Yes, the NBA season has started, so no, this wouldn’t technically be a “Preview” necessarily. However, in this very young season, it’s necessary to look at the teams in the Western Conference and review the changes made and how it will impact the teams.
It’s still early enough where we’re not really sure what to expect from everybody, so let’s gander at some rosters and see what we can find.
This week, we look at the teams who made it into the playoffs last year and see who might stick around:
San Antonio Spurs
62-20
The defending NBA Champions return this season without any major roster moves. They still have the core of Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, and Tim Duncan, along with the still improving youth of Kawhi Leonard. Leonard has proven to be the key to San Antonio staying effective as their stars get older. He is the essential athleticism to compliment the experience and skill. Add in the fact that Popovich is still in charge, and he’s a master of running the rotation so his aging stars don’t get exhausted. The key for San Antonio is whether their bench will continue to dominate, because if Boris Diaw and Patty Mills keep up the productivity we saw in the playoffs, then we could see one last deep run from the Spurs. While they aren’t off to an amazing first few weeks, we shoudl still enjoy watching this team playing the purest form of basketball imaginable while we still can.
Oklahoma City Thunder
59-23
OKC is hurting. Badly. Even before the season started there were injury issues, and now that it’s getting underway, there’s more to be concerned about. We know that when healthy, the Thunder are a force to be reckoned with. We also know that they struggle in the Playoffs with knowing how to close out games. It’s good that the bench gets plenty of experience right now so that there will be more depth waiting for them down the line, but there are still questions about how they will handle Playoff pressure, and still questions about whether Scott Brooks is really leading this team like he should. This will be the season that we see these issues really come to a point where they have to be answered, even if that means roster or coaching changes. The Thunder will still be a Playoff team once they get healthy, but right now it’s hard to say what seed. Their ending will either be a quick exit that leads to overhaul, or they come together and shock some people. There shouldn’t be any middle ground with this crew.
LA Clippers
57-25
A lot of people view the Clippers as being all sizzle and no steak. A whole lot of flash without the grit to really contend for a title. These people will probably be infuriated this year, though, because the Clippers are slowly but surely improving under Doc Rivers’ leadership. Their start this year isn’t super impressive yet, but Blake is improving his offensive game in leaps and bounds, and they’ve added more post depth with Spencer Hawes. Add in the fact that Jamal Crawford seems ageless and CP3 is looking to throw assists around like crazy, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see this team pull things together nicely. If they do, they could take advantage of San Antonio’s age and OKC’s injuries and take the top spot in the West.
Houston Rockets
54-28
Houston lost Chandler Parsons, the swingman who fits their style perfectly. The Magic used to build dominant teams around Dwight Howard and four shooters, so there was concern when they lost Parsons. Thus far, that’s not an issue, because the Rockets are 7-1 and near the top in both scoring offense AND scoring defense. This was a team that last season would have to outscore opponents because they sure couldn’t stop them. This season is shaping up to be something totally different. If they’re able to keep the level of play they’re getting from their newer additions and their younger players who were developing, then they’ll also be a part of the potential regime change in the West. Don’t be alarmed if Houston and the Clippers become the premiere teams instead of San Antonio and OKC. LA looks very hit or miss, but Houston is probably going to stick around for a while.
Portland Trailblazers
54-28
The team sharing the Rockets final record last year (and who put them out in the first round) is also off to a decent (though not as hot) start. Portland is still built around the high-scoring duo of Lamarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard, but it’s really the improving play of Robin Lopez that is helping out tremendously. Now the Blazers aren’t a one-sided team in the post, and it’s helping Robin to be able to play more like his Stanford self, where he was the defensive stalwart to compliment his twin brother. What will be key for the Blazers moving forward is whether they continue to get good performances from Wesley Matthews, who years back looked like he would show up even a healthy Brandon Roy. Also key is whether they start to get the type of production out of CJ McCollum that they expect from him. It will be important for Portland to figure out what to do with their log-jammed post bench players. Kaman, Freeland, and Meyers can’t all see playing time, and their presence isn’t helping the depth of the guards. Without a few moves, Portland’s starters will be exhausted by Playoff time.
Golden State Warriors
51-31
Golden State is such an odd team, because they really should be better than they routinely end up being. It’s common knowledge that a team that lives by the three-point shot will die by it, and when shots don’t fall they find trouble. Without finding more balance, Golden State won’t be true contenders. Bogut and David Lee are continuing to age and battle injuries, so there is a lot of pressure on Harrison Barnes to develop more than a jump shot. This is especially true considering the fact that Draymond Green is starting to contribute on a consistent level. There will be questions about what form of Marriese Speights they can expect, and especially if there’s enough points on the bench to balance out the fact that they aren’t normally that great at defending. So far this season, the defense is doing well, but if it starts to falter, you could see Golden State run a big risk of losing their Playoff spot. They need a bigger identity than just the shooting team.
Memphis Grizzlies
50-32
Ah, Memphis, the polar opposite of what so much of the West is built around. They hate you, Clippers, and they won’t scorch the nets like you, Golden State. Know what they will do? They’ll beat the stuffing out of you. It will be ugly basketball and if done right, it will be effective basketball. They’re hoping a starting spot for Courtney Lee will help them with their scoring, and also hoping there’s still enough left in Vince Carter to bring some points off the bench. Memphis hasn’t always been known for scoring past their starting lineup, so they’ll desperately need their young post players (Jon Leuer and Jarnell Stokes) to bring some change of pace. Without updating their style just a little bit, they’ll be overtaken by Pheonix. Their identity is “grinding”, so they can’t lose that, but it has to be complimented by something else in order for them to return to their form of a few years back when they gave the entire conference headaches. Just a slight tweaking will get Memphis a higher seed. No changes at all will see them collapse. A 7-1 start to the season is certainly a good sign that they’re on the right track.
Dallas Mavericks
49-33
The Mavericks are tricky. Dirk is old but still performing. Monta Ellis still shows flashes of offensive brilliance. Chandler Parsons could be a really beneficial pickup for them. And they got Tyson Chandler back before his defensive ability totally leaves him. He and JJ Barea were hugely instrumental in their championship run a few years back. Right now they’re scoring a lot of points, but they’re also giving up a lot, and if they don’t find out what to do with their guard lineup (Jameer Nelson, Barea, Ellis, Devin Harris, and Ray Felton? Total log jam) then they won’t have anyone around to stop anybody from scoring. Those names don’t scream “Defense” whatsoever, and you can bet that it will be the Mavericks undoing. Wouldn’t be shocking if the Mavs eventually even slip beneath division rivals New Orleans if they aren’t careful. But that’s for another post another time.
