2. Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets finished the season pretty strong but it was their one hiccup against the San Antonio Spurs that ended up costing them the No. 1 overall seed in the Western Conference standings. Nevertheless, since February 22, the Nuggets were still one of the better teams in the league. Since that moment, the Nuggets went 21-6. They played their way back into championship form as they locked down the No. 2 seed in the West. The Nuggets are playing great basketball as they prepare for their title defense run. If they can remain healthy, Denver is going to be viewed as the favorite to come out of the West.
Even though the West is certainly deeper than it was last season heading into the playoffs, the top of the standings is littered with teams that are inexperienced in the postseason. And that could end up helping the Nuggets as they attempt to win their second-straight NBA Championship.
With the best player in the world and the league's most underrated supporting casts, it's hard to bet against the Nuggets with the way they've been playing down the stretch.