In the Western Conference, the layout is a bit different compared to the East. The Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors are head and shoulders above the competition, which have led people believe a switch in playoff formatting is approaching. That is for a later debate though. After these two juggernauts: the Spurs, Timberwolves, and Thunder are all very capable veteran led squads that possess the talent to overpower one of the top two teams out West. Followed by these middle of the packets, we have the Nuggets, Blazers, Pelicans, Clippers, and Jazz who will be contending for the final three playoff spots. Here is my breakdown of who I believe will make it and my opening first round match-ups.
Western Conference:
1.) Houston Rockets vs. 8.) Los Angeles Clippers
The Houston Rockets boast one of, if not the most, balanced team from top to bottom in the NBA. The deadline additions of Joe Johnson and Brandan Wright,coupled with free agent acquisition Gerald Green have made it tough for Head Coach Mike D’antoni to manage minutes amongst 11-12 players. All in all, this is a great problem to have because come playoff time depth is everything. The Rockets are tied for 10th with the easiest strength of schedule remaining at .496. In their last 10 games, Houston is 10-0 and currently riding a 13 game winning streak. James Harden is arguably having the best season of his career and looks poised to be this years NBA MVP. The naysayers who doubted Harden could pair with Chris Paul look foolish and this team appears capable of dethroning the Warriors right now. I believe Houston will land the #1 seed in the West matching up against the rival Clippers in the opening round. Meanwhile for the Clippers, they traded two of the franchises most coveted and decorated players in Blake Griffin and Chris Paul respectively. For them to be in position to even make the playoffs speaks volume to the dedication of the front office and the acquisitions they have brought in. They are looking more balanced in every position and the acquisitions of Tobias Harris, Avery Bradley, and Boban Marjanovic (especially last night in a crucial victory over Denver) are proving to be successful. This should be a very entertaining matchup.
2.) Golden State Warriors vs. 7.) Denver Nuggets
The seeding of both these teams may come as a surprise to many, but I don’t know how much I can trust this Pelicans team to maintain their winning pace. For the Golden State Warriors, like Cleveland, seeding is not of the upmost importance. For the Warriors, they are a group of experienced veterans who know how to win on the big stage. Their goal appears to be getting fully healthy come playoff time. Losing two of three to Houston also makes this even more difficult for Golden State to represent the West as its #1 seed. Despite being a potential #2 seed, the road may appear easier as they can avoid the Thunder or Timberwolves in a second round matchup. Look for the Warriors to finish second in the Western Conference this year with a healthy team leading into the playoffs. The New Orleans Pelicans is a popular choice here, but I do not believe the DeMarcus Cousins less Pelicans can keep up at the pace they are at currently. New Orleans is riding a 6 game win streak, having won 7 of their last 10 games. Anthony Davis has been unreal since Cousins’ absence averaging 33.9 points, 13.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.3 steals, and 2.6 blocks per game. These MVP caliber numbers have thrusted the Pelicans into the playoffs, but I do not believe this will continue for the remaining half of the season. The Nuggets, though they just loss a heartbreaker to the Clippers, got Paul Millsap back to help anchor their front court. Millsap is a dominant post presence down low when healthy and his experience will help guide this young Nuggets team into playoff contention.
3.) San Antonio Spurs vs. 6.) Portland Trail Blazers
Will the Blazers finally get their revenge on LaMarcus Aldridge? Perhaps, but this matchup features two teams who are led by young stars in the league. Kawhi Leanord has made recent headlines by opting to sit out when all aspects point to him being healthy. Maybe it’s a psychological aspect for Leonard and he needs to get his mind right, but the Spurs will need their star if they have any hope of getting past this matchup and beyond. For Portland, they are led by arguably the best backcourt in all of the league in Lillard and McCollum. These two are the leaders of this young Trail Blazer team and they certainly have what it takes to knock off the always tough San Antonio Spurs.
4.) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. 5.) Minnesota Timberwolves
Currently, the Timberwolves sit third in the West and the Thunder seventh. A mere two games separates these two teams from the top to bottom in the standings. At any day, there is constant flux in the West. Although this is true, I believe the Thunder will finish their rocky season on a high note and end up clinching the four seed. As of today, Oklahoma City signed G/F Corey Brewer to help add more depth to the wing position in place of the injured Andre Roberson. This decision could prove to be vital for a team that has the offensive weapons to make a run at both the Warriors and Rockets. With this signing, Brewer teams back up with former college coach Billy Donovon from their Florida days. The Thunder have the ability to compete with the top teams in the league in large part to their core four of Westbrook, George, Anthony, and Adams. Adams is the key here as neither Golden State nor Houston has a big man capable of stopping him down low. Time will tell, but the Thunder are a dark horse candidate of mine to make a deep run in the playoffs. For Minnesota, this is new territory for their youngsters. We all knew with the additions of Butler, Teague, and Crawford they would clinch a playoff berth, but it remained uncertain how far they could go. An issue of concern I have with Minnesota is the Butler injury and if/when he returns to action, but also the amount of minutes Thibodeau plays his starting unit. A case of burn out has become evident and for any team to be successful come playoff time, the bench is a key factor in that.
DQ Sports blog 