Only six weeks left to clear up a sizeable West traffic jam

The Nuggets and Jazz have a furious finish ahead as they try to claim the West's No. 2 seed.

Three quarters down, forever to go.

The Western Conference playoff race, annually a traffic jam into the final weeks, is particularly cluttered now, with the seven teams following the Lakers separated by 4 1/2 games and several among that group entering the final 6 1/2 weeks on hot streaks.

The Spurs can still get home-court in the first round with one good mini-run or -- dare we think it? -- start sweating about just making the playoffs. The Nuggets can pressure Los Angeles for No. 1... or lose the division title in a double blow that could position them to face the Lakers as soon as the second round. Deron Williams could be the star who drives the Jazz ... or the man who accurately read the stars, when he declared the Jazz worse off after their recent trade of Ronnie Brewer.

Plus, the cutline to make the playoff projects to a formidable 47 wins. It's not the ridiculous entry fee of 50 in 2007-08, but it is better than the pace of earlier in the decade, when qualifiers routinely got in without breaking 44, and it is far better than the East. All it takes there, based on the current pace, is 41-41. [See If the Playoffs Started Today.]

The trade deadline is over, buyouts are coming fast to allow players to join new teams in time to qualify for playoffs rosters, and it's hard to hear anyone preaching patience anymore. If this isn't the stretch drive, you can see it from here.

How they're lining up for the final quarter:

1. Lakers (43-15)

Remaining games: 24

Vs. teams .500 or better: 14

Opponents' winning percentage: .485

Home/road: 10/14

Back-to-backs: five

This is the big moment. Not for the Lakers, of course. They tend not to do big March moments. But it is for everyone else in the chase, starting with the Nuggets, who have won the first two meetings and head to Staples Center on Sunday. Denver has a chance to close real ground with the potential two-game swing of winning the matinee and claiming the tiebreaker in the process.

Then, the Lakers on Thursday begin a stretch of 11 of 14 on the road. If no one has at least applied serious pressure by the end of that time, forget it -- their regular season closes against the Timberwolves, Trail Blazers, Kings and Clippers.

2. Nuggets (38-19)

Remaining games: 25

Vs. teams .500 or better: 19

Opponents' winning percentage: .529

Home/road: 12/13

Back-to-backs: eight

The difference in the mindset from the start of the season, when they didn't react well to life as the favorite for the first time, has been a huge factor in the Nuggets holding at No. 2 in the West. But the Jazz have been playing even better.

This far into 2009-10, Denver is still capable of the strangeness of beating the Celtics, Cavaliers and Mavericks and losing to the Wizards within five games. Because that just happened.

3. Jazz (37-20)

Remaining games: 25

Vs. teams .500 or better: 14

Opponents' winning percentage: .470

Home/road: 10/15

Back-to-backs: seven

Williams, upset at the Jazz for trading friend/starting shooting guard Brewer, told Salt Lake City reporters that, "You look at all the teams that are getting better around the West and we essentially get worse, if you ask me." OK, then. Utah keeps stacking up win streaks, though.

4. Mavericks (37-21)

Remaining games: 24

Vs. teams .500 or better: 14

Opponents' winning percentage: .465

Home/road: 13/11

Back-to-backs: five

They're in a good place. The so-called transition period following a big trade never materialized -- a five-game winning streak did, with victories over the Suns, Magic and Lakers -- and now the Mavs have one of the smoother rides to the finish.

Of particular importance, the numbers give them a substantial edge over the Spurs, a threat for the Southwest Division lead. Dallas has fewer back-to-backs, an easier home-road ratio, and its opponents have a lower winning percentage.

5. Suns (36-23)

Remaining games: 23

Vs. teams .500 or better: 14

Opponents' winning percentage: .482

Home/road: 13/10

Back-to-backs: six

The critical moment is March 16-April 3, 10 games of favorable scheduling that include two meetings with the Timberwolves and one each with the Warriors, Knicks, Nets and Pistons. It's critical because of what comes next: finishing the regular season vs. San Antonio, at Oklahoma City, vs. Houston, vs. Denver and at Utah. Phoenix can't afford to have its playoff lives on the line heading into that final week..

6. Thunder (33-23)

Remaining games: 26

Vs. teams .500 or better: 16

Opponents' winning percentage: .488

Home/road: 14/12

Back-to-backs: six

It's not just the Thunder in a tight race. It's the Thunder in a tight race while in any race for the first time. How the young team responds to the emotional challenge will be one of the best subplots to this West roller-derby. Good stuff.

Their chance is now. Beginning Tuesday, the Thunder have a six-game stretch that includes two against the Kings and one against the Clippers, Nets, Hornets and Nuggets. A playoff-ready roster would capitalize.

7. Spurs (32-23)

Remaining games: 27

Vs. teams .500 or better: 20

Opponents' winning percentage: .527

Home/road: 11/16

Back-to-backs: eight

As if the season hasn't been tough enough, now they get arguably the toughest finishing schedule in the group. Playing 16 of the final 27 on the road is a particularly sizeable task for a team that is 12-13 away from AT&T Center. And 20 of the games against opponents at .500 or better is a lot of heavy lifting, just to get to the playoffs.

8. Trail Blazers (34-26)

Remaining games: 22

Vs. teams .500 or better: 12

Opponents' winning percentage: .475

Home/road: 9/13

Back-to-backs: five

No one could have imagined at the start of the season they would be in a race just to make the playoffs. Then again, no one could have predicted the harsh circumstances of the last few months, either.

The chance to turn it into a long postseason run could start from far back in the pack, with the most unwanted situation of all, a first-round meeting with the Lakers, at the end. But the finishing schedule is also reasonable enough that the Blazers could move up. They definitely need to take advantage of the second week of March -- vs. Kings, at Warriors, at Kings, vs. Raptors, vs. Wizards.

There's another grouping after Portland, with the Hornets three games back of the eighth spot and New Orleans, Memphis and Houston separated by a game.

The order could change. The field could change. There's still forever to go.