Who Do You Want In The First Round?

The final day of the NBA season features five hours of games that will shape the Western Conference playoffs. Four of those games will determine the Portland Trail Blazers’ first round opponent: Utah, San Antonio, or Oklahoma City. The Blazers are even in a position where may have a say in who they play.

Here’s your Blazers version of a Choose Your Own Adventure: Pick the opponent you want, then see who you need to root for.

I Want The Utah Jazz

This is the simplest one, involving two games happening simultaneously. But it requires you to root against the Blazers. And the early games don’t matter.

Root for the Kings to beat the Blazers. If Portland loses, they’re locked into the 4th seed.

If Portland is winning, root for the Wolves against the Nuggets. If the Nuggets lose, Portland is also locked into the 4th seed due to tiebreakers.

I want the San Antonio Spurs

There is exactly one scenario where Portland plays the Spurs, and involves four games that all must end correctly.

Early games:

Root for Milwaukee to beat OKC. If OKC wins, they’re automatically the sixth seed. So they need to lose.

Root for San Antonio to beat Dallas. If San Antonio loses, OKC is the sixth seed.

Late games:

Root for Denver over Minnesota. If Denver loses, Portland falls to fourth.

Root for Portland to beat Sacramento. Portland has to win to pass the Rockets into third.

I want Oklahoma City

After last night’s crazy events, Oklahoma City has become the likely opponent for Portland. But a number of results still must fall into place.

Early Games:

Root for OKC to beat Milwaukee. OKC automatically becomes the sixth seed with a win.

If OKC loses, root for Dallas to beat San Antonio. If both OKC and the Spurs lose, OKC gets sixth. If OKC wins, this game doesn’t matter.

Late games:

Root for Denver over Minnesota. If Denver loses, Portland falls to fourth.

Root for Portland to beat Sacramento. Portland has to win to pass the Rockets into third.