The Western Conference Needs A New Leader
The Western Conference has some parody for the first time in what seems like eons. Let’s see how the Wild West will play out this year.
Dare I say that the Western Conference has parody? For the first time in a long time, this conference is unpredictable. We don’t know an overwhelming favorite before the season starts. There are reasonable concerns with every top team. More teams have entered the playoff realm, so some good teams won’t make it. Such is life in the Wild, Wild, West.
2021-22 Wrap-Ups
I’m not good at predicting standings. I’ll just go out there and say it before you roast me for what I predicted last season. Yes, it was that bad;
- Had the Lakers as the #2 seed and winning 55 games
- Thought the Blazers were going to be good (I’m biased, I know)
That Lakers one on its own is enough to kick me out of NBA fandom forever. Let’s see if I can redeem myself this season.
2022-23 Predictions
- Memphis Grizzlies (63-19)
- Los Angeles Clippers (58-24)
- Denver Nuggets (57-25)
- Golden State Warriors (56-26)
- Phoenix Suns (53-29)
- Minnesota Timberwolves (52-30)
- Dallas Mavericks (50-32)
- New Orleans Pelicans (49-33)
- Portland Trail Blazers (44-38)
- Sacramento Kings (43-39)
- Los Angeles Lakers (39-43)
- San Antonio Spurs (30-52)
- Utah Jazz (27-55)
- OKC Thunder (26-56)
- Houston Rockets (24-58)
#1 – Memphis Grizzlies (63-19)
The Memphis Grizzlies are a win factory. They’ve cracked the code of how to win in the regular season. They have great chemistry, and they’ve got depth out the wazoo. It’s hard to find a young team that enjoys playing with each other as much as the Grizzlies.
Ja Morant is the leader of the pack. He leads a brutal, bruising attack on both ends. You’ll be out of breath after the first quarter with this team – either watching or playing. That’s how fast they play. Memphis’ superb depth allows them to go 11-12 deep on most nights. If you remember, this team went 20-5 without Ja Morant last season. They have the depth to withstand a grueling 82-game season.
Memphis can run away with the West with its immense depth. They got their first taste of postseason success last year. The Grizzlies are going to be hungry for more in 2023.
#2 – Los Angeles Clippers (58-24)
The Clippers have too much talent not to fail. Now, LA is in a similar situation to the Grizzlies. They have an absurd amount of depth. But the Clippers are an older team, and veteran players are likelier to cause locker room problems over minutes than youngsters.
Will that be a problem for Ty Lue and co.? Maybe. But it’s a good problem to have. Having a healthy Kawhi Leonard and Paul George puts this team back in the contender realm. The help around those two has never been better.
The Clippers will be a nightmare in the postseason. They have a million different combinations to throw at you. That’s what makes them dangerous. As they await the coronation of their new mega-stadium, the Clippers are going to be back to the top.
#3 – Denver Nuggets (57-25)
Nikola Jokic’s back is getting a much needed season off. For the past two years, he’s carried a group of role players to the playoffs. Without his co-stars, the Nuggets haven’t been able to keep up with the teams around them. Injuries got in the way.
But, if things go right this season, the Nuggets can return to where they were in the bubble. Nikola Jokic is one of the greatest offensive weapons the league has ever seen. He commands the floor, and Denver’s offense hums with him.
Adding Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. back into the mix makes the Nuggets more deadly. That’s two more tough shot makers and two more guys to lean on late in games. It puts less pressure on everybody when they’re healthy. If the Nuggets stay healthy, nothing’s stopping from getting back to the top tier of the Western Conference.
#4 – Golden State Warriors (56-26)
The reigning champs are unlikely to go pedal to the medal in the regular season. They don’t need to. It doesn’t matter who they’re playing or where. Golden State just understands how to win when it matters. Sure, they lost a lot of depth this offseason, and they got a year older.
But, the Warriors had a 14% chance to win the Finals last year. It’s all relative. I would never count this team out until I knew they were dead. The Warriors scheme and adjust better than anybody in the league.
