Good old Basketball! Even watching the terrible teams can bring joy to a fan. This year has been full of balance and unpredictable moments. What do we have brewing out West?
Dallas Mavericks: Even with Luka Doncic continuing his rise to NBA stardom the Mavs are still trying to figure themselves out. Winning 8 of 10 before the All Star Break should do the trick but there are still some questions about the future. Do they trade Kristaps Porzingis and hope to get a solid amount of draft picks or do they roll with what they have and go for a deep playoff run. Considering how competitive the West is I don’t know if they have enough to battle the Big Boys. Tough decisions.
Denver Nuggets: What a difference 1 month makes in the NBA. In January the Nuggets were stuck in mediocrity and everyone was wondering what happened to them after their deep playoff run. Then they stormed past their adversaries once the clock struck February 1. Jamal Murray has picked up where he left off last summer by turning in a few 40+ point games during that stretch and may have been the biggest All Star Game snub in the West. Nikola Jokic same deal, he is gunning for his first MVP award without a large national spotlight. I feel like this year the All Star voting has been in more favor of Big Market Teams because of COVID. Don’t worry about it too much guys.
Golden State Warriors: If you look at how they have done this year without Klay Thompson it is impressive since they have a realistic shot of a playoff berth. Steph Curry is back in 2016 form and during All Star Sunday Night he erupted in the 3 Point Contest and the game itself. Other than that it has mostly been James Wiseman and Draymond Green carrying the load as well. If they are going to stand a chance come May they will need everything and thensome to go their way. Good luck Kerr!
Houston Rockets: This year has been a total disaster for the Rockets. Early on they were off to a fine start with the expectations of another trip to the playoffs despite James Harden’s antics. Ever since they traded him to the most hyped team in NBA History the tanks have come out of the shed and they lost an unlucky 13 straight games before the All Star Break. Honestly trade John Wall and Victor Oladipo for more draft picks. At least you have a nice haul of picks and could win the lottery. The problem for Houston is that their original 1st Round Pick is in the hands of OKC thanks to the Russell Westbrook CP3 trade. At least you will likely pick in the Top 5 I guess.
Los Angeles Clippers: If these guys are on their A game, the West is in deep trouble. If they aren’t Paul George turns back into Pandemic P, the bench is inconsistent and Kawhi is a mystery box at the end of games. This is the plight of the Clippers, unknown results. Even if they hit a slide before the All Star Break they still are a serious contender but they will need to make 1 more move to bolster the lineup. All I can say is you better get Andre Drummond unless you’ll be falling to your big brothers again!
Los Angeles Lakers: Can we be impressed with this year’s Lakers team. Yes I hate this team, yes it sucks that they’re good but if you look at these guys closely you must give Frank Vogel credit. No Anthony Davis, No Kyle Kuzma, Dennis Schoeder, Marc Gasol, and Montrezl Harrell not living up to expectations, and being inconsistent while playing at the Staples Center. The reason for their success has been LeBron James, KCP, Alex Curuso, and Wesley Matthews. This team is going to have a rough road ahead of them if they want any chance of “Running it Back.” Considering the NBA they are going to do everything they can for the Lakers to get back to the finals. Because that’s how this league works.
Memphis Grizzlies: I like what these guys are doing. Memphis is embracing a full scale rebuild while still trying to compete for playoff spots. It’s a windowless plan that usually doesn’t work out but when Ja Morant is taking that next step to being a bona fide star it’s worth it. Taylor Jenkins is a solid coach with plenty of potential and has a bright future in this league. (Salty Bucks fan) I don’t know if they have enough to push for a playoff spot but as long as management chooses the right players at the deadline they have a chance.
Minnesota Timberwolves: This franchise doesn’t care about winning! THERE I SAID! Even with Anthony Edwards making his case for Rookie of the Year this season has been a major disaster. Thus for the 6th time in 12 years THE WOLVES ARE GOING TANKING! What a joke of an organization! (At least you have the Twins and the Wild.)
