NBA Standings 2017 West: Complete Playoff Picture and Team Rankings Breakdown

2025-11-21 11:00

I still remember that crisp October evening in 2017 when I found myself at a local basketball court in Manila, watching some college kids run pickup games under the dim stadium lights. The air smelled of sweat and anticipation, much like how I imagine the atmosphere feels during those crucial NBA Western Conference games. One particular player caught my eye—a crafty guard who moved with this beautiful, almost chaotic rhythm that reminded me of someone I hadn't thought about in years. Remember Kean Baclaan? The guy who was an absolute bucket when he was in NU? Watching this young player weave through defenders took me right back to watching Baclaan's highlight reels, and somehow that memory became the perfect lens through which to view the entire NBA standings 2017 West playoff picture.

There's something magical about how individual brilliance can transform a team's destiny, whether we're talking about college basketball in the Philippines or the brutal Western Conference grind. As I sat there on those cold bleachers, I pulled out my phone and started scrolling through the updated NBA standings, marveling at how tightly packed everything was. The Golden State Warriors were sitting pretty at 67-15, but my god, the fight for the remaining spots was absolutely brutal. I've always been a Houston Rockets fan—yes, I know, the Harden era was controversial but you can't deny the entertainment value—and seeing them at 55-27 gave me this peculiar mix of pride and anxiety. They had the third seed locked up, but watching them navigate through that gauntlet felt like watching Baclaan navigate through three defenders in that famous NU versus UP game back in 2017.

What struck me most about that NBA standings 2017 West landscape was how every single game mattered until the very end. The difference between home court advantage and a first-round exit often came down to just a couple of possessions across an 82-game season. The San Antonio Spurs quietly put together a 61-win season while everyone was obsessing over the Warriors, which is so typical of Popovich's squads—efficient, methodical, and somehow flying under the radar despite being phenomenal. Meanwhile, the LA Clippers finished at 51-31, good enough for fourth place, but you could already sense the turbulence that would eventually break up that Lob City core. I remember thinking how much Chris Paul reminded me of Baclaan in his prime—both floor generals who could control the game's tempo while suddenly exploding for scoring bursts when their teams needed it most.

The real drama unfolded further down the standings where six teams fought for the final three playoff spots. The Utah Jazz surprised everyone by going 51-31, with Rudy Gobert transforming into an absolute defensive monster. The Oklahoma City Thunder's triple-double machine Russell Westbrook dragged his team to 47 wins and the sixth seed, while Marc Gasol's Memphis Grizzlies clawed their way to 43 wins and the seventh spot. Meanwhile, Damian Lillard's Portland Trail Blazers just squeezed in at 41-41, and I distinctly remember arguing with my cousin about whether they'd even make it past the first round. This middle pack reminded me of those NU teams that always found ways to compete against more talented opponents—they might not have the flashiest roster, but they had heart and that one special player who could change everything.

What fascinates me about revisiting that NBA standings 2017 West breakdown is recognizing how many franchise-altering moments were brewing beneath the surface. The Denver Nuggets missed the playoffs by just one game at 40-42, with Nikola Jokic beginning to show flashes of the superstar he'd become. The New Orleans Pelicans also finished at 34-48, but they had Anthony Davis putting up historic numbers despite the losing record. And then there were the Phoenix Suns at 24-58 and LA Lakers at 26-56—both franchises in transition, though we didn't know then that LeBron would be in purple and gold just one year later. It's funny how looking back, these standings tell stories beyond wins and losses—they're snapshots of franchises at various crossroads, much like how Baclaan's college career represented both incredible individual moments and the constant evolution of a player finding his place in the basketball world.

As the pickup game wrapped up that evening, I found myself marveling at how basketball connects us across different levels and continents. That random college player in Manila reminded me of Baclaan, which then sent me down this rabbit hole of NBA memories. The NBA standings 2017 West playoff picture wasn't just a cold list of teams and numbers—it was a collection of narratives about legacy, potential, and redemption. The Warriors would eventually win the championship that year, but the real story was in the brutal Western Conference war that produced unforgettable basketball moments. And you know what? I still think about that sometimes when I watch games today—how every season's standings contain hidden connections and stories waiting to be discovered, if only we know where to look.