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The Golden State Warriors have been one of the surprises of 2012, building an 18-9 record and climbing up to fifth place in the Western Conference Standings. The Warriors have won eight of their last 10 games, including a 6-1 roadtrip.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are atop the Western Conference, picking up where they left off last season when they won the conference. There are a number of teams chasing the Thunder, with the Los Angeles Clippers just one game back and both the Memphis Grizzlies and San Antonio Spurs two games behind the leaders.
Behind the Warriors, Minnesota, Houston and Denver occupy the final three playoff spots with the 14-13 Utah Jazz in ninth place looking in.
The Sacramento Kings are second-to-last in the Western Conference at 8-18. The Kings have struggled on the road, winning just one game away from the home.
Out east, the Miami Heat and New York Knicks have been the class of the Eastern Conference, with the middle of the standings tightly packed.