To get my standings, I used an extremely complex system of player rankings (I ranked 60 players for each position, coaches and team chemistry) and math equations that would make Stephen Hawking spin in his wheelchair. I won't bore you with the details, I just think it is more fun and surprising then picking "blah and blah team is in first place, blah and blah team is in second place."
The points each team ended up with is in parenthesis.
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1. Los Angeles Clippers (2438.23)
2012-2013 Record: 56-26, 1st in Pacific
Playoff Result: Lost to Memphis Grizzlies in Western Conference First Round
Projected Depth Chart
C - DeAndre Jordan, Ryan Hollins
PF - Blake Griffin, Antawn Jamison, Byron Mullens
SF - Jared Dudley, Matt Barnes, Reggie Bullock
SG - JJ Redick, Jamal Crawford, Willie Green
PG - Chris Paul, Darren Collison
The Clippers had the best season in franchise history in 2012-2013, winning more then 49 games for the first time EVER. Yes, ever. The Buffalo Braves did not win more then 49 games. The San Diego Clippers did not win more then 49 games. The Los Angeles Clippers did not win more 49 games. Los Angeles lost to a more experienced and better coached team in the playoffs. The first order of business was discarding overmatched Vinnie Del Negro and bringing in a real coach. Doc Rivers should have these guys more prepared. I like the on the court upgrades as well. Out go Lamar Odom, Chauncey Billups and Eric Bledsoe, in come JJ Redick, Jared Dudley, Antawn Jamison, Darren Collison and Byron Mullens. This team still starts and ends with Chris Paul. He has established himself as the best point guard in the NBA (we will see how Derrick Rose bounces back) and a legitimate MVP candidate. I think Los Angeles could approach 60 wins, but it will be interesting to see if a second guy can step up in the playoffs. Redick and Dudley are solid veteran shooters, but this team might lack that second go to guy when the games count. Blake Griffin is only 24 years old and has 20-10 potential, but at this stage he is still more of a Sportscenter superstar than an NBA superstar.
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2. Houston Rockets (1892.57)
2012-2013 Record: 45-37, 3rd in Southwest
Playoff Result: Lost to Oklahoma City Thunder in Western Conference First Round
Projected Depth Chart
C - Dwight Howard, Omir Asik
PF - Greg Smith, Donatas Motiejunas, Terrence Jones
SF - Chandler Parsons, Omri Casspi, Ronnie Brewer
SG - James Harden, Francisco Garcia
PG - Jeremy Lin, Patrick Beverley, Aaron Brooks
Rockets GM Daryl Morey has done a fantastic job of transforming this Rockets roster following the decline of Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming. He was able to take advantage of a Thunder roster who has hand tied by the salary cap to steal James Harden, who proved he was one of the 10 best players in the NBA. Of course, during the off season the team wooed Dwight Howard, giving Houston one of the best inside/outside combo's in the league. Howard never seemed happy in Los Angeles, and now that his delicate ego has been stroked he should be back to his 22-14 Orlando Magic ways. Chandler Parsons is a very underrated third option. He quietly averaged 15 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists last season. He should get a ton of open looks and could be one of the better small forwards in the NBA. There are still holes on this roster, mainly at power forward where as many as five players will get minutes. Also, Jeremy Lin's style does not mesh all that well with Harden. This is a team that is on the rise, and with two legit superstars, will be contenders in the West.
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3. San Antonio Spurs (1838.67)
2012-2013 Record: 58-24, 1st in Southwest
Playoff Result: Lost to Miami Heat in NBA Finals
Projected Depth Chart
C - Tiago Splitter, Aron Baynes
PF - Tim Duncan, Matt Bonner, Jeff Ayres
SF - Kawhi Leonard, Boris Diaw
SG - Danny Green, Manu Ginobili, Nando De Colo, Marco Belinelli
PG - Tony Parker, Cory Joseph, Patty Mills
The San Antonio Spurs reached the NBA Finals for the fifth time in Tim Duncan and Gregg Popovich's tenure, and for the first time they could not seal the deal, losing in 7 games to the Miami Heat. The Spurs remain deep and talented, and are on the very short list of championship contenders. Popovich has done a great job of handling the minutes of declining veterans Duncan and Manu Ginobili. Duncan had a fantastic season at the age of 36, averaging 18 points and 10 rebounds in 21 playoff games. Ginobili had a very bad NBA Finals showing, but should continue to be a solid veteran presence off the bench. Danny Green, Kawhi Leonard and Tiago Splitter are emerging youngsters that should play a huge role for the Spurs in 2013-2014. The engine that makes this team go, however, is Tony Parker. He had perhaps his finest season, setting a career high with 20.3 points per game to go with 7.6 assists and great shooting percentages.
