NBA Western Conference Preview

By Christopher Molicki

Kevin Durant and the Golden State Warriors might have a bigger bullseye on their back than any team or player in NBA history. And why shouldn’t they? Durant abandoned the Thunder, joined the dark side, and formed a super team like we’ve never seen before. Let’s be real: With their collection of talent in the current NBA landscape, the Dubs should not only win it all, but also form the greatest team the league has ever seen. But several question marks arise, mainly depth, rim protection, and chemistry. Like my Eastern Conference preview, the theme is the same: The Warriors should win the West with ease. But the fun part about this conference is that every team will be gunning for Golden State’s head, and if the Dubs struggle, it’ll cause shockwaves throughout the league.

15. Phoenix Suns: Welcoming back Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight isn’t going to do too much since the duo never really learned how to play together, but Suns fans should be excited for the future. Devin Booker is a star in the making that will be celebrating his 20th birthday as the season starts. Everyone can’t wait to watch him shoot, but I want to see him improve his defense. Phoenix has a pair of versatile lottery picks in Dragan Bender and Marquese Chriss. Both are pretty raw, but Earl Watson will tinker playing the two together and separately. This team is extremely young, and there are plenty of assets in the cupboard when they feel ready to make a big move. It just won’t be this year. Or next year. Or…

14. Los Angeles Lakers: The Lakers are essentially in the same spot as the Suns, but I picked Los Angeles above Phoenix because I think D’Angelo Russell is going to be a stud this year. It took him a bit to get acclimated to the big leagues and he had the Snapchat incident with Nick Young, but this guy can flat out run a team. He improved toward the end of last year, and his Summer League and preseason (for what it’s worth) numbers have been fantastic. Don’t forget, he was a No. 2 pick, as was Brandon Ingram. I think Ingram might similarly take some time to contribute, but with some underrated veterans in Timofey Mosgov and Luol Deng, this team has the chance to be…maybe not awful.

13. Sacramento Kings: I really wish the Kings would trade Boogie. Until they do, we’ll never see his true potential. Sacramento, like always, is a team filled with players no one wants that are questionable fits. Does a squad consisting of Rudy Gay (in trade talks again), Arron Afflalo, Kosta Koufos, Darren Collison (suspended), Matt Barnes, and Caron Butler scare you? Hey Vivek, you just drafted two centers in the first round to go with Koufos and Willie Cauley-Stein. Trade Boogie!!!

12. New Orleans Pelicans: This is where it gets tricky. Teams 4 through 12 in the West are going to be very difficult to predict. Sadly, I have to put the Pelicans at the bottom of that group. My love for Anthony Davis knows no bounds. But he’s coming off a recent injury, and this team would go nowhere without him. Davis actually has an OK supporting cast if he can stay healthy. Solomon Hill was a nice piece that can shoot and defend on an affordable contract. Langston Galloway and E’Twaun Moore provide backcourt depth. Lance Stephenson and Terrence Jones were great buy-low pickups. And Buddy Hield will be making it rain sooner rather than later. But the absences of Jrue Holiday and Tyreke Evans (for however long they are) will be felt, and I think Davis still needs more help.

11. Dallas Mavericks: Rick Carlisle has managed to keep the Mavericks in the playoffs for years despite a questionable cast, but this is where it ends. Dirk Nowitzki can only do so much at this point in his career. I have a hunch Harrison Barnes will have a surprisingly good year and I think Andrew Bogut is a big plus on defense (and a sneaky good offensive option), so the Warriors castoffs will help. But I worry a bit about the defense, even with Wes Matthews and Justin Anderson on the wing. The West is so crowded that an uninspiring team like Dallas may take a tumble.

10. Houston Rockets: It was hard to put the Rockets this low, but as explosive as the offense may be, the defense is going to be all sorts of dreadful. The offseason additions of Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson to go with James Harden are a shining example of that. This team will be asking a lot out of Clint Capela, and while I think he’s in for a breakout year, there’s not a lot of depth down low behind him. Houston will have a hard time beating good teams and ultimately fall out of the playoffs because they won’t be able to generate stops.

9. Denver Nuggets: The Nuggets have been one of the more puzzling teams for a while now, and this year could be more of the same. They have a great collection of young talent in Emmanuel Mudiay, Gary Harris, Jamal Murray, Jusuf Nurkic, and Juan Hernangomez. They’ve also got a somewhat young group of veterans in Kenneth Faried, Danilo Gallinari, Will Barton, and Wilson Chandler. But this team runs through Nikola Jokic, who will be a star in this league and perhaps even just a step or two below Karl-Anthony Towns and Kristaps Porzingis. I’m not sure how all these pieces will fit together, but I’m betting on continuity and head coach Mike Malone figuring that out, en route to a playoff push.

