14. Golden State Warriors
To say that the Golden State Warriors have struggled over the last few weeks would be a massive understatement. Since November 23, the Warriors are 5-13. Even after the big move for Dennis Schroder, this is a team that may still be a notable move at the NBA Trade Deadline from getting back on track. Whether or not that will come remains to be seen. However, even though they've struggled of late, the talent the Warriors have can't be overlooked as a potential playoff headache in the Western Conference.
The Warriors may not currently be in a position to compete for a title in the West this season but they could emerge as a team no one will want to see in a playoff series - especially if they are able to make another move ahead of the deadline. Steph Curry deserves better and the front office knows this. If the Warriors are able to snag another star at the deadline, nothing is off the table for the team heading into the second half of the season.
13. LA Clippers
After surviving a good portion of the start of the season without Kawhi Leonard, the LA Clippers are finally getting some reinforcements on that front. Kawhi officially made his season debut with the team Saturday night and the hope is that he will continue to shake the rust off his game and look better and better the more time he is on the floor. How much of a threat the Clippers will eventually be in the Western Conference all depends on how quickly Kawhi can begin looking like his former self.
To be honest, it's pretty unfair expectations to place on Kawhi's shoulders but this is the situation that both sides currently find themselves in. All that said, I'm increasingly interested to see how the second half of the season goes for the Clippers. It could very well dictate how the team ends up proceeding forward. There is a scenario where everything goes south for the Clippers after their strong start and they end up staring down a rebuild at the end of the season. That's not what I'm rooting for but do believe it's a very realistic possibility for the Clippers.