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4. Oklahoma City Thunder (1798.53)
2012-2013 Record: 60-22, 1st in Northwest
Playoff Result: Lost to Memphis Grizzlies in Western Conference Semifinals
Projected Depth Chart
C - Kendrick Perkins, Hasheem Thabeet, Steven Adams
PF - Serge Ibaka, Nick Collison, Perry Jones
SF - Kevin Durant, Ryan Gomes, Andre Roberson
SG - Thabo Sefolosha, Jeremy Lamb
PG - Russell Westbrook, Reggie Jackson, Derek Fisher
The Thunder ran through the regular season, and were on their way towards perhaps another NBA Finals appearance. Then, with the loss of Russell Westbrook's knee went Oklahoma City's title chances. The Thunder's lack of depth was too much to overcome. Thus is the life of a small market NBA team. Oklahoma City was forced to trade James Harden, and has failed to adequately surround the big three of Kevin Durant, Westbrook and Serge Ibaka with the right role players. Durant is as good as it gets in the NBA. The 25 year old superstar had an amazing year, with averages of 28.1 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 4.6 apg, 1.4 spg, 1.3 bpg, .51 FG%, .416 3PT%, 905 FT%. Those are simply godly numbers. How quickly Westbrook can return from his injury will determine where the Thunder end up in the playoff hunt. Without him this is simply a shallow team that will have to lean on Durant for almost all of it's offense.
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5. Memphis Grizzlies (1720.17)
2012-2013 Record: 56-26, 2nd in Southwest
Playoff Result: Lost to San Antonio Spurs in Western Conference Finals
Projected Depth Chart
C - Marc Gasol, Kosta Koufos
PF - Zach Randolph, Ed Davis, Jon Leuer
SF - Tayshaun Prince, Quincy Pondexter, Nick Calathes
SG - Tony Allen, Mike Miller, Jamaal Franklin
PG - Mike Conley, Jerryd Bayless
The Grizzlies made it all the way to the Western Conference Finals, but curiously, head coach Lionel Hollins was not brought back. Former assistant Dave Joerger takes over, and should continue to instill the same defensive philosophy that has gotten the Grizzlies where they are. It starts with the big man duo of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph. Both are very talented offensive players and the offense runs through those two. Memphis will need to find some outside scoring and someone who can create his own offense, something they lost when they dealt Rudy Gay to the Raptors. Defensively, however, there may not be a better team in the NBA.
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6. Minnesota Timberwolves (1638.7)
2012-2013 Record: 31-51, 5th in Northwest
Playoff Result: Did Not Qualify
Projected Depth Chart
C - Nikola Pekovic, Ronny Turiaf, Gorgui Dieng
PF - Kevin Love, Derrick Williams, Dante Cunningham, Chris Johnson
SF - Chas Budinger, Corey Brewer, Shabazz Muhammed
SG - Kevin Martin, Alexey Shved
PG - Ricky Rubio, JJ Barea
Health will play a huge role for the Timberwolves, but they are a popular sleeper playoff team in the West, and for good reason. This roster has had the David Kahn stripped from it quite nicely, and there is now good balance. To be fair, solid starters Ricky Rubio and Nikola Pekovic are there because of Kahn, and both players are going to play huge roles for Minnesota. Rubio has become one of the most exciting young point guards in the league, and Pekovic has developed into a solid scoring and rebounding big man. Kevin Martin and Corey Brewer were very good signings. Martin should bring some much needed perimeter shooting and Brewer is a solid wing defender. The key to Minnesota's success will be the health of Kevin Love. When he is at full strength, he can drop 30 points and collect 20 rebounds any given night.
