The 2023 NBA season is approaching and it is time to evaluate the best teams in the western conference as each squad prepares for regular season play. Who are the top contenders in a conference that has produced seven of the last ten NBA champions?
1. Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are the reigning, defending NBA champions for the first time in franchise history after defeating the Miami Heat in five games in last years NBA Finals. Two-time league MVP center Nikola Jokic led the way for the Nuggets, as he averaged 30.0 points, 13.5 rebounds and 9.5 assists (led postseason in points, rebounds and assists) throughout the 2023 playoffs, respectively. Jokic has cemented himself as one of the greatest NBA players of all time and arguably the best player in the world today over the past four seasons. Alongside Jokic is guard Jamal Murray, who had a prolific outing in the western conference finals against Lebron James and the Lakers in a sweep. Murray averaged 32.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists in the conference finals as he looks to further establish himself as one of the leagues best point guards.
Outside the tandem of Jokic and Murray, the Nuggets round out with solid role players such as Aaron Gordan, who frequently guards the opposing teams best offensive player. In the 2023 semi-final round against Phoenix, the former Orlando Magic guard had the responsibility of guarding Suns forward Kevin Durant. Gordan frequently rattled Durant and contributed to Durants +/- of -7.5 throughout the series due to his sheer athleticism and build. Guard Michael Porter Jr. is a strong outside shooter, as he shot 42.3 percent from three-point range in the playoffs, respectively. Second year guard Christian Braun is another solid contributor to Denver with his scrappiness and hustle that he displays on the court.
Denver are the clear-cut favorites to not only win the western conference, but to repeat as NBA champions. Can Jokic lead the Nuggets to another championship and further climb up the all-time rankings?
2. Phoenix Suns
The Suns acquired three-time all-star guard Bradley Beal, who spent eleven seasons with the Washington Wizards. Beal will join all-star guard Devin Booker and former MVP Kevin Durant in what seems like the latest installment of a “super team”. The former Wizards guard averaged 22.1 points and 4.3 assists in 695 games in Washington, but can he stay on the court? Beal has only played a full 82 games twice in his career, and since the 2021-2022 season, he has only played 54 percent of his games, respectively.
Bookers enters his ninth season with the Suns, as he aims to lead the team back to the NBA finals (2021) without Chris Paul (signed with Warriors). Booker had a solid playoff outing in the 2023 playoffs by averaging 33.7 points, 7.2 assists while shooting 58.5 percent from the field (highest with at least 200 shot attempts), respectively. Booker often times looked like the de facto best player on the Suns, with a roster that was crippled with injuries (Paul suffered groin injury in game 2 vs Nuggets; missed rest of postseason) and a lack of production off the bench. Durant enters his first full season with Phoenix, as he was traded to the Suns from the Brooklyn Nets at the trade deadline last February. The two-time NBA champion forward averaged 29 points, 8.7 rebounds and shot 47.8 percent from the field in the playoffs, but only played 47 games in the regular season due to untimely injuries.
The Suns are top-heavy with perhaps the best scoring trio in the league, but how far can they go with the lack of depth on the roster and the worry that either Durant and/or Beal could miss critical time in a competitive western conference?
3. Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers had championship aspirations when they signed star forwards Paul George and Kawhi Leonard back in 2019. George and Leonard are widely regarded as the leagues best two-way players, but their ability to stay on the court have hindered Los Angeles from reaching true championship contention the past five years.
George, a four-time member of the NBA All-Defensive Team, has only played 53 percent of his games since the 2021-2022 season, respectively. As for Leonard, he only played 52 games last season and missed the entire season prior due to knee issues that date back to his days with the San Antonio Spurs.
