As we tip off the New Year and the NBA’s stretch run, we handicap the Western Conference early-season playoff picture
The NBA’s Western Conference is quite the mystery. What promised to be one of the most exceptional conglomeration of squads in recent memory has turned into a mild disappointment.
Only seven teams tread around or above mediocrity while only a few appear to be serious title contenders. In order to try and figure out who is who and what is what in the NBA’s Wild Wild West, we broke down each team and handicapped what their biggest need was and what their biggest surprise had been for them this season.
Even though the West seems – and feels – like a two team race towards the top of the NBA’s mountain, there’s still much to be decided in what was the NBA’s most impressive conference.
Let’s handicap the early-season playoff field.
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