8. Portland Trail Blazers: Young teams that make unexpected playoff runs often to disappoint the following year. The duo of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum is one of the best in the league, but the supporting cast is still green and unproven. I’d like to see a little more out of Mason Plumlee, Allen Crabbe, Maurice Harkless, Ed Davis, and Meyers Leonard before I consider them a playoff-caliber rotation on a team that has almost no true veterans. The offseason signing of Evan Turner was also questionable, as he’ll be better in a bench role rather than next to Lillard and McCollum. That’s fine, but that’s a lot of money for a non-starter. Expect Portland to take a step back before they take two steps forward.

7. Oklahoma City Thunder: The projections for OKC are all over the place. Some think they’ll ride the Russell Westbrook Revenge Tour Death Train to domination. Others expect a fringe playoff team after losing Durant. Those who look at the season KD was hurt and expect the same thing are being a bit shortsighted. First and foremost, Steven Adams was not the player he is now, and the Westbrook-Adams pick-and-roll combo is one of the more deadly offensive plays outside of the Bay area. Billy Donovan figured out how to get the most out of Enes Kanter, and I expect him to do the same with Victor Oladipo. The Thunder lack some shooting and there are some questions as to how the bench shakes out, but a team led by Russ and Adams is still good enough to secure a playoff berth.

6. Minnesota Timberwolves: This may be bold, but the man they call Towns gives me confidence the Wolves can finish this high. Towns is an insanely talented player who can literally do everything. His improvements will happen in bursts, and his versatility will affect the entire team around him. I could see him being a top 5 player in two or three years. It doesn’t hurt that he has young guns to run with, like Andrew Wiggins, Kris Dunn, Zach LaVine, Gorgui Dieng, Tyus Jones, and Shabazz Muhammad. There will be some spacing issues, especially with Ricky Rubio running the offense, but Tom Thibodeau will make this team a nightmare to play against. Believe the Minnesota hype.

5. Memphis Grizzlies: A lot hinges on the Grizzlies’ health, but Memphis has the chance to move into the West’s second tier. Mike Conley got his payday, and him and Marc Gasol still form one of the better, more unselfish duos in the NBA. Acquiring someone like Chandler Parsons was a smart move to make, as was moving JaMychal Green to the starting lineup and making Z-Bo the sixth man. These things should improve the Grizz on offense and enable them to play a more modern style of basketball. But look at how many of those major players have health concerns. Let’s hope things don’t go south.

4. Utah Jazz: Utah has been on the cusp for a few years now, but this should be the season they finally break through. Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert form the best defensive big man tandem in the NBA. The Jazz can also add spacing by going small with Rodney Hood, Trey Lyles, and Boris Diaw. I expect George Hill to start at the point, but Dante Exum and even Alec Burks provide a plethora of backcourt options (as does the versatile Hood). All of this is without speaking about Utah’s best player, Gordon Hayward. This team is super deep and well-coached, but lacks a true superstar. I see them being similar to what Boston is and finishing just outside the top 3 in the West.

3. San Antonio Spurs: It seems that many have the Spurs penciled in right behind the Warriors, but I disagree. I’ll discuss the Clippers in a minute, but the Spurs lack the athleticism to hang with Golden State. Kawhi Leonard is still a two-way beast, but the aging Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, and Pau Gasol shouldn’t strike a ton of fear into the nuclear Warriors lineup. Add in talks of LaMarcus Aldridge not being a good fit in San Antonio, and the Spurs have a few issues. Of course, Gregg Popovich will still coach them to a top finish, but beyond that is up in the air.

2. Los Angeles Clippers: People may be sick and tired of waiting around for the Clippers to show up, but hear me out: The Clippers have the best shot at stopping the Warriors in the West, and this season may be their only chance to do it. Los Angeles has been snakebitten by injuries and playoff chokes, but there is a ton of talent and versatility on this team. They won 53 games last year largely without Blake Griffin, and the big man should come back with some new tricks. The last time he was healthy, Griffin was a top-10 player and an MVP candidate. Now, he’ll have to continue to expand his game, potentially out to the three-point line, in order to maximize possessions when on the floor with DeAndre Jordan. If Doc Rivers can get the most out of his Big 3 and finally reach this team’s peak, they’ve got an outside shot at knocking off the Warriors while the Dubs are still getting used to each other. If the Clippers can’t get it done before Golden State gels, that may spell the end for one (or all) of Jordan, Griffin, or Chris Paul in Los Angeles.

1. Golden State Warriors: In the end, this should be the team left standing. Having Durant, Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson on the floor together is absurd. Having at least two of them playing at all times is borderline unfair. The Warriors have created a team that would make everyone veto if this were a fantasy football league. This should be the best NBA villain team since the Heatles (or maybe ever). As mentioned above, this team will need time to grow and they still have their flaws, but the starpower should ultimately mask those warts. Everyone’s chasing the Warriors. We’ll see if someone hits a bullseye.