The pinnacle for Los Angeles under the George/Leonard era was during the 2020 NBA Playoffs in the bubble, when they blew a 3-1 lead in the semi-final round to Denver. The Clippers had another deep playoff run in 2021 when they faced the Suns in the western conference finals. Leonard suffered a knee injury in the semi-final round against the Utah Jazz (won series 4-2) and did not play in the conference finals. George led the way for the Clippers but eventually lost to Phoenix in six games. In the 2023 postseason, the Clippers faced the Suns in the first round along with point guard Russell Westbrook (signed prior to season) and lost in five games in the absence of George who was dealing with a knee injury. Leonard played in games 1 and 2 and averaged 34.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 6 assists but suffered a right knee injury which sidelined him the rest of the series.
The two all-star forwards are eligible for four-year max extensions in the offseason, but is it warranted if neither of them can stay healthy? The Clippers are placed third due to their potential when their stars are healthy, after all, when Leonard and George are on the court together, they have a 83-35 (118 games). It’s safe to say this tandem has been disappointing to say the least, but could this be the year the superstar duo prevents this pairing from being the biggest letdown in league history?
4. Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors suffered their first playoff series loss (not including NBA Finals) since 2014, as they lost to the Lakers in six games in last years semi-final round of last years postseason.
Two-time league MVP guard Stephen Curry, who turns 36 years of age in March, has shown no signs of slowing down. In 2022, Curry averaged 29.4 points, 6.1 rebounds while shooting 49.3 percent from the field respectively. Alongside Curry in the backcourt is guard Klay Thompson, who is currently having contract disputes with the front office that concerns a contract extension. The four-time all-star averaged 21.9 points and shot 43.6 percent from the field in 2022. Thompson is three years removed from suffering two knee injuries, but has still been a solid piece in the Warriors core by having posted four 40-point games and one 50-point game last season, respectively.
Speaking of core, forward Draymond Green recently signed a four-year extension with Golden State in the offseason. Green has been the vocal leader and defensive anchor for the Warriors as he enters his eleventh year in San Francisco. Golden State will be without guard Jordan Poole, who was traded to Washington during the offseason. Poole was viewed as the successor to Curry for when his career concludes, but due to issues with teammates, lack of defensive effort and high turnover rate (3.1 per game, career high) the Warriors decided to go with another guard who’s made a hall of fame career in large part to his defensive ability.
Former Suns guard Chris Paul signed with Golden State in the offseason that shocked the basketball world. Paul battled the Warriors multiple times in the postseason as a member of the Clippers and Rockets, and now he joins the team that’s hindered him from winning a championship. Paul is currently 38 years of age, but his high basketball IQ could potentially fit well with the Warriors. Curry is one of the leagues best off-ball offensive players in the NBA and with Paul handling the ball, Curry, Thompson, and forward Andrew Wiggins can be more prolific on offense. Paul is an immense upgrade defensively compared to Poole, so the trade could end up being a good move for Golden State.
The Warriors core are aging with Green (33), Thompson (33) and Curry (35), but can they squeeze out one more championship as their careers wind down?
5. Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks finished the 2022 regular season in disappointing fashion by missing the playoffs after acquiring star point guard Kyrie Irving from Brooklyn back in February. Dallas forward Luka Doncic had a prolific regular season by averaging 32.4 points, 8.6 rebounds and 8 assists and earned his fourth consecutive First-Team All-NBA selection, respectively. Irving played 20 games with Dallas and he averaged 26.9 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists, respectively. The duo of Irving and Doncic on the court together is 5-11 and ranked 21st in team defense collectively.
Dallas traded for former Celtics forward Grant Williams during the offseason to provide defensive assistance, which should help the Mavericks defensively slightly. Irving signed a 3-year extension with Dallas during the offseason, so the expectations of this team will remain high due to the level of offensive talent. The Mavericks clearly are leaning on their two offensive stars in Irving and Doncic, but will that be enough to win the western conference with below-average defense?
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Featured Image courtesy of Denver Nuggets
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- Source: https://thegamehaus.com/nba/top-5-contenders-in-the-western-conference/2023/10/22/
