NBA playoff scenarios: How Warriors can clinch top-six seed Friday

After an up-and-down 2024-25 NBA season with many twists and turns, the Warriors officially can punch their ticket to the playoffs on Friday.

However, they will need plenty of help.

If Golden State (47-33) wins its game against the Portland Trail Blazers (35-45) on Friday at Moda Center, and both the Memphis Grizzlies (47-33) and Minnesota Timberwolves (47-33) lose their respective games to the Denver Nuggets (48-32) and Brooklyn Nets (26-54), the Warriors will secure one of the Western Conference's six playoff seeds.

Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.

Postseason scenarios for Friday, April 11 ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/zbQ5PZLa7I
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 11, 2025

The Warriors heavily are favored (-14.5 points) to beat the Blazers, and while Memphis has a tough game against Denver at 6 p.m. PT at Ball Arena, Minnesota is a whopping -20.5-point favorite over Brooklyn at 6 p.m. PT at Target Center.

This means even if Golden State takes care of business against Portland and Memphis loses to Denver, the Warriors would need the NBA Draft lottery-bound Nets to upset the Timberwolves at home.

That outcome is unlikely, but certainly not impossible ...