5 Western Conference players who deserve to be in the NBA Playoffs
The NBA 2019-20 season is flying by, as the second half of the campaign is underway. All-Star Weekend came and went, and now it is crunch time, as teams around the league gear up for the playoffs.
Throughout the season, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Milwaukee Bucks have been the top teams of their respective conferences. The Bucks have already clinched a playoff birth, and currently have a record of 50-8, which is also the best in the entire league. The Lakers have a record of 44-12 and have a comfortable lead over other Western Conference teams.
The Bucks and Lakers are most likely set as the top seeds of their conferences, but the playoff race gets more exciting with the teams chasing them in both conferences.
In the West, teams such as the Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, Houston Rockets, and the Utah Jazz are playoff-bound and are fighting for a seed. If the Nuggets keep playing at a high level, they could remain the second seed of the West come playoff time. And teams such as the Clippers and Rockets could fall anywhere from the 3rd to 6th seed.
On the other hand, teams like the Celtics and Heat are chasing the Bucks. These teams are nearly a lock for the playoffs, and fans will see them in exciting series', as some of these teams match up at some point in the playoffs.
There are several playoff-bound teams whose stars are playing at a high level. However, there are a few exceptions. There are some players who are playing extremely well, but their teams' records do not reflect their performance. There are a few players that are having great seasons and deserve to be in the playoffs. But that may not happen. Here are five Western Conference players who deserve to be in the playoffs.
#5 Zion Williamson
The New Orleans Pelicans are a rebuilding team, and it shows (at times). And while they are not out of the playoff picture just yet, it is safe to say the Memphis Grizzlies or Portland Trail Blazers have a better shot. Regardless, the Pelicans have been the subject of conversation (or at least one of their players) as rookie Zion Williamson has made his return from a meniscus injury.
Since his return, Williamson averages 23.3 points, and 7.1 rebounds, while shooting 57.3 percent from the field. Williamson is arguably the first player since LeBron James to come into the league with so much hype. And, so far, he has lived up to it.
Williamson tallied a career-high 31 points earlier this month in a win over the Blazers, just to surpass it the next day with 32 points against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Williamson is an exceptional athlete who has a knack for rim shaking dunks and incredible blocks. He is a special player that the league will talk about for years to come.
A playoffs with Zion Williamson is something I think we'd all want to see (admit it), but we will just have to wait for a few more years.