Just like the Eastern Conference, the West has some heavy hitters to take home the title this year!
The defending champion Golden State Warriors open proceedings against the LA Lakers on opening night and will have their banners raised in the process.
Golden State have one of the deepest rosters in the league, and will look to stamp their authority and show this dynasty isn’t done with just yet.
Golden State will have plenty of competition this year, with the likes of Denver, Dallas and the Clippers all getting stronger in the offseason.
Denver gets the services of Jamal Murray back this season, as well as Michael Porter Jr, to a team looking to give as much help as possible to the back to back MVP Winner, Nikola Jokić. The Nuggets also made a trade in the off season to bring in 3 and D Vet Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, as well as adding Bruce Brown from the Brooklyn Nets. If this roster stays healthy, they have what it takes to make a run at the Western Conference title game.
Dallas made a big splash in the off season, making a trade for Christian Wood from the Houston Rockets, giving Luka Dončić some much needed help on the offensive end of the floor. They did manage to lose the services of Jalen Brunson to the Knicks, which means Luka will have Spencer Dinwiddie as his backcourt partner this season, as well as Tim Hardaway Jr who returns from injury. This team is on par with the Nuggets, as just like Denver with Nikola Jokić, they’ll go as far as Luka Doncić can take them!
The Los Angeles Clippers are a team most have forgotten about. It feels like forever ago they were embarrassed in the bubble, capitulating against the Denver Nuggets and forced to blow up their bench in a roster revamp. They were then defeated by the Phoenix Suns in the West Finals in 2021, Paul George showing everyone just how good “Playoff P” could be without the help of Kawhi Leonard. The same hype that surrounded this team in the 2019-20 season is back this year, as Kawhi Leonard and Paul George look to put Clippers basketball back on the map. They’re one of the best coached teams in the league, and that gives this Clippers team the edge over most in the playoffs, locking them into a spot in the Western Conference Finals.
Memphis were the surprise package of last season, and this young hungry Grizzlies team will be looking to go one round better at the very least this season. Jaren Jackson Jr will miss some time to start the season which will hurt this team in a deep conference. Ja Morant will do enough to get this team into the playoffs, but they’re a piece away from being a legit title threat in the West.
Phoenix had the NBA’s best record heading into the playoffs last season, but they were embarrassed on their home floor in Game 7 of the second round in the Western Conference Playoffs against Luka and the Mavs. Not to mention the front office turmoil surrounding their controversial owner. They resigned DeAndre Ayton to a huge extension, and they’ll need their big to show them the form he had when Phoenix made an appearance in the NBA Finals. Phoenix still have plenty of depth at the wing spot, but an aging Chris Paul would have to be of some concern heading into this season. It’s easy to forget just how good they were prior to the playoffs, as well as the injury sustained to Devin Booker, but they too are a piece away from finals glory and won’t have what it takes without CP3 at the helm this season.
The wild card in the Western Conference Finals this season is a team from the Southwest. No, it’s not Minnesota, but they’ll be intriguing with the addition of Rudy Gobert and how he and Towns will co-exist on the floor together. It’s the New Orleans Pelicans. If this team can stay healthy, and the one key player at that who we haven’t seen in a very long time in particular can stay on the court, look out! Zion Williamson has hit the gym hard in the offseason and looks ready to go for a team who has all the upside. CJ McCollum, Brandon Ingram, Herb Jones, Jonas Valančiūnas, Zion, Dyson Daniels. Enough said really. I wouldn’t want to play this team if I were a top seed in the West.
The Los Angeles Lakers get a mention for the simple fact that they’re the Lakers. They aren’t done making moves, and would need to continue to do so to make some noise in the West, as it’s an extremely stacked conference. They’ll be in the mix for a Play-In spot, but in the end, that could be as good as it gets for the Purple and Gold.
Western Conference Finals Prediction:
LA Clippers v Dallas Mavericks (LA Clippers win 4-3)
Paul George and Kawhi Leonard lead the Clippers to the Promised Land this season, but it’s not without a fight from Luka and the Mavs, who fall agonisingly short for the second year in a row.