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7. Golden State Warriors (1579.5)
2012-2013 Record: 47-35, 2nd in Pacific
Playoff Result: Lost to San Antonio Spurs in Western Conference Second Round
Projected Depth Chart
C - Andrew Bogut, Festus Ezeli, Ognjen Kuzmic
PF - David Lee, Marreese Speights, Jermaine O'Neal
SF - Andre Iguodala, Harrison Barnes, Draymond Green
SG - Klay Thompson, Kent Bazemore
PG - Stephen Curry, Toney Douglas, Nemanja Nedovic
Every seven or eight years, the Warriors find their way into the playoffs and really make some noise once they are there. For the first time in decades, Golden State looks like they can make back to back playoff appearances. The Warriors strength in 2012-2013 was a dynamic, high scoring back court. Stephen Curry proved his health and was one of the most devastating offensive players in basketball. Klay Thompson, his back court running mate, is one of the better shooters in the NBA with 20 point potential. David Lee and Harrison Barnes provide even more scoring. Golden State's shortcoming was defense, but Andrew Bogut made all the difference in the world with his defensive presence as the Warriors knocked off Denver in the playoffs. The Warriors further upgraded their defense by adding Andre Iguodala, who should also thrive in the up tempo offense. If Bogut can stay healthy, the Warriors have a chance to advance deep into the playoffs.
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8. Portland Trail Blazers (1285.09)
2012-2013 Record: 33-49, 4th in Northwest
Playoff Result: Did Not Qualify
Projected Depth Chart
C - Robin Lopez, Joel Freeland, Meyers Leonard
PF - LaMarcus Aldridge, Thomas Robinson
SF - Nicolas Batum, Dorell Wright, Victor Claver
SG - Wesley Matthews, CJ McCollum, Will Barton, Allen Crabbe
PG - Damian Lillard, Mo Williams, Earl Watson
The Trail Blazers were in the mix for a final playoff spot before a bizarre 13 game losing streak to end the season. Portland will look to bounce back with the great young trio of LaMarcus Aldridge, Nicolas Batum and Damian Lillard. Lillard showed his talent could carry over just fine from a mid major college to the NBA, averaging 19 points per game and winning the Rookie Of the Year. Aldridge has three straight seasons averaging at least 21 points per game and is one of the most talented offensive big men in the league. Batum showed why the Blazers had no intentions of letting him defect to Minnesota last season, stuffing the stat sheet with 14.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. It seems like he has been in the NBA forever but he is still only 24 years old. Portland improved some bad depth by adding Mo Willams, CJ McCollum, Earl Watson, Thomas Robinson, Dorrel Wright and Robin Lopez to the roster. This is now a deep, veteran team who should make a push towards a playoff spot.
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9. New Orleans Pelicans (1262.83)
2012-2013 Record: 27-55, 5th in Southwest
Playoff Result: Did Not Qualify
Projected Depth Chart
C - Greg Steimsma, Jason Smith, Jeff Withey
PF - Anthony Davis, Ryan Anderson, Lance Thomas
SF - Al-Farouq Aminu, Anthony Morrow, Darius Miller
SG - Eric Gordon, Tyreke Evans, Austin Rivers
PG - Jrue Holiday, Brian Roberts
The New Orleans franchise has bounced back nicely from the Chris Paul era. They now have new colors, a new nickname and a new identity. It starts with 2012 first round pick Anthony Davis. He struggled through some injuries but had a fantastic rookie season, showing shot blocking and rebounding ability, and good scoring instincts as well. He was one of the youngest players in the NBA and the sky is the limit for him. Management decided to surround him with a plethora of scorers. Ryan Anderson, Eric Gordon, Tyreke Evans and Jrue Holiday have all averaged at least 16 points per game throughout a full season. It will be interesting to see how all of those players can coexist with one basketball. It will be up to Davis and shot blocking specialist Greg Steimsma to hold down the paint, because opponents should get a ton of easy looks. The Pelicans definitely have the offensive firepower to make a playoff push, but it will be seen if the defensive ability is where it needs to be.
