The start of October means the NBA regular season is just around the corner, and with that comes preseason predictions. We’ll start by discussing the pretenders and contenders of the Western Conference.
Contender – Oklahoma City Thunder
To no surprise, the NBA’s defending champs are the clear favorites in the Western Conference once again, with the best young rotation in the league. They bring back the dangerous trio league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgen, and Jaylen Williams. Until further notice, no one is touching this team in the West.
Pretender – Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers are an interesting team in the packed Western Conference. They bring back most of the roster that achieved a 5 seed last year, with a lot of new faces, such as John Collins, Bradley Beal, Brook Lopez, and Chris Paul. However, the potential absence of Kawhi Leonard, combined with the increasing age of the roster, will make it difficult for this team to go on a run.
Contender – Houston Rockets
When you add Kevin Durant to a young team that was the 2nd seed in the West last season, there’s unlimited potential. The Rockets may have the best chance to dethrone the Oklahoma City Thunder as Western Conference Champions, the only weakness being the injury of Fred VanVleet and the inexperience of the team.
Pretender – Los Angeles Lakers
After finishing last season as the 3rd seed in a packed Western Conference, there is growing excitement for the future in LA. Any team with Luka Doncic on it automatically deserves some recognition. However, there are glaring holes for LA, namely how the rest of the roster will gel around Doncic and how Deandre Ayton will step up to replace former Lakers star Anthony Davis. While the Lakers are a fun team on paper, they are still a few steps away from real contention in the West.
