Post All-Star NBA Power Rankings: The middle of the Western Conference is getting just as interesting as the top

The NBA All-Star break was a nice reprieve from some meaningful basketball (though the conversation surrounding the game has become exhausting).

Now, it’s time to get back in the saddle as teams get ready for the final sprint to the playoffs this year. And, boy, are we going to have some close races this year.

Everybody keeps talking about the top of the Western Conference — rightfully so. Just three games separate the first four seeds in the West.

But, y’all. Take a look at the bottom of the conference real quick. Just five games are separating the No. 5 through No. 10 seeds in the conference.

A neat little winning streak from one of these teams might just flip the conference on its head (Looking at you, Mavericks).

Hope is not lost, folks. I’m talking to you, Warriors, Lakers and Kings fans. Your teams can still escape the clutches of the Play-In tournament.

We’ll see how this goes down the stretch. One thing is for sure, though: Watching this is going to be fun.