The scorching shooting trio of Curry, Thompson, and Poole stretches teams out too much. Andrew Wiggins is the perfect safety blanket. I don’t think anything will change for the Warriors. They’ll be as good as ever and just as difficult to deal with in the postseason. The dynasty isn’t over. Not yet.
Oh, and Draymond Green is already picking fights before the season has even started. You know they’re going to be good now.
#5 – Phoenix Suns (53-29)
If losing to the Adelaine 36ers isn’t a bad omen, I don’t know what is. After their game 7 collapse against the Mavericks that was so bad even the front office had to apologize. Phoenix’s offseason was just as dramatic.
Staying on the court, this teams seems dead. Deandre Ayton clearly isn’t happy with how his contract situation was handled. He and Monty Williams have a (apparent) rocky relationship. Jae Crowder wants out now, for some reason. Maybe he can smell what’s in the water.
The Suns aren’t going to fall off the face of the earth. They’re still going to be a very good team. But, their road to a title isn’t going to be as easy as it was in the past two seasons. With an aging Chris Paul, this team’s future is getting weirder by the day.
#6 – Minnesota Timberwolves (50-32)
If the Timberwolves knew how to hold leads, they would have beaten the Memphis Grizzlies handily last year. Instead, they showed why they still had a long way to go. A young team’s first postseason often leaves a lot to be desired.
But the Timberwolves were a team on the rise. They have new ownership, and Tim Connelly now runs things in the front office. The message was simple. Win. So, Connelly went to work, price and future be damned.
And that’s how the T-Wolves traded for Rudy Gobert. Sure, they probably overpaid, but Gobert makes this team’s defense so much better. A frontcourt duo of Towns & Gobert is one of the most unique in the league. Along with a rising star in Anthony Edwards, the Timberwolves are primed to be a more serious contender in 2023.
#7 – Dallas Mavericks (50-32)
It feels weird to put the Mavericks here, but it makes sense. As good as Luka Doncic is, this team took a step back in the offseason. Swapping out Jalen Brunson for Christian Wood is a net negative. This roster isn’t as talented as the teams above them.
Luka Doncic can only do so much. This is one of the underlying problems with the Mavericks. Sure, they have a fighters chance in any series with Luka Doncic on the floor. But, they always have a disadvantage in a series because they have a low seed in the regular season.
Realistically, the Mavericks should be one of the kings of the Western Conference. Instead, this team is essentially the same as last year. It’s good, but not what it could be. And that’s frustrating.
#8 – New Orleans Pelicans (49-33)
While I think highly of the Pelicans, the Western Conference is still as brutal as ever. I would love to believe that a healthy Zion Williamson with this emerging young core is enough to be a top-five seed in the West. But that’s not how this conference works. It’s just too brutal.
Nevertheless, having Zion back on the floor is great for New Orleans. This is the Pelicans in their finished form, something we didn’t get to see last year. The Pelicans are young, fun, and exciting.
2023 will be both a test and a tryout. This is a big year for the franchise. There’s going to be pressure on everybody. For the first time in a long time, this franchise has expectations. Let’s see if they can stand up to the heat.
#9 – Portland Trail Blazers (44-38)
The preseason didn’t make me very optimistic about this team. While Joe Cronin tried to retool this team, I’m not seeing much. I will stand by the idea that this team should have traded Damian Lillard a long, long time ago.
Instead, they’re trotting the same old team out there again. No offense to Jerami Grant or Gary Payton II, but they can’t carry this defense single-handily. Chauncey Billups has also not wowed me as a coach. This team can’t really change until Dame goes.
Drafting Shaedon Sharpe was a step in the right direction. But if this team’s absolute ceiling is a second-round appearance, what was the point of all of this? We’re still not close to a championship at all. Instead, we’re circling the drain. Same old Blazers.
(Who cares, I have the Mariners now)
#10 – Sacramento Kings (43-39)
The Sacramento Kings are going to enjoy their best seasons in years. That doesn’t mean they’ll make the playoffs, but they may come close. For them, that’s like winning the NBA championship.
