’ll all come down to what stars are going to perform at their capabilities, and how much help they can get from their supporting cast.