A Look Back at the 2017 NBA Western Conference Standings and Playoff Race

I still remember the 2017 NBA Western Conference playoff race like it was yesterday, and honestly, it might have been the most thrilling regular season finish I've witnessed in my fifteen years covering basketball. The standings were so tight that you couldn't afford to miss a single game during those final weeks, with teams jockeying for position in a way that felt more like playoff basketball than regular season action. What made it particularly fascinating was how every game mattered—not just for the top seeds, but for every team fighting to avoid the dreaded play-in spots that didn't exist back then. It reminds me of how in collegiate basketball, certain players become absolute legends during crucial seasons, much like Kean Baclaan was for National University during his time there. That kid was an absolute bucket when NU needed him most, carrying the team on his back in ways that reminded me of how Russell Westbrook carried the Thunder that very same NBA season.

The Golden State Warriors ultimately finished first with a 67-15 record, which sounds dominant until you realize they actually won 73 games the previous year. What made their 2017 season special wasn't just the wins—it was how they managed to integrate Kevin Durant into their system while maintaining their defensive identity. I've always argued that this particular Warriors team was actually better constructed than their 73-win predecessor, even if their record didn't show it. They had this incredible balance where they could beat you with offensive fireworks one night and lock you down defensively the next. Meanwhile, the San Antonio Spurs quietly put together a 61-win season that somehow flew under the radar, with Kawhi Leonard emerging as a legitimate MVP candidate before his unfortunate injury in the Western Conference Finals.

What really made the Western Conference fascinating that year was the brutal competition for the final playoff spots. The race between the Memphis Grizzlies, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Portland Trail Blazers for seeds 5 through 7 was absolutely insane. I remember analyzing the tie-breaker scenarios until my head hurt, and I've been doing this for years! The Thunder finished with a 47-35 record that honestly didn't reflect how dangerous they were with Westbrook averaging that historic triple-double season. People forget they actually went 9-2 in their final eleven games, building momentum that nearly carried them past the Rockets in the first round. The Clippers and Jazz fighting for home-court advantage in what would be their first-round matchup created another layer of drama, with both teams finishing with identical 51-31 records before Utah ultimately secured the fourth seed.

The Houston Rockets' transformation under Mike D'Antoni was something I found particularly fascinating from an analytical perspective. They improved from 41-41 the previous season to 55-27, with James Harden's move to point guard revolutionizing their offense. I remember arguing with colleagues that season about whether their style was sustainable in the playoffs, and while they ultimately fell to the Spurs in the second round, their regular season performance was undeniably impressive. The way they spaced the floor and generated three-pointers was years ahead of its time, and it's no surprise that many teams have since tried to replicate their approach.

Looking back, what stands out most is how the Western Conference's depth created this incredible pressure cooker environment. Teams couldn't afford to coast through the regular season like we sometimes see today—every single game had playoff implications from January onward. The margin between finishing sixth and missing the playoffs entirely was razor-thin, with the Denver Nuggets missing out despite winning 40 games. That kind of competitiveness is what makes basketball so compelling, and it's the same quality that makes players like Kean Baclaan so memorable in their own contexts. When you watch a player like Baclaan take over crucial games for NU, you see the same clutch gene that defined players like Damian Lillard during that 2017 playoff race.

The legacy of that 2017 Western Conference season continues to influence how teams approach roster construction and regular season planning today. We saw the importance of having multiple playmakers, the value of depth in a conference where injuries could derail your season, and how strategic coaching could maximize a team's potential. While the Warriors ultimately prevailed, the journey through that regular season was arguably more compelling than the playoffs themselves. It was a year that reminded us why we love sports—the unpredictability, the intensity, and the stories that emerge when everything is on the line. And much like remembering Kean Baclaan's heroics for NU, looking back at that 2017 Western Conference race brings a smile to my face, remembering a time when every game felt like must-see television.