The duo of Fox and Sabonis will be lethal offensively. They added shooting and, more importantly, a good coach in the offseason. Not to jump to conclusions, but I think Mike Brown will be marginally better than Luke Walton. We’ll see how things work out.
Now, I don’t want to get ahead of myself. It’s when you expect this team to do something that you see their stupidity. I want Vivek Ranadivé to sell this team to somebody who knows what they’re doing, but that’s wishful thinking. For the time being, all we can hope is that this team takes baby steps in the right direction.
#11 – Los Angeles Lakers (39-43)
The Los Angeles Lakers somehow got worse this offseason. Not only did they keep Russell Westbrook around, but they also lost guys like Malik Monk. This season, they’re relying on Austin Reaves and Lonnie Walker to take them places. Yikes.
This team is dead. Even if Anthony Davis stays healthy, they’re not going to sniff contention. They should just take their mickey mouse ring and ride off into the sunset. Their only highlight will be when Lebron James breaks the all-time scoring record this season. Other than that, there’s nothing to look forward to.
Lebron’s time in LA has been an overall failure. The Anthony Davis trade has also been a massive failure. And the best part? Lebron is going to leave this team to play with his son soon. All the while, the Lakers have no future draft picks. God, I love this team.
#12 – San Antonio Spurs (30-52)
The Spurs are one of the teams on the Victor Wembanyama hype train. Gregg Popovich understands what’s going on with this team. He’s the sage-old veteran of wisdom. I doubt he’ll ever coach a title-contending squad anymore. He’s even been nice enough to give people gambling advice this season.
The only redeemable parts of this team are Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson. Other than that, the Spurs have fully committed to rebuilding. Don’t be surprised is Jakob Poeltl is traded by midseason, too. This team wants to stoop as low as they can go.
The allure of Wembanyama is too great. The last time a generation big man was on the table was 1997. His name was Tim Duncan. You may have heard about him. But the Spurs are still guaranteeing themselves a future stud by finally getting a high draft pick. Their two-decade reign of dominance is over. Now, it’s time to rebuild.
#13 – Utah Jazz (27-55)
Danny Ainge had a simple choice this off-season. Take the red pill, and nothing would change. Keep Gobert and Mitchell and run out the same uninspired team for 2023. The same team that, in Ainge’s eyes, “didn’t believe in each other.” But, if he took the blue pill, he would get one step closer to the most hyped prospect since Lebron James.
Danny Ainge took the blue pill. In a matter of months, Ainge stripped this team of their two cornerstones. Expect more moves to come. This team still has a few more ladder pegs to drop down, if you can believe that.
Anchored by the shot-chucking Collin Sexton, the Jazz are one of the worst teams in the league. And all of it is for the generational unicorn that is Victor Wembanyama. Adam Silver looks upon this team with shame.
#14 – OKC Thunder (26-56)
The Thunder can’t be accused of tanking because they’re already terrible. Chet Holmgren being out for the year puts a damper mood on this team’s outlook. A duo of Giddey and SGA isn’t laughable, but the Thunder aren’t going to be much better than they were last year.
Now, it’s time for the $500 million dollar question. Does Sam Presti want Victor Wembanyama? Presti already has Holmgren and Aleksek Pokusevski, two lanky forwards, on the roster. Does he want another one?
Maybe. There’s no way he could trade for the #1 overall pick, but the Thunder are going to be bad enough to come close. Will Presti become the mairtre d for this table? Will he give them the slight nudge to get Wembanyama? Who knows.
#15 – Houston Rockets (24-58)
And, picking up the rear, the Houston Rockets. Trading away Christian Wood solidifies this team as a bottom-dweller. Get ready for a lot of dribbling between the likes of Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. Things aren’t going to be pretty.
The Rockets aren’t going to be competitive for a while. But we all knew what. They’re another team that would greatly benefit from trying to (competitively) get Victor Wembanyama.
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