We are about three weeks into the NBA season and teams are starting to show their true colors. Some teams started off hot and are now cooling down; while other teams are just starting to get in a rhythm. The Western Conference is absolutely loaded with talent. The battle for a playoff seed was expected to be hotly contested and it appears that it will be just that. Keep in mind that these predictions are always up for change, but this is how it is through the season so far. With that being said, let’s see who are the true contenders and pretenders in the West.
San Antonio Spurs – Contenders
The Spurs are looking just as efficient as ever. They currently hold the best record in the West and have been very impressive in the process. While they haven’t had the most challenging of schedules, they have had two impressive wins over the Warriors and Grizzlies. Their only loss came from a talented Portland team that seems to have great success against the Spurs.
Tony Parker has been as impressive as always, and even with Tim Duncan playing fewer minutes, he has been very efficient. The most important factor for this team is their experience. This team is made for the playoffs, and even though Duncan’s production has dropped, he excels in the playoffs. This team is talented, experienced, has great leadership, and has great chemistry. No matter where they finish in the West, they play their best basketball in the playoffs, and that is a scary thought.
Portland Trail Blazers – Pretenders
The Blazers are one of the hottest teams in basketball, currently riding a seven game win streak.
This team has an explosive, young point guard in Damian Lillard, and a much underrated power forward in LaMarcus Aldridge.
The Blazers also have a much improved bench, something that they struggled with last year. However, when you take a closer look at this winning streak and their season, the only really impressive win they have is against the Spurs.
Their other wins come against the Kings (twice), Detroit, Phoenix, Boston, and Toronto. The only team out of this list that has a winning record is the Suns, and they are struggling as of late.
While a win is a win no matter who the competition is, I’d like to see them beat some of the top teams in the West to consider them contenders.
The only other really contender they have faced was the Houston Rockets, who beat them soundly. The Blazers are certainly a talented team, and have improved greatly since last year. However, I don’t believe they could handle one of the Western giants in a seven game series.
Los Angeles Clippers – Pretenders
This was by far the toughest decision to make. The Clippers currently have best offense in the NBA. Unfortunately, they also have one of the worst defenses in the league. In the West, where there are some offensive juggernauts, a poor defense could be fatal. The Clippers are led by Chris Paul, who many consider to be the best point guard in the NBA.
However, he alone cannot be counted on to carry this team, especially when the West is filled with talented point guards. The Clippers are too reliant on the play of their big men, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. Both of these players are very one dimensional offensively, and they are both huge liabilities at the charity stripe. If one or both of these players are having an off night, the Clippers struggle.
The Clippers also struggle mightily in the playoffs. To correct this error they fired Vinny Del Negro and signed a very accomplished coach in Doc Rivers. With the addition of Rivers, the Clippers hope to have more success in the playoffs. Only time will tell if they can win when it matters; but until then they will need to greatly improve their defense.
Golden State Warriors – Contenders
The Warriors are one of the most complete teams in the NBA. They are Top-10 in points scored, points allowed, and assists.
They are very strong in every position and possess one of the best sixth men in the league. The major difference between this team and last year’s team is Andre Iguodala.
He adds another dimension to this team. He is one of the most versatile players in the NBA and is capable of playing three positions. The most important skill he brings to this team is the perimeter defense. Iggy is one of the best defenders in the NBA, and that is a very valuable piece to have.
The biggest concern for the Warriors is their lack of depth. So far their bench players are playing very well, but if one of their injury-prone starters goes down, they could struggle. The Warriors will win a lot of games this season, and if they can stay healthy, have the potential and talent to win the West.
Oklahoma City Thunder – Contenders
When you have two of the best scorers in the league on your team, you’re going to win a ton of games. The duo of Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant is one of the best in the league, and those two only can carry them to the playoffs. However, it is in the playoffs where the Thunder might struggle.
The Thunder’s bench is filled with inexperience. Reggie Jackson, Jeremy Lamb, and Steven Adams have all had to step up this season. So far they have been pretty inconsistent, and the Thunder will need these guys to play much more consistently if they hope to make a run into the playoffs. Another glaring hole for the Thunder is the center position. Kendrick Perkins doesn’t really do anything very well, and we could soon see Steven Adams step into the starting role.
The Thunder are contenders for a few reasons. Durant is the second greatest player on the planet and has the ability to take over games. And Russell Westbrook is an extremely aggressive, offensive force who makes all of his teammates better. They also have enough talent to win it all, they just need that talent to get experienced enough to contribute when it really matters.
Houston Rockets – Pretenders
The Rockets are very similar to the Clippers. The have the second best offense, but also have the second worst defense.
They have two dynamic scoring options with James Harden and Dwight Howard.
Harden is one of the best offensive players in the league and Howard is an absolute animal in the paint. The Rockets also have some very talented pieces surrounding their stars.
But the one thing they lack is defense, primarily perimeter defense.
As great as Harden is on the offensive end, he is pretty awful on the defensive side of the ball.
The only really talented perimeter defender is Patrick Beverley, and he is their backup point guard.
With some many talented teams, especially offensively, the Rockets will struggle mightily to guard the likes of Durant and Westbrook, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, Chris Paul, and Tony Parker. Unless the Rockets can figure out a way to sure up their defense, they could be in for a disappointing playoffs.
Minnesota Timberwolves – Pretenders
For as talented as the Timberwolves are, they are pretenders for a few reasons. While they are very talented offensively, they are carried by two primary players in Kevin Love and Kevin Martin. While these two are very talented, they lack offensive production for the other positions.
Other than an early win over a Westbrook-less Thunder, the Timberwolves really lack a convincing win. This is a team whose stars have struggled with injuries, and as we saw with last season, an injury to Love or Ricky Rubio could be fatal.
The Timberwolves will have a chance to prove that they are contenders with games against the Clippers, Rockets, Thunder, and Spurs in the coming weeks. Just like any pretender, the Timberwolves have the chance to prove me wrong, but with such a talented Western Conference, I don’t believe they have what it takes to make a serious run in the playoffs.