The landscape of the NBA this season has brought a new level of parity that the league has missed out on for years upon years. There’s a clear separation from the true title contenders and the borderline contenders. NBA fans are in for a treat this postseason with the level of depth of the playoff teams. 25 of the 30 teams have at least a .456 win percentage, making even the race to the play-in games a sight to see.
In the last edition of this two-part series, the Eastern Conference was the focus. Now, it’s time to switch gears to the conference across the country, the wild Western Conference. Throughout the course of the season, this side of the NBA has given fans enjoyable conference games and storylines throughout, with not one team singling themselves out as true favorites to make it to the finish line.
The Denver Nuggets have been the most consistent team year round, with other teams like the Sacramento Kings and Memphis Grizzlies falling right behind in the pecking order. However, with teams like the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers becoming healthy at the right time, along with the acquisitions that the Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers have made to their rosters, the conference looks to be truly up for grabs.
Denver Nuggets
Ceiling- NBA Champions
Floor- First Round Exits
Despite being the number one seed in the conference for the majority of the season, the Denver Nuggets remain a wild card heading into post-season basketball. They have arguably the best offense in basketball, led by arguably the best player in basketball, Nikola Jokic. The 6’11 Serbian big man is making a run at potentially his third MVP award in a row. He’s found a way to make everyone around him more impactful, while posting up hyper efficient offensive numbers. The superstar center has shown his playoff dominance in the past with worse rosters around him. Now being given the right tools to succeed, Jokic has proven that Denver is a force to be reckoned with.
The problems that could align with Denver stem from their defense, where they sit right below middle of the pack at 17th across the association in defensive rating. The personnel on that side of the ball is weak, and Jokic continues to be an easy matchup for opposing teams in pick-and-roll sets. The lack of a true secondary star could prove to be a problem as well when matching up with teams with elite duos or trios, and this is where they’ll need Jamal Murray to step up and evolve back into his 2020 postseason form. With the Los Angeles Lakers lurking as a potential eighth seed, Denver could face problems early. However, if their offense can take over games the way it has in the regular season, they’re one of the safer picks to win it all come June.
Photo by Kavin Mistry/Getty Images
Sacramento Kings
Ceiling- NBA Finals
Floor- First Round Exits
Every season, there’s a team that comes in with miniscule expectations, but manages to exceed them all and break through their preseason ceiling. This season, that would be the Sacramento Kings. Sacramento is home to the league’s best offense, which has led them to the second seed in the West, along with what will be their first playoff berth in 16 seasons. From shooters to playmakers to star closers and engines, this group has it all on the offensive side of the ball. Guard De’Aaron Fox and center Domantas Sabonis have created an elite two-man tandem, and with the role players beside them, this team has dominated opponents on the offensive side all year long.
Just like Denver, the problem lies defensively. The Kings rank 24th in the league defensively, and when going against other top-end contenders during playoff basketball, Sacramento will have to make games a shootout if they plan on going far. Along with that, there is a clear experience gap between this group and other teams, which could play a massive factor in how far they go. Despite all of that, if given the right postseason matchups, this team can shock the world and go all the way with their electric offense. However, a ton would have to go right for this to happen. Expect them to finish their season losing in the second round or conference finals, but if they make a huge run or fall flat on their faces, don’t be shocked.
Memphis Grizzlies
Ceiling- NBA Champions
Floor- First Round Exits
The Memphis Grizzlies have turned into one of the NBA’s most interesting stories this season, largely due to superstar point guard, Ja Morant. Before talking about the low-lights, it’s important to note the positives. Memphis has been good enough to net the league’s second best defense, largely due to defensive player of the year candidate, Jaren Jackson Jr.
This team uses a methodical scheme to get the most out of their guys on that end, and with some of the best defensive personnel in the entire association, they’ve found an easy calling card in that department. Despite being in the middle of the pack offensively, they’ve had little time to showcase their true abilities on that end with key players being in and out of lineups all year long. With one of the leagues’ best engines in Morant along with multiple other options, this team when healthy is one of the best in the league on both ends.
Despite that, this group has yet to showcase their true potential with all the controversy surrounding them all year long. Outside of simply just guys getting injured, Morant has made it tough for this team to be viewed with respect across the league, and his actions have gotten him to the point where he’s been suspended for the majority of the month of March. Morant should be ready to go come playoff time, but will this affect team chemistry with their leader doing and saying things out of line? After all, teams with title hopes in general have to stay connected, and if the leader fails to keep that connection, it can carve out a rocky road ahead. The Western conference is as deep as ever before, but Memphis matches up with most. They’re going to need a big turn around both on and off the court to make it work, but with the team at hand, it’s certainly possible they will shock the world.
Phoenix Suns
Ceiling- NBA Champions
Floor- First Round Exits
After an up-and-down season ahead of the trade deadline, the Phoenix Suns’ chances this season looked to be dead in the water. However, after the move to acquire twelve-time All-Star Kevin Durant, the landscape of Phoenix’s hopes changed drastically. They gave up two core pieces in Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson, but were receiving a top-five talent with an incredible playoff track record in terms of production. Durant made a perfect fit with Devin Booker, Chris Paul and DeAndre Ayton on paper, and in just three games played, the Suns looked to be a dominant force. The one thing that could’ve held them back was a serious injury, and that’s exactly what happened.
The beginning of Durant’s tenure in Phoenix ended quickly, where he slipped during warmups and suffered a sprained ankle. Lucky enough for Suns fans, Durant is expected back before the playoffs. But is one to two weeks worth of play enough to get this team’s chemistry gelling at a championship level? They’ll have to adjust to the pressure of a playoff defense nearly right away, and that’s something that’s tough on any team, no matter the talent. If they manage to fit Durant in the lineup immediately like a glove, there’s no reason they can’t win it all. However, they’ll be going against teams who have had time all season to get this chemistry down. The growing pains will be tough regardless, but Phoenix’s long-term hopes in terms of playoff success lie on how quickly they can get over these pains.
