4. Denver Nuggets (22-9)
Quietly, the Denver Nuggets are emerging as a real threat in the Western Conference. This should not come as a surprise as the Nuggets have been one of the most consistent teams in the Western Conference over the past two seasons. The big question is if this team will make a move at the deadline to hammer down their position as a contender in the West.
A mid-season addition could catapult the Nuggets into the same tier as the Clippers and the Lakers.
3. Los Angeles Lakers (25-7)
Barring injury, the Lakers are going to storm through the rest of the Western Conference especially if they don’t embrace the load management movement that is sweeping the NBA. However, the Clippers are still very much a problem for this team.
In a seven-game series, I’m not sure if this team has the capacity to beat the Clippers. LeBron needs to be able to go toe-to-toe with Kawhi on both ends of the floor. Right now, I’m not sure if they can do that.