If you were looking for a NBA Western Conference preview, you’ve come to the wrong place. Mustache Sports only provides playoff prediction sort of things. Remember, I’ve got lots to do at work so I can’t write up detailed previews for every single team. But what I can provide is an opinion on the West will shape up this season.
Here’s how I think the top 8 seeds will look come playoff time.
1. Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder have the best 1-2 punch with Durrant and Westbrook in the West and baring an injury to those two, the Sonics should win what looks to be a weaker Western Conference. Anytime you get a chance to watch this team play, it’s worth your 2.5 hours. James Harden and Serge Ibaka are two of my favorite players in the entire league. The Oklahoma City Thunder are the Chicago Bulls of the West.
2. San Antonio Spurs
Despite everyone hollering about the Spurs being too old, they won the most regular season games in the West last year and held the number one seed. I don’t sleep on Greg Popovich and what he does as a coach. If he’s saying DeJuan Blair and James Anderson are good at basketball, then I’m going to believe him.
3. Los Angeles Clippers
Lob City baby! What gets lost in all the CP3 talk is the fact that the Clippers have a really nice team. Caron Butler and Chauncey “Mr Big Shot” Billups were excellent pieces that will fit in nicely with Griffin and CP3. This team will get into some trouble if DeAndre Jordan gets into foul trouble but I could see them making a move by dealing Mo Williams for a backup big that can chew gum and walk at the same time come February.
4. Memphis Grizzles
Resigning Marc Gasol, a top 5 center, was big in keeping the momentum generated in last year’s playoff run. A healthy Rudy Gay will make all the difference in this year’s campaign. If OJ Mayo steps up and turns into the superstar he has the ability to become, you could possibly see this team upset OKC and represent the West in the Finals this year.
5. Denver Nuggets
This is my favorite Western Conference team to watch. They score tons of points and have a lot of likeable players (Ty Lawson, Nene, Danilo Gallinari, and Aaron Afflalo). It wouldn’t surprise me if this team ended up finishing with the second best regular season record in the West. It goes to show that you can trade a superstar and get pieces back that make you competitive. I do think that the lack of a genuine superstar will be their demise come May.
6. Los Angeles Lakers
People are really down on the Lakers this year because of the Lamar Odom deal and Kobe turning 33 (in basketball years, he’s almost 50). But it’s still the Lakers and they still have, in any matchup, 3 of the best possible 5 players on the floor with Gasol, Bryant, and Bynum. I think they will go as far as Bynum takes them in the playoffs but this team isn’t deep enough to legitimately contend for a title.
7. Dallas Mavericks
It’s hard to envision an NBA Champ taking this kind of fall but after watching them get blown out on Christmas and the day after Christmas, I don’t know how you put them ahead of the teams already mentioned. I know they still have Dirk, Jason Terry, and Jason Kidd, but this team just looks like it’s missing something. That something, Tyson Chandler, JJ Barea, and Caron Butler. It’s only two games so this may be an overreaction but this is a shortened season and with the scheduling being the way it is, older teams are going to have a harder time.
8. Golden State Warriors
Mark Jackson wants his team to play defense and I honestly believe him. I just don’t know if he has the personnel to establish that identity. But the Warriors can put up some points and outrun the best of them. I think they sneak into the playoffs this year ahead of Portland and…..wait for it…….the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Worst Teams to Watch
I wouldn’t pay money to go watch the Utah Jazz. But other than that, the rest of the non-playoff teams, Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets, New Orleans Hornets, Portland Trailblazers, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Phoenix Suns, all give me a reason to tune in. I guess maybe the Suns, I could see them being pretty boring when Nash sits on the bench.
Playoff Predictions
Thunder over Warriors in 6
Spurs over Mavericks in 5
Lakers over Clippers in 7
Grizzles over Nuggets in 7
Thunder over Grizzles in 6
Spurs over Lakers in 6
Thunder over Spurs in 6
See you tomorrow when I hand out some NBA awards and predict who wins the NBA Finals. To quote Bart Scott, “Can’t Wait!”
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