May 27, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) shoots over Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard (12) during the fourth quarter in game five of the Western Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs. at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Western Conference Playoff Race – The top 6 teams in the Western Conference could all be considered NBA Title contenders and that’s not counting a young New Orleans Pelicans team that will be a tough out come playoff time. Here are the top 6 teams projected in the West:
- Golden State Warriors – defending champs, return almost every player
- San Antonio Spurs – signed David West and prized free agent LaMarcus Aldridge
- Oklahoma City Thunder – now healthy, with a new coach and deep bench
- Houston Rockets – get a healthy Dwight Howard and add Ty Lawson to their exciting backcourt
- Los Angeles Clippers – added Paul Pierce, Josh Smith, and Lance Stephenson, among others, to bolster bench; also re-signed Jordan
- Memphis Grizzlies – added Matt Barnes, who will fit right in, to an already strong defensive unit
I don’t think anyone would be surprised if any one of these teams came out of the Western Conference to make the NBA Finals. Though, the overwhelming favorites have to be the Golden State Warriors, who almost went untested throughout the entire postseason a year ago.
Next: MVP Race