Throughout NBA history, the Western Conference has been significantly better than the Eastern; this season is no different. The amount of contenders and the competition level exceeds anything we’ve ever seen out of the conference. This season will be one of the most exciting seasons in NBA history, for I believe that even the Western Play-In teams are real contenders to win an NBA championship. These are my expectations for the Western Conference Teams after opening week.
Firstly, we must start with the defending Champs, the Denver Nuggets. Coming off a dominant playoff performance last year, then starting the season 4-0, they look as confident, motivated, and focused as before. If you watch the games, you can tell that they have the best chemistry out of any team in the league; now, however, they also have playoff experience and a proven track record. The scariest thing for the league is, besides Bruce Brown, their starters and role players are the same, and age isn’t an issue for they all are young/in their prime. Nikola Jokić will have a dominant season, where he can be expected again to be an MVP candidate, and Jamal Murray will most likely become an All-Star. It’s fair to say that they are favorites to win the championship, but it won’t be easy.
The Memphis Grizzlies, a team that was “Fine in the West” was, in fact, not. The team Last year met the 7-seeded Lakers in the first round and embarrassingly lost in Game 6. As a team with such a young core that had such high hopes, it all relies on their star, Ja Morant. Ja is a high-flying and talented player and was the NBA Most Improved Player last year, but this year will be his biggest test after his controversial decisions off the court, resulting in a suspension from the first 25 games of this season. They still have Jared Jackson Jr, the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year, and Desmond Bane, a consistent contributor, but it won’t be enough to compete in this stacked conference. They might be able to make it to the Play-In, but I strongly believe that they are one of the bottom three seeds, especially after their start of the season which was 0-4.
The biggest surprise last year was the Sacramento Kings. After a playoff drought of 16 years, they had an impressive, yet early, exit in the first round to the #6 Warriors; however, that series was the best series of the 2023 NBA Playoffs, and they showed that they should be seen as a real contender. Last year, they gained experience and so much hype, and this year, they look like they are on a mission. De’Aaron Fox has ascended to arguably one of the top 20 best players in the NBA, and, as the 2023 Clutch Player of the Year, we know that he thrives in close games. With the supporting cast of Sabonis (AllStar), Keegan-Murray, Monk, Huerter, and Barnes, they have a great chance at being a top 3 seed like last year. After a great start of 2-1, only losing to the Warriors in a close game, I believe that, with their aggressiveness, they will be the #1 seed.
When it comes to the Phoenix Suns, a team that lost to the Nuggets last year in the second round 2-4, they are now completely different. Their team has Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal, so, offensively, they will be unstoppable. Also, they got rid of DeAndre Ayton and received Jusuf Nurkic, who seems like a better fit and doesn’t have the low downside that came with Ayton. There are many question marks to come along with this team, including their depth on the bench and their offensive chemistry, but the biggest unknown for the team is defense, for their starters don’t have the best defensive history. And as we know, defense wins championships. They most likely will be a very streaky team, beating some really good teams sometimes and losing to bad teams sometimes. Unless they really focus on defense and are unselfish offensively, they can be a serious contender. But they still have many questions to answer, resulting in their current record of 2-2 and a probable Play-In appearance.
The Los Angeles Clippers is the only team that after the preseason and first week, I have no idea where they will end up at the end. They, last year, lost to the Suns in Game 5, where Kawhi Leonard and Paul George didn’t play Games 3, 4, and 5. When healthy, the team is one of the favorites to win it all, but, at least for the past 4 years, the two perennial All-Stars, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George have both had health issues. When the Clips signed Westbrook, and now Harden, they had more options in cases of injuries. Although they haven’t played a contender yet, they are 3-1, so I’m confident that, when healthy, they can be a top 5 seed; if not, they will be a Play-In team.
The Golden State Warriors look dangerous this season, almost looking better than their 2022 Championship team. They lost in 6 against the Lakers last year, but I do not doubt that they will make a deep playoff run. Stephen Curry, the GOAT of shooting, has started the season on fire, averaging 33.5 points, and shooting 55.8% from the field. The addition of Chris Paul has given them a difference in pace, a deduction on turnovers, and a veteran presence. When you have 2 of the greatest point guards to ever play, then add Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Andrew Wiggins, along with so many other players that bring value and are improving every season, they are also a serious contender, resulting in them being a top 3 seed. They have started the season 3-1, and I believe they are only going to get better.
The Los Angeles Lakers have made many improvements since last year. They ended their 2023 season by getting swept by the Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals, but I don’t think that will be the story of this season. Now being 38, Lebron James’s health and durability have declined. Anthony Davis and D’Angelo Russell have proven to be inconsistent, and I don’t think Austin Reaves can carry the load on the nights when AD and DLo don’t. Although I think they will be successful in the regular season, for they still have Lebron and AD, I think they will be #6-10 seed, and that is reasonable considering their start is 2-2, losing only to the Nuggets and Kings.