New Orleans Pelicans: Even with the wonders of Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram the Pelicans are dealing with the misfortunes of being in the 2nd tier of teams. Good but not great. I know that they have a solid roster across the board even if they have to eat the bad contract of Eric Bledsoe. (Thanks for giving the Bucks Jrue Holiday) But if they are going to make the playoffs Stan Van Gundy needs to figure out how to manage a game clock. This much talent can not be stuck in mediocrity on a consistent basis. I know it’s the West but this is how it is sometimes. Plus don’t be 6 games under 500 at the break it never works in the West.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Like the Grizzlies the Thunder are rebuilding yet are still trying to compete for playoff spots. Whenever a team has the fossils of George Hill and Al Horford they at least have players who know how to win but they also give advice to the younger players. At least Shai Gilgeous Alexander is starting to turn a corner. They have a nice haul of draft picks from Phoenix and Houston but OKC is still in the hunt. The “Gorilla Dance” is still being put on hold for these guys and it will be until they have a legit chance at a postseason spot.
Phoenix Suns: I had the fortune of watching these guys in person while I was in town for a visit. And what I saw from the Suns is a team that has become a legit championship contender overnight. The Chris Paul trade is an easy way to go on this topic but how can you explain the talents of Devin Booker. Even if he injured himself before the All Star Break he is perhaps the most underrated star in the NBA. Not to mention the depth of DeAndre Ayton, Jae Crowder, Cameron Payne, Dario Saric, Mikal Bridges and Abdel Nadar have been coming of age as well. If they get home court for at least 2 series in the playoffs this year Talking Stick is going to be a rough place to play. I need to do a document on this rise from the desert.
Portland Trail Blazers: I have come to a realization last year about the Blazers. Last year’s mediocre season was a fluke because they were injured. This year the usually merry band of underachievers has realized their true potential and have returned to being a championship contender. Everyone says that they are scary because of only Damian Lillard but the rest of the squad isn’t far behind. That’s because CJ McCollum Carmelo Anthony and Jusef Nurkic are also leading the charge. If there is one team that doesn’t get talked about in the running for the Western Conference Title it’s these guys. (Plus the Suns and Jazz.) Do us a favor and beat the Lakers please!
Sacramento Kings: Even with the talents of De’Aaron Fox once again the Kings are embracing the glorious tanks. Even if they had a strong start reality has shoved them in the face and they are back to being the typical Kings. I said it before and I will say it again, Renadive doesn’t care about building a contender. He just runs the team like a Mom and Dad. That’s not how this league works.
San Antonio Spurs: Remember how I called these guys the NBAs Detroit Red Wings. They are actually the NBAs version of the 2018 LA Kings. The old men turn the clock back to 2014, the young depth plays out of their minds, and their coach is up to his old tricks again. In this case Greg Popovich has rediscovered the ability to win. That’s because they have 2 fossils in DeMar DeRozan and Lamarcus Aldridge leading the charge in a flashback to their primes. I don’t know if they have enough for a playoff spot but it would be great for the team to have hope for the long term. Even if they make the playoffs they probably will bow down early. Then they decided to potentially cut Aldridge thanks to issues with his contract, FYI just let the Nets get anywhere near him and you’re good, ok.
Utah Jazz: The Jazz are in a flashback to the late 1990s with the current squad they have. This team isn’t from the John Stockton and Karl Malone era but they have a group of guys that go under the radar thanks to being a small market franchise but they have promising names and accomplished stars across the board. Donovan Mitchell has been the driving force on offense with his dunking and 3 point shooting wonders, but if you are going to get by these guys on defense have fun going after Rudy Gobert if you’re a top flite center. What amazes me about these guys is that the depth has been better than ever led by Joe Ingles Bojan Bogdanovic and Jordan Clarkson. I have one more thing, please embarrass the Lakers for us please!
The Top Spot in this heavyweight of a conference is up for grabs with multiple teams starting to gel. Who do we have as the playoff predictions.
#1 Jazz
#2 Lakers
#3 Suns
#4 Trail Blazers
#5 Clippers
#6 Nuggets
#7 Mavericks
#8 Warriors
Let the games begin AGAIN!
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