Western Conference chaos in NBA’s final week
Seventy-eight games into the 2024–25 NBA regular season, and the playoff picture feels extremely congested. This is especially true in the Western Conference, where the current third-seed Lakers could end up anywhere from second to eighth.
Let’s unpack this incredible race for playoff advantages.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have locked up the one seed, and the lowest Houston can land is third. The Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Memphis Grizzlies all have an extremely stressful week of basketball ahead. While they’ve each clinched a postseason berth, their final seedings remain undecided. Rarely do we see such an immense deadlock in the league; it means this week matters significantly more for some than others, and it certainly won’t subject viewers to the usual pattern of superstar rest and postseason preparation.
Another interesting impediment this presents is the necessity for these teams to not only win their remaining games, but also mentally and physically prepare for an upcoming playoff opponent, without knowing who that opponent will be. Additionally, one must wonder whether a team might intentionally tank their final few games in the hope of securing a preferable playoff or play-in matchup.
There are an incredible number of possibilities that could drastically alter the playoff picture. Buckle up - this week is going to be wild.
Shaquille O’Neal and the state of the NBA
The 2024–25 NBA season has faced a severe level of backlash, with fans underwhelmed by the quality of performance and the overall state of the product. During a recent episode of The Big Podcast featuring guest Roy Wood Jr., Shaquille O’Neal — 1x NBA MVP (1999–2000) and 3x NBA Finals MVP (2000, 2001, 2002) — voiced his frustration with the current standard of basketball in a furious rant that began with: “The NBA just isn’t what it used to be.”
His aggression was primarily directed at the longevity of players and the culture of resting starters far more often than he believes would have been tolerated two decades ago. “I’ve seen what greatness is, so you want me to give these motherf***ers the same props you’re giving them? That st will never happen.”
He also directly addressed the saga surrounding Ben Simmons, furiously stating: “A lot of motherf***ers can’t play and they know it… Ben Simmons needs to be f***ing arrested.”
The speech centred around the apparent ease with which players can now earn life-altering contracts without genuinely deserving them or proving their worth to a team. Shaq makes it clear that wearing an NBA jersey does not automatically entitle a player to respect. These remarks come as current players increasingly vocalise their frustration with the rise of ‘gossip culture,’ wherein former players feel entitled to criticise anyone, anytime, without facing backlash. Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving recently commented during a livestream: “I’m sick of these former players talking s**t, I’m tired of the Gossip Culture.”
Shaq’s comments about Ben Simmons blew up on social media. The former number one overall pick has played only 48 games this season, averaging 4 points and 3 assists, while having “stolen” over $203 million throughout his career. Since leaving the Philadelphia 76ers in 2022, Simmons has played just 105 out of a possible 246 games.
This season, in particular, players appear more resilient in the face of criticism veiled behind a screen or said behind closed doors. The clearest example was the recent altercation between LeBron James and Stephen A. Smith, in which Smith was caught off guard and apologised to James - only to resume criticising him as soon as they were no longer in the same building.
Personally, I believe the ongoing backlash against the NBA stems from this media obsession with Gossip Culture and the perceived softness of the game. People continually forget that what’s publicly said about an NBA player - at the highest level of media distribution - has significant ripple effects. It doesn’t just affect the player’s performance, but also their mental health, willingness to compete, family, community, and ultimately reflects poorly on the speaker themselves. The entitlement to speak on live TV about a player’s flaws without a hint of constructive criticism solely for clicks and attention is pathetic. There are no checks and balances for these leaks; media personalities act as if they’re untouchable, ignoring their responsibility to report truthfully and accurately in favour of boosting their own popularity. The NBA doesn’t have a player quality problem, nor a ‘game’s gone soft’ issue - it has a media selfishness and entitlement problem, and right now, it’s inescapable.
Key award races
As the end of the regular season rapidly approaches, so too do the last opportunities for players to make their case for a particular award. A few award races remain genuinely up in the air:
Defensive Player of the Year: What could’ve been the first (of likely many) DPOY awards for Victor Wembanyama has instead become a tightly packed race between Evan Mobley, Draymond Green, Jaren Jackson Jr., Dyson Daniels, and Luguentz Dort. My current pick is Mobley. Averaging 2 blocks, 1 steal, and 7 defensive rebounds, Mobley has been an incredibly versatile asset for the number one seed Cleveland Cavaliers. His ability to shut down the interior and force players into contested mid-range shots, blocked layups, or complete possession resets has marked a significant improvement from his play last season.
Coach of the Year: The key debate for this award lies in its criteria - should it be based on performance, year-to-year improvement, or consistency? If based purely on performance, it must go to Oklahoma City Thunder coach Mark Daigneault, who has his team in a position to win 70 games. If focused on impact, J.B. Bickerstaff deserves recognition for turning the Detroit Pistons from 14–68 to 43–35 and clinching a playoff spot. For consistency, Kenny Atkinson has not only sustained his success with the Cavaliers but also exceeded expectations year after year. It’s a tightly contested award, but I believe Kenny Atkinson will take it.
Most Valuable Player: The season-long two-man race between Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic has lived up to the hype. Both are having outstanding seasons, and the battle many predicted back in October has certainly delivered. Personally, I don’t understand why Shai is so far ahead of Jokic in MVP predictions. That said, I still believe Shai will win it. He leads the league in scoring, averaging an impressive 33 points per game. Jokic, however, is averaging a triple-double with 30 points (3rd), 13 rebounds (2nd), and 10 assists (2nd). That’s an astounding feat, and I don’t fully understand why the gap isn’t closer, at least according to sportsbooks. Shai is currently the heavy favourite at -4000, with Jokic at +1200. I believe MVP voters will see the race as tighter than betting odds suggest, but SGA will ultimately edge out Jokic and claim the award.
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