Shoutout To The NBA Script Writers For Giving Us Tonight's Gigantic Battle In LA With Everything On The Line

Justin Ford. Getty Images.

These NBA script writers, they sure as shit know what they're doing huh?

While you could make the case that pretty much every game out West is important from here on out, I'm not sure there is a matchup with more juice than what we're getting tonight with the Battle in LA.

In one corner, you have the Clippers. At 41-38 coming off two straight losses, as of today the Clippers own the 6th spot out West. They have the same number of losses as GW who sits in 5th, but things are looking pretty good in terms of them winning the tie breaker should they finish with the same record (division record is what will matter). 

In the other corner, you have the Lakers. At 41-38, they've won 4 straight after their win last night in UTA, and currently sit in 7th. Unfortunately for them, they lost the H2H season series with LAC (0-3), so tonight is fairly massive if they want to get into that top 6. I'll have you know, they did win the season series against GS (42-38), so it's not out of the realm of possibility that a win tonight doesn't just get them into 6th, but also as high as 5th should they finish with the same record as GS.

Anyone else confused yet? Welcome to the NBA's stretch run.

Of course, aside from the dramatics around the records of these three teams, it's impossible to ignore the Russell Westbrook factor. I don't think we could have dreamt up a better scenario where after LeBron/Lakers shipped Westbrook out of town that he would end up with the cross town rival with a chance to keep the Lakers in the Play In. It almost seems too perfect, like this was all part of the NBA/WWE's plan or something. 

Things may have gotten off to a rocky start as a Clippers, but did you know Russ is averaging 18.4/4.1/7.9 on 53/37.9% splits over his last 7 games? He has four straight games with at least 10 assists, and this all started the second Paul George got hurt. Someone had to step up, and so far that guy has been Russ. 

If you're one of these teams (GS/LAC/LAL), do we have a situation where none of those guys would want to finish 5? I can't imagine anyone is foaming at the mouth to play the Suns in the first round, but then again if you fuck around and try and mess with the seeding/Basketball Gods, the next thing you know you're in the Play In, and once that happens everything and anything is on the table. Remember, the Lakers have just a 1 loss lead over NO, but they won that H2H series. I could see a world where they don't really care about this game/the 5th seed and would rather finish 6 and play the Kings (despite being 1-2 vs SAC). Let the Clippers move into 5th, and just finish with the same record as GS and you're in and GS is in the Play In.

All I know is, the one thing we know about Russell Westbrook is he thrives off spite. You're telling me he's not going to be extra juiced up for this game after the Lakers basically blamed him for all their problems? I'm sure there's nothing he'd like more than to send this Lakers team to the Play In/potential Lottery. Remember, the Lakers don't own their first round pick this year if it falls in the Lottery, it goes to NO (the AD deal).

At this point, it's hard to argue the Play In hasn't added some big time drama to the final week of the season. When was the last time anyone cared about the final 3 games of the year like we do now with so much on the line? That's what makes tonight's battle in LA so exciting. The potential outcomes that can happen will play a major role in the hopeful title runs of someone, we just don't know who yet.