6. Houston Rockets
As one of the bigger surprise teams in the Western Conference, the Houston Rockets continue to prove that they may have some staying power near the top of the standings. There are clearly still some issues that the Rockets have as such a young team. For example, this is a team that struggles to close out games. Not having a defined superstar on the roster is one of the biggest reasons why the Rockets tend to struggle in clutch-time situations. Nevertheless, there is plenty to like about this team.
The Rockets are one of the most likable young teams in the league and the best part of their hot start to the season is the fact that they could still play better. This is a young team that continues to grow and likely hasn't even begun to play its best basketball possible. I'm not sure how this season will end for the Rockets but there's no question that this is a young team with a very bright future. It's hard to refute that with how dynamic they've been this season.
5. Memphis Grizzlies
When this season started, I'm not sure there was a team in the Western Conference that had more questions surrounding them than the Memphis Grizzlies. As a contender before, there was no guarantee how the Grizzlies were going to look this season after what transpired last year - in which the team was completely decimated by injuries which resulted in a lost season for the franchise. As somewhat of an afterthought in the West, I'm not sure if anyone expected what we've seen from the Grizzlies so far this season.
So far this season, the Grizzlies have quietly been one of the best teams in the Western Conference. After an inconsistent start to the year, the Grizzlies have managed to find their footing and have won 10 of their last 12 games overall. They've climbed all the way up to second in the West standings and have done so without Ja Morant playing his best basketball. If he can get to superstar status once again, the Grizzlies are going to be a team to keep a close eye on in the second half of the year.