Folks say it every year: Competing in the West will be tough. Well, this year, that notion goes next level.
Competing in the West will be tough-er. That’s because this is the Year Of The Comeback, where very good teams will welcome back previously-injured centerpieces and therefore loom as very dangerous threats. Count the LA Clippers, Denver Nuggets and the New Orleans Pelicans in that select group and tell those medical staffs to take the rest of the day off.
Overall, then, the West is bringing lots of depth and also a handful of teams that can realistically envision the taste of champagne in June. This promises to be both an emphatic and entertaining season within the conference, where the only unquestioned winner will be the viewers, who get to gobble up all the glorious basketball.
CHAMPIONSHIP CONTENDERS
LA Clippers: Now that their injuries are in the past — at least they hope — the biggest threats to the Clippers are perhaps two or three teams in the West and stigma. The Clippers have the top-shelf talent and depth to overcome the first two. Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and friends are antsy and anxious to see what new addition John Wall is bringing, but that stigma thing is pretty tricky … and oh so sticky to the franchise. Can the Clippers distance themselves from their unlucky past and finally reach the promised land?
Golden State Warriors: Rarely does a championship team return the next season with untapped upside, yet such is the case for the Warriors, who’ll throw the kids into the mix and hope for the best. So that’ll be the test, then: whether Moses Moody, Jonathan Kuminga and James Wiseman can keep up with franchise stalwarts Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson and learn from them. Even better, can one or more of them make the generous leap of importance like Jordan Poole did last season? A repeat title may depend on it.
Stephen Curry and the Warriors once again enter a new season as the West team to beat.
Denver Nuggets: Simple addition says when you add Michael Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray to two-time Kia MVP Nikola Jokic, it equals a Big Three, 50-plus wins and a deep postseason run. Those two previously injured talents can and likely will make a reasonably big difference with the Nuggets and vault them into title conversation. The only way this doesn’t happen is if there’s an injury setback with Murray and/or Porter, or the supporting cast, led by newcomer Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, comes up weak and meek.
Phoenix Suns: Two seasons ago, they won the West. Last season, they finished with the best record in the NBA. This season, they return the meat of that rotation, which means the Suns will have a major say in how the West is won. Devin Booker has the ingredients to be an MVP finalist, Deandre Ayton isn’t sweating over his contract anymore and Mikal Bridges really wants that Kia Defensive Player of the Year award. Can Chris Paul keep defying age? Given the hike in competition in the West, the Suns will need to be better than the last two seasons in order to represent this June.
