For the first time in NBA history, we could have all four teams from the state of California qualify for the playoffs. And according to the sports books, it is the Golden State Warriors who are the favorites of the bunch to advance the furthest in the post season.
The pack is shockingly led by the Sacramento Kings. The resurgence of the team back to prominence in the Western Conference has taken ages, but the team has been sitting comfortably as the 3rd seed for the better part of two months now.
NBA: Warriors Favored To Be Best California Team In The Playoffs
The Kings were one of the biggest contributors to California’s teams not making the playoffs at the same time. They haven’t qualified for the post season since 2006, but are going to end the 16-year drought in 2023, making the entire situation possible.
The Los Angeles Clippers have held a slight edge over the Warriors for much of the season, but the two teams have been within a few games of each other in the standings. They currently sit just one game apart, with the Clippers sitting in the 5th seed and the Warriors in the 7th.
The team that could spoil the fun is the Los Angeles Lakers. They are currently one game under .500, but that still puts them in good enough position to be the 9th seed and currently a member of the play-in tournament. The return of LeBron James figures to bode well for their chances, but the Lakers looked underwhelming in his first game back against the Chicago Bulls.
Will The Lakers Spoil The Party And Miss The Playoffs?
LeBron James {foot soreness) is listed as QUESTIONABLE for tomorrow's Lakers rematch vs. the Bulls, the team has announced.
D'Angelo Russell (hip soreness) is PROBABLE. pic.twitter.com/XMfib5AEP4
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) March 28, 2023
While they share identical records, the Lakers hold a tiebreaker over the Oklahoma City Thunder, putting OKC in the 10th and final spot.
But neither of them is safe, as the Dallas Mavericks are now in the first spot out of the playoffs while sitting in 11th, but they are just a half game behind Los Angeles and Oklahoma City.
So which of the California NBA teams has the best odds of advancing the furthest? The oddsmakers are apparently favoring familiarity and experience over regular season results.
| California Team To Advance Furthest | Odds | Play |
|---|---|---|
| Warriors | +150 |  |
| Clippers | +275 | |
| Lakers | +285 | |
| Kings | +550 | |
The Warriors have the shortest odds in this category, coming in at +150 to be the ones to advance the furthest. Both Los Angeles teams are listed next, and have very similar lines, with the Clippers coming in at +275 and the Lakers at +285.
But the team that has been better than all of them all season is the distant long shot. There aren’t a lot of players on the Kings roster that have playoff experience, and the organization certainly lacks it. But they may be worth the better than 3/1 value to advance further than the rest.
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