Top 5 Western Conference Teams After All-Star Break

The second of the NBA season kicks off tonight with one game. The NBA All-Star weekend has come and gone and now teams are pushing for playoff berths. We also had the announcement for the 2025 Hall of Fame finalists this past weekend. The Dallas Mavericks represented the Western Conference in the NBA Finals last season. Dallas made a lot of news by trading away a generational player in Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis. The Mavs fell to the Celtics in five games last year in the NBA Finals. You can check out my top 5 Eastern Conference teams now. Can the Lakers make a run to the NBA Finals with the duo of LeBron James and Luka Doncic? Can anyone compete against Oklahoma City? Check out my top 5 Western Conference teams after the All-Star break.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Oklahoma City has led the way sitting atop of the Western Conference since the beginning of the season. They hold an eight game lead over the Memphis Grizzlies. Shai-Gilgeous Alexander is one of the front runners for the MVP award. SGA finished second a year ago and he’s having another amazing season. Oklahoma City won a bulk of their games without Chet Holmgren. Holmgren missed a good chunk of the season after fracturing his pelvis. The signing of Isaiah Hartenstein in the offseason helped in the absence of Holmgren. The Thunder have at least seven players averaging over nine points per game. Oklahoma City is my favorite to represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals.

Denver Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets are my second team in the Western Conference. If they have Nikola Jokic on their team, they are legit NBA Finals contenders. Jokic is averaging a triple-double with 30 points, almost 13 boards and 10 assists per game. Jamal Murray is still one of the more underrated scorers in the league. Murray has been one of the best scorers in the playoffs over the past few years. Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr. are two of the better defenders in the league. Russell Westbrook and his experience will be vital for their playoffs run. The Nuggets will be a tough team to match up against in the playoffs. Can the Nuggets make it back to the NBA Finals and win their second championship?

Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers come in as my third team in the Western Conference. The Lakers have a lot of questions before making a run in the playoffs. How much in the tank does LeBron James have? Can Luka Doncic stay healthy? Los Angeles has the pieces to score against anyone they play. On the flipside, the Lakers are thin when it comes to rim protectors. They made a trade for Mark Williams from Charlotte, but it was denied due to potential health reasons. They have Jaxson Hayes and signed Alex Len to fill their center position left by trading Anthony Davis away. Will the Lakers miss having Davis to clog up the middle on defense?

Memphis Grizzlies

The Memphis Grizzlies are my fourth ranked team in the Western Conference. The Grizzlies sit in second place in the Western Conference. The health and availability of Ja Morant is where we begin when it comes to the Memphis Grizzlies. Morant has dealt with various injuries over the years. Jaren Jackson Jr. is averaging 23 points per game and is still one of the better defenders in the league. Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, GG Jackson and Zach Edey all have missed at least 10 games this season. If Memphis is healthy heading into the postseason, they will be a scary team.

Los Angeles Clippers

The Los Angeles Clippers are my fifth team in the Western Conference. Dallas, Golden State, and the Houston Rockets were also in the running for the final spot. The Clippers are good enough to represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals. Can they stay healthy enough for a playoff run? Kawhi Leonard started almost the first half of the season injured. Leonard has only played 15 games thus far. Ben Simmons signed with the Clippers after accepting a buyout and his play could determine a lot for this team. Los Angeles also has Bogdan Bogdanovic, and he can get buckets and he’s a decent defender. Norman Powell is having an All-Star season, and this Clippers team is a sleeper.

 

Trav’s Top 5 Western Conference Teams

1. Oklahoma City Thunder
2. Denver Nuggets
3. Los Angeles Lakers
4. Memphis Grizzlies
5. Los Angeles Clippers