I don’t know where exactly this team will be, but I can almost guarantee that the Minnesota Timberwolves will be a Play-In team. Although Anthony Edwards made huge leaps last year and over the summer in the Olympics, I don’t think the rest of the team is good enough to make any noise in the regular season or playoffs. Even last year, it was evident that the combination of Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns would not work, especially with the current trade rumors surrounding KAT. Right now, their record is 1-2, and I think that their season will be that same percentage.
The New Orleans Pelicans have been a consistently middle-of-the-pack franchise, but I think that this is the year that they ascend to the Top 5 in the Western Conference. Last year, they lost in the Play-In; however, their entire season was riddled with injuries. Many have already dismissed the team, but I believe in Zion, and I think this season will be the season he earns the respect of the league and is on an All-NBA Team. Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum are a reliable supporting cast, and Zion has proven that he, when healthy, can not be stopped. They have some playoff experience from the 2022 NBA Playoffs, and they have an energetic, young team. I believe that they can make it to the Western Conference Semifinals, and I think their current record can show that they will be a 40-45 win team, which, for this stacked conference, is impressive.
When it comes to fan favorites, the Oklahoma City Thunder are by far one of the most liked teams in the NBA. From losing in the Play-In tournament last year, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has significantly improved, and will, in my opinion, be an MVP candidate this year. Their versatility on defense because of their height, and their pick-n-roll system due to their skills will allow them to be very successful in the regular season. Although they are a very young team with no significant playoff experience, I believe they will get the 6-10 seed this year. What’s most exciting about the team is they’ve got the Cap Space to trade for a Top 15 player to support Shai. They started the season 3-1, only losing to the Denver Nuggets, and I think that they can be a contender as well.
This could be the year that the Dallas Mavericks are threats to win it all. When Luka Doncic is averaging 39 points on 55%, and Kyrie Irving averaging 20 points, they can be crazy good. Maybe the numbers mentioned above aren’t sustainable, but their offense looks so fluid, especially having one of the best passers in the league in Luka. I believe in this team because of the following: this is the first time Luka has had any backlash in his career for missing the playoffs last year, so he’ll be on a mission; also, Luka and Kyrie are two of the most clutch players in the league, so in close games, which I expect them to be in many this season, they have a very high chance of winning. The Mavs started 3-0, and although the defense and bench are still an issue, I believe they can be a 6-10 seed.
Although the Utah Jazz didn’t make the playoffs last year, they have a future in Lauri Markkanen. They first need to understand that, unless they trade for a Top 10 player, they won’t have a chance to be a contender or even make it to the playoffs this year either. They are a young team with a ton of Cap Space, so they should use it and help their AllStar. I expect them to be an 11-12 seed this year, especially seeing them lose right away, currently holding a 1-3 record.
The Portland Trailblazers could be a fun team to watch, but, since they didn’t make the playoffs last year, lost their best player in Damian Lillard, and started the season off 1-3, they will be the lowest-seeded team in the Western Conference. Scoot Henderson hasn’t shown any proof that he’ll be dominant this year, and, with Anfernee Simon’s injury, their season will be rough to watch as a fan. However, be on the lookout for Shannon Sharpe, making huge strides and showing his hard work over the offseason.
I’m just gonna be blunt: the Houston Rockets will be one of the worst teams in the league. They started the season 0-3, made horrible deals in the offseason in Fred Vanvleet and Dillon Brooks, and their team culture is a “highlights culture,” only caring about statistics. However, a bright star is starting to emerge called Alperen Sengun, who is dialing up his offensive output and his playmaking is phenomenal; also, they have a ton of Cap Space, so making a major trade or signing is very possible. I expect them to be in the same seed as last year, or at least 13-15, and nothing that they’ve shown the first week has made me or anyone second guess.
The San Antonio Spurs look new almost as if as soon as Victor Wembanyama, the #1 draft pick, stepped into the building, the culture of the entire franchise and the excitement of the fans completely changed. Wembanyama looks so comfortable, and, although it’ll take time for him to dominate offensively, his impact is already being felt. Even though they didn’t make the playoffs last year, their young core looks way better, with Devin Vassel and Keldon Johnson already showing improvement. You can’t forget: they have one of the best coaches of all time in Coach Gregg Popovich, so, although I doubt they will make noise come April, this season, they will form chemistry and, I believe, have the potential for a dynasty in the future. They started 2-2, so I expect them to be just outside the Play-In this year, but, if you’re a Spurs fan, the future is bright.
As you can see, the Western Conference is stacked, having 7 serious championship contenders. Every team has something going on, some hope, and, although only one team can win it all at the end, I am fairly certain that said team will come out of the West.
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