Any team that has James Harden on it is always going to have shot. Even if the difficult Western Conference.
However, I still wonder whether this team is going to be good enough on the defensive end, especially after the loss of Dwight Howard, to make noise in the West. They have enough talent to make the playoffs, especially if Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson can remain healthy.
Though, this team’s fate might ultimately fall in the hands of Mike D’Antoni and his return to the NBA head coaching bench. That and whether James Harden can return to elite form.