NBA Western Conference Playoff Predictions
Last year, the Golden State Warriors were the one of the best teams in the western conference, and ultimately the best team in the league by taking home the NBA championship. Now, with the new NBA season coming up, people are looking forward to seeing what the standings will look like. So, here are the predictions for the western conference playoff standings.
8th Seed: New Orleans Pelicans
If New Orleans can stay healthy, then this could be a good team.
Brandon Ingram has shown that he can be a number one option for New Orleans, and Zion Williamson will be making his return to the court. But, injuries are still a problem that has been around the Pelicans for a couple years now. The last time Zion Williamson played in a regular season game in the NBA was 2020. If he can stay healthy, then the Pelicans can be pretty good.
The Pelicans got a bit of playoff experience last year, and that should carry into this year. New Orleans will more than likely not be the best team in the league, but they should be solid enough to make it into the playoffs.
7th Seed: Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are not exactly a bad team, but they just haven’t really improved their roster.
This off-season, they lost Jalen Brunson to the New York Knicks, which will hurt Luka Dončić and the Mavericks. They did acquire Christian Wood, but it’s difficult to imagine him being the answer for Dallas. He’ll definitely help, but he will not push this Dallas roster to the next level.
Other than Dončić and Wood, this roster is not all that impressive. But, they should still be good.
6th Seed: Minnesota Timberwolves
Once Anthony Edwards fully develops for this Minnesota team, then the Timberwolves could be a great team.
The only thing we still don’t know about is how well Rudy Gobert will fit in with Minnesota. Karl Anthony-Towns has already proven himself as a great player in the NBA, but we just don’t know for sure if Gobert will be able to produce for Minnesota.
If Gobert can produce, then this will be a pretty good team with Anthony Edwards looking to take the next step.
5th Seed: Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns were the number one team in the western conference last season, and you should be expecting them to take a dip in the standings.
They’re coming back this season with basically the same roster. Chris Paul is starting to show his age, and the Suns can’t keep relying on him as heavily. Also, Devin Booker needs to get better as a player. He has the talent to do it, but he just has to act on it.
This team will still be good, but they will not be as good as they were last season.
4th Seed: Memphis Grizzlies
Last season, the Memphis Grizzlies were one of the biggest surprises. After last season, this team should be young and fired up.
Ja Morant has become a superstar in the NBA, and he will be looking to build on last season. If Morant can continue to be a great player, then the supporting cast will need to play well behind him. If the rest of the team can play well, then Memphis will be a great team this season.
Come playoff time, the Memphis Grizzlies will be a difficult team to eliminate. We can expect them to build on their stellar season last year.
3rd Seed: Los Angeles Clippers
If the Clippers can stay healthy, they will be a powerhouse in the western conference.
Kawhi Leonard missed all of last season, and he will be returning to a team that is loaded. The only thing that is really holding the Clippers back is their health. They have been pretty unlucky with injuries the past few years.
If Kawhi and Paul George can stay healthy, watch out for the Clippers this season.
2nd Seed: Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are just a very good team. With Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. coming back, they can be a very good team if they’re healthy.
The back-to-back MVP of the NBA Nikola Jokić should continue his dominance. Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. coming back with Nikola Jokić playing as well, this team can be very dangerous in the western conference.
The Nuggets are just like all the other teams, if their stars can stay healthy, they can be a serious contender.
1st Seed: Golden State Warriors
The reigning NBA champions should undoubtedly be the best team in the western conference.
With Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson playing together, the Warriors will be perfectly fine. Plus they have Draymond Green, which gives them some toughness on the defensive side of the ball. The trio of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green is undoubtedly one of the best in the league. With how good the Warriors seem to be, they should be able to get the best record in the western conference.
