While the top six teams in the West continue in an all-out brawl for playoff seeding, Dallas, Denver, and Golden State are in a fight for the final two slots in the postseason. Only one game currently (as of 4/2) separates the three teams and one team, possibly with 50 wins, will be sitting at home when the playoffs begin.

The standings currently look like this:

Tonight Dallas hosts Golden State in perhaps the most important game left in the regular season. It is almost a must-win situation for the Mavericks. A win would put them in a very favorable position two full games up on the Warriors with just seven games to go. A loss could cripple them as a difficult schedule down the stretch is made even harder with the uncertain status of Dirk Nowitzki.

Here is what the remaining schedule looks like for all three teams:

The slight edge in the schedule goes to the Nuggets having already picked up an extra win compared to the Warriors, and playing one less quality team down the stretch than either Dallas or Golden State. After hosting Sacramento on Saturday however, Denver will embark on a four game road trip getting two gimmes against the Sonics and Clippers before a huge game with Golden State and then at Utah. If Denver can go 3-1 in its final road games of the year, it will be in great shape to reach the playoffs.

Once the Nuggets reach the postseason is a different story. They are explosive on offense with Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony scoring nearly 60 points a night combined. J.R. Smith can put up points in a hurry from the three-point line as can Linas Kleiza. Of course, Denver is susceptible to being blown out constantly because it simply does not play any defense whatsoever. Any stay in the playoffs will be entertaining but short-lived.

The Warriors likely control their own fate facing the Mavs tonight and the Nuggets on April 10. Wins in those two games would probably secure a playoff spot barring a collapse in the other six remaining games. Golden State has four easily winnable games remaining (Sacramento, Seattle, Los Angeles Clippers, at Memphis) and two tough road games against Phoenix and New Orleans. This team, unlike Denver, could be a nightmare match-up for the wrong team in the first round as proven last season. Nellie Ball can get teams out of a rhythm by inevitably speeding up the game with dribble drives, transition baskets, and three-point shots. And defensively the Warriors have athletes at every position that create pressure and mismatches, something Denver cannot replicate.