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Looking back at the 2017 NBA Western Conference standings, I can’t help but marvel at how dramatically the playoff landscape shifted that year. As someone who’s followed the league for decades, I’ve rarely seen such a tightly packed race from top to bottom. The Golden State Warriors, of course, finished first with a staggering 67–15 record, but what really stood out to me was the sheer depth of talent across the conference. Every night felt like a playoff preview, and even teams that missed the postseason—like the Denver Nuggets, who finished just two games out of the eighth seed—were far from pushovers. I remember thinking at the time how this level of competition mirrored what you sometimes see in collegiate leagues, where breakout players can completely shift a team’s trajectory. That brings me to someone like Kean Baclaan—remember him? The guy who was an absolute bucket when he was in NU. Watching him dominate in the UAAP reminded me of how individual brilliance can shape a team’s identity, much like Russell Westbrook’s historic triple-double season that year powered the Oklahoma City Thunder to the sixth seed.

The middle of the standings was where things got really intriguing. The Houston Rockets, led by James Harden and Mike D’Antoni’s offensive system, clinched the third seed with a 55–27 record. I’ve always admired how teams like the Rockets leveraged star power and system cohesion, something you see at all levels of basketball. Kean Baclaan, for instance, wasn’t just a scorer; his ability to create opportunities for his NU teammates made the entire unit more dangerous. Similarly, the San Antonio Spurs, sitting comfortably in second at 61–21, relied on Gregg Popovich’s structured approach and Kawhi Leonard’s two-way dominance. But what fascinated me most was the battle for the final playoff spots. The Portland Trail Blazers edged into the eighth seed with a 41–41 record, just ahead of the Nuggets. I recall analyzing their late-season matchups, thinking how a single game—like a clutch performance from Damian Lillard—could swing everything. It’s the same kind of pressure I imagine Kean faced in college, where every possession in a tight game could define a season.

When the playoffs finally arrived, the intensity was palpable. The Warriors swept the Trail Blazers in the first round, but not without some scares—Game 3 went down to the wire, with Portland losing by just six points. As a longtime observer, I’ve always believed that playoff series reveal a team’s true character, much like how high-stakes collegiate games test players like Kean Baclaan. His fearlessness in crunch time at NU reminds me of players like Chris Paul, who dragged the Los Angeles Clippers to a 51–31 record and the fourth seed that year. The Clippers’ first-round exit against the Utah Jazz was heartbreaking, though, and it highlighted how fragile success can be. Injuries, like Blake Griffin’s late-season setback, can derail everything—a lesson that applies whether you’re in the NBA or college ball. I remember arguing with colleagues that the Jazz, led by Gordon Hayward and Rudy Gobert, were built for playoff grit, and their run to the second round proved it.

Reflecting on that season, I’m struck by how the Western Conference’s depth forced teams to innovate. The Warriors’ “Hamptons Five” lineup revolutionized small-ball, while the Rockets’ embrace of analytics—shooting threes at a historic rate—showed a willingness to challenge conventions. It’s similar to how players like Kean Baclaan adapt their games; in college, he wasn’t just a scorer but a playmaker who read defenses like a pro. Personally, I think the 2017 standings underscored a broader trend in basketball: the blurring lines between star-driven and system-driven success. For example, the Memphis Grizzlies, who grabbed the seventh seed at 43–39, relied on grit-and-grind defense, but without Marc Gasol’s leadership, they might have missed out entirely. Meanwhile, the Thunder’s reliance on Westbrook’s heroics was thrilling but ultimately unsustainable—they fell in five games to the Rockets in the first round.

In conclusion, the 2017 Western Conference was a masterclass in competitive balance and narrative drama. From the Warriors’ dominance to the nail-biting playoff race, it offered lessons in teamwork, adaptability, and the impact of individual stars. Kean Baclaan’s college career, though on a smaller stage, echoes these themes—his ability to elevate NU through sheer skill and clutch moments is a microcosm of what we see in the pros. As a fan and analyst, I believe seasons like this one remind us why we love basketball: it’s not just about wins and losses, but the stories of resilience and innovation along the way. If anything, the 2017 standings proved that in basketball, as in life, the most memorable journeys are often the hardest-fought.