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10. Dallas Mavericks (1221.83)
2012-2013 Record: 41-41, 4th in Southwest
Playoff Result: Did Not Qualify
Projected Depth Chart
C - Samuel Dalembert, Bernard James
PF - Dirk Nowitzki, Brendan Wright, DeJuan Blair
SF - Shawn Marion, Vince Carter, Jae Crowder
SG - Monta Ellis, Wayne Ellington, Rickey Ledo
PG - Jose Calderon, Devin Harris, Gal Mekel, Shane Larkin
Different off season, same story for the Mavericks. For the second straight year Dallas cleared out cap space with the intent of signing a top free agent. For the second straight year, they were forced to sign solid but unspectacular veterans to fill out the starting lineup. The fact is Dirk Nowitzki is on his last legs and Mark Cuban might have to resign himself to rebuilding this roster through the draft. Instead, it looks like Dallas will fight for the 8th seed in the West once again, with little chance to advance further. Monta Ellis and Jose Calderon will form the new back court, and I do not see how that back court can coexist. Calderon likes to dish to teammates for buckets, and Ellis loves to have the ball in his hands at all times. Not to mention both players are pathetic defenders. Shawn Marion, Vince Carter and Samuel Dalembert will fight for scraps in the front court with Nowitzki, who saw his his numbers drop drastically. Dallas will only go as far as the best player in franchise history can take them.
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11. Denver Nuggets (1165.58)
2012-2013 Record: 57-25, 2nd in Northwest
Playoff Result: Lost to Golden State Warriors in Western Conference First Round
Projected Depth Chart
C - JaVale McGee, Darrell Arthur, Timofey Mozgov
PF - Kenneth Faried, JJ Hickson, Anthony Randolph
SF - Wilson Chandler, Jordan Hamilton, Quincy Miller
SG - Randy Foye, Evan Fournier
PG - Ty Lawson, Andre Miller, Nate Robinson
The Nuggets had about as bad an off season as you could possibly have. Coming off a franchise record 57 win season, gone is the NBA Coach of the Year, the NBA General Manager of the year and their two best wing defenders. Not to mention their best perimeter shooter will probably miss half the season due to serious injury. The Nuggets are in serious danger of missing the playoffs for the first time in a decade. Denver signed a few free agents to remain a deep, strong offensive team, but replacing Corey Brewer and Andre Iguodala with Randy Foye, Nate Robinson and JJ Hickson is a huge downgrade defensively. The Nuggets will be very small in the back court and will struggle to play defense on a nightly basis.
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12. Los Angeles Lakers (1119.83)
2012-2013 Record: 45-37, 3rd in Pacific
Playoff Result: Lost to San Antonio Spurs in Western Conference First Round
Projected Depth Chart
C - Chris Kaman, Robert Sacre
PF - Pau Gasol, Jordan Hill, Ryan Kelly
SF - Nick Young, Wes Johnson, Shawne Williams
SG - Jodie Meeks, Xavier Henry
PG - Steve Nash, Jordan Farmar, Steve Blake
The Lakers were in unfamiliar territory when they were rejected by Dwight Howard. You may have heard the very humble and discreet Howard chose to sign with the Houston Rockets. Couple that loss with the fact that Kobe Bryant may miss half the year, and, the front office wisely decided to stay put and sign some stop gap role players like Nick Young, Jordan Farmar and Chris Kaman. Practically every dollar will come off the books next off season and the Lakers will be able to retool their roster. As for this year, they will be forced to rely on Pau Gasol and a combination of wing players who have underachieved thus far in their career. Steve Nash is still on the roster, but he has aged 50 years since leaving the magic witch doctor trainers of Phoenix. Anything they get out of him will be a bonus.
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13. Sacramento Kings (890.67)
2012-2013 Record: 28-54, 4th in Pacific
Playoff Result: Did Not Qualify
Projected Depth Chart
C - DeMarcus Cousins, Chuck Hayes
PF - Patrick Patterson, Carl Landry, Jason Thompson
SF - John Salmons, Luc Mbah a Moute, Travis Outlaw
SG - Marcus Thornton, Ben McLemore, Jimmer Fredette
PG - Greivis Vasquez, Isaiah Thomas, Ray McCallum
The Kings already scored a huge win when they were able to remain in Sacramento long term. New ownership cleaned house in the front office and the roster is expected to follow suit. The team already decided to let former Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans move on, and drafted sweet shooting Ben McLemore to take his place. The one player to be excited about is DeMarcus Cousins. He has to feel good that ownership rewarded him with a nice contract extension and practically labeled him the face of the Sacramento franchise. Other then Cousins and McLemore, this roster is somewhat deep but composed of role players. The Kings will struggle to finish at .500, but thankfully the franchise, city and fan base are no longer held hostage by the Maloofs.
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14. Utah Jazz (747.75)
2012-2013 Record: 43-39, 3rd in Northwest
Playoff Result: Did Not Qualify
Projected Depth Chart
C - Enes Kanter, Andris Biedrins
PF - Derrick Favors, Rudy Gobert
SF - Gordon Hayward, Richard Jefferson, Jeremy Evans
SG - Alec Burks, Brandon Rush
PG - Trey Burke, John Lucas, Jamaal Tinsley, Ian Clark
The Jazz have finally decided to unleash their young lottery picks, and guys like Enes Kanter, Derrick Favors and Gordon Hayward could really thrive with all the minutes they can handle. Utah will not be able to keep up in the ultra competitive West, but the youngsters will gain experience and the Jazz could have a high first round pick to add to the mix in 2014-2015. Favors has been on the verge of a breakthrough for a couple years. He is very strong, and his offense is finally starting to catch up with his defense and rebounding. Kanter is another big man with strong offensive potential. Hayward is one of my favorite breakout players for this season. He has 18 point, 5 rebound, 5 assist potential and has improved every year. I am not a huge fan of the back court. Alec Burks is tough and a good slasher, but is not a very good shooter and is still very raw. Trey Burke will begin the season injured, and could have a tough time playing catch up this year. There is little depth to speak of, so this team will only go as far as their five young starters will take them.
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15. Phoenix Suns (524.58)
2012-2013 Record: 25-57, 5th in Pacific
Playoff Result: Did Not Qualify
Projected Depth Chart
C - Alex Len, Channing Frye, Viacheslav Kravtsov
PF - Markieff Morris, Marcus Morris, Miles Plumlee
SF - PJ Tucker, Gerald Green
SG - Eric Bledsoe, Archie Goodwin, Dionte Christmas
PG - Goran Dragic, Ish Smith
During Steve Nash's MVP years, Suns ownership was cheap when they could have pushed for an NBA Championship. The last couple years, they have overpaid for veterans who could not help the Suns get to the playoffs. Last year, things finally bottomed out in Phoenix. The Suns are wisely starting over, and the cupboard is pretty bare. Gone are key rotation guys Michael Beasley, Jared Dudley, Marcin Gortat, Luis Scola and Wes Johnson. Eric Bledsoe was the key off season acquisition and will get plenty of burn in a fast, terrible defensive, back court with Pheonix's best player, Goran Dragic. I believe Dragic will be traded for some young help during the season. The Suns are one of the front runners for Andrew Wiggins, and could potentially have four first round draft picks in 2014.
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Western Conference Playoff Predictions
Western Conference First Round
8. Portland Trail Blazers over 1. Los Angeles Clippers 4-3 (yes, I think this will happen)
2. Houston Rockets over 7. Golden State Warriors 4-3
3. San Antonio Spurs over 6. Minnesota Timberwolves 4-1
4. Oklahoma City Thunder over 5. Memphis Grizzlies 4-2
Western Conference Semifinals
4. Oklahoma City Thunder over 8. Portland Trail Blazers 4-1
2. Houston Rockets over 3. San Antonio Spurs 4-3
Western Conference Finals
2. Houston Rockets over 4. Oklahoma City Thunder 4-3
2013-2014 NBA Finals
Houston Rockets over Miami Heat 4-3
The points each team ended up with is in parenthesis.
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1. Los Angeles Clippers (2438.23)2012-2013 Record: 56-26, 1st in Pacific
Playoff Result: Lost to Memphis Grizzlies in Western Conference First Round
Projected Depth Chart
C - DeAndre Jordan, Ryan Hollins
PF - Blake Griffin, Antawn Jamison, Byron Mullens
SF - Jared Dudley, Matt Barnes, Reggie Bullock
SG - JJ Redick, Jamal Crawford, Willie Green
PG - Chris Paul, Darren Collison
The Clippers had the best season in franchise history in 2012-2013, winning more then 49 games for the first time EVER. Yes, ever. The Buffalo Braves did not win more then 49 games. The San Diego Clippers did not win more then 49 games. The Los Angeles Clippers did not win more 49 games. Los Angeles lost to a more experienced and better coached team in the playoffs. The first order of business was discarding overmatched Vinnie Del Negro and bringing in a real coach. Doc Rivers should have these guys more prepared. I like the on the court upgrades as well. Out go Lamar Odom, Chauncey Billups and Eric Bledsoe, in come JJ Redick, Jared Dudley, Antawn Jamison, Darren Collison and Byron Mullens. This team still starts and ends with Chris Paul. He has established himself as the best point guard in the NBA (we will see how Derrick Rose bounces back) and a legitimate MVP candidate. I think Los Angeles could approach 60 wins, but it will be interesting to see if a second guy can step up in the playoffs. Redick and Dudley are solid veteran shooters, but this team might lack that second go to guy when the games count. Blake Griffin is only 24 years old and has 20-10 potential, but at this stage he is still more of a Sportscenter superstar than an NBA superstar.
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2. Houston Rockets (1892.57)2012-2013 Record: 45-37, 3rd in Southwest
Playoff Result: Lost to Oklahoma City Thunder in Western Conference First Round
Projected Depth Chart
C - Dwight Howard, Omir Asik
PF - Greg Smith, Donatas Motiejunas, Terrence Jones
SF - Chandler Parsons, Omri Casspi, Ronnie Brewer
SG - James Harden, Francisco Garcia
PG - Jeremy Lin, Patrick Beverley, Aaron Brooks
Rockets GM Daryl Morey has done a fantastic job of transforming this Rockets roster following the decline of Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming. He was able to take advantage of a Thunder roster who has hand tied by the salary cap to steal James Harden, who proved he was one of the 10 best players in the NBA. Of course, during the off season the team wooed Dwight Howard, giving Houston one of the best inside/outside combo's in the league. Howard never seemed happy in Los Angeles, and now that his delicate ego has been stroked he should be back to his 22-14 Orlando Magic ways. Chandler Parsons is a very underrated third option. He quietly averaged 15 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists last season. He should get a ton of open looks and could be one of the better small forwards in the NBA. There are still holes on this roster, mainly at power forward where as many as five players will get minutes. Also, Jeremy Lin's style does not mesh all that well with Harden. This is a team that is on the rise, and with two legit superstars, will be contenders in the West.
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3. San Antonio Spurs (1838.67)
2012-2013 Record: 58-24, 1st in Southwest
Playoff Result: Lost to Miami Heat in NBA Finals
Projected Depth Chart
C - Tiago Splitter, Aron Baynes
PF - Tim Duncan, Matt Bonner, Jeff Ayres
SF - Kawhi Leonard, Boris Diaw
SG - Danny Green, Manu Ginobili, Nando De Colo, Marco Belinelli
PG - Tony Parker, Cory Joseph, Patty Mills
The San Antonio Spurs reached the NBA Finals for the fifth time in Tim Duncan and Gregg Popovich's tenure, and for the first time they could not seal the deal, losing in 7 games to the Miami Heat. The Spurs remain deep and talented, and are on the very short list of championship contenders. Popovich has done a great job of handling the minutes of declining veterans Duncan and Manu Ginobili. Duncan had a fantastic season at the age of 36, averaging 18 points and 10 rebounds in 21 playoff games. Ginobili had a very bad NBA Finals showing, but should continue to be a solid veteran presence off the bench. Danny Green, Kawhi Leonard and Tiago Splitter are emerