The western conference is almost always the better conference. This season should be no exception.
There are many teams in the western conference that can make the finals this season. The Mavericks will have a tough time defending their throne and staying the best in the west.
First seed in western conference- Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets have lost some talented role players in recent years due to more restricting cap space rules. However, they still have their general core intact. Not only that, they were able to sign veteran guard and former NBA MVP, Russell Westbrook to come off the bench. I believe the talent of two time league MVP Nikola Jokic, and the chemistry the roster has will help them reach the first seed in a crowded western conference.
Second seed in western conference- Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder officially completed their three year rebuild with a playoff appearance in 2024. Despite being the first seed they lost in the second round due to lack of experience. The Thunder made a splash in the offseason to acquire NBA champion and defensive stud Alex Caruso in a trade, as well as signing center Isaiah Hartenstein, to be their starting big man.
The biggest difference maker for this season will be if Chet Holmgren takes a jump in his second season. The Thunder have been crowned the preseason favorite with their all around roster surrounding superstar guard Shai-Gilgeous Alexander.
Third seed in western conference- Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves are looking to capitalize on the prime of Anthony Edwards. They made a big move at the tail end of the offseason, trading Karl-Anthony Towns to the Knicks in exchange for Julius Randle and Donte Divincenzo. Earlier in the offseason, the Timberwolves acquired Rob Dillingham in the draft after making a trade with the Spurs for his pick. After beating the defending champions last season they look to go all the way this season. The fit of newly acquired star Randle and defensive stud Rudy Gobert is questionable. If Randle can’t adjust his game he could be shipped out for a different star.
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Fourth seed in western conference- Dallas Mavericks
Despite making the finals last season, the Mavericks are getting somewhat overlooked this season. They signed four time NBA champion Klay Thompson in the offseason. Despite Thompson’s decline in the past two seasons he can still have some good shooting games. They will also be getting a full season from their trade deadline acquisitions, Daniel Gafford and P.J Washington. The dominant back court of Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic, is returning, with that tandem alone they can be in the upper tier of the loaded Western Conference.
Fifth seed in western conference- Phoenix Suns
The Suns have one of the most dynamic offensive duos in basketball in Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. In the 2023 offseason they tried to make it a trio by trading for Bradley Beal. However, Beal quickly started to decline. In the 2024 offseason they signed Tyus Jones. It’s now looking like Beal may come off the bench. Despite some lingering defensive questions the Suns are a better team than they were in 2023-2024. The Suns hired Mike Budenholzer to be their new coach. Could he be the guy who fixes the Suns defensive issues? That offensive duo with good defensive support could beat anyone.
Sixth seed in western conference- Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers didn’t do much in the signing department but made a couple of noteworthy draft picks. The one that has taken most of the spotlight is Lebron James’ son, Lebron “Bronny” James jr. being picked in the second round. However, the pick that is more likely to make a difference in 2024-2025 is first round pick Dalton Knecht. His ability to shoot gives the Lakers a lot more lineup options.
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Seventh seed in western conference- New Orleans Pelicans
If I was just rating teams off talent, the Pelicans can compete with any team in the west. They have two great scorers in Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, along with some great defensive pieces in Dejounte Murray, Herb Jones and Jose Alvarado. Unfortunately for the Pelicans, Williamson and Ingram are two of the most injury prone players in the league.
The talent around them should be enough to get a play-in spot but not much more. If the Pelicans want to capitalize on their talented roster they will need to keep those guys healthy. Williamson has yet to play a game in the playoffs despite the Pelicans making it twice in his tenure.
Eighth seed in western conference- Sacramento Kings
In 2023 the Kings broke their seventeen year playoff drought, and took the defending champion Golden State Warriors to game seven. However, in 2024 the Kings luck expired and they lost in the play-in tournament. The Kings made a move to get Demar Derozan in a sign and trade from the Chicago Bulls, despite the fact the fit is questionable they replaced a weak point in the lineup with an aging Harrison Barnes with a 20 point per game scorer. Even with spacing questions the Kings have enough talent to get a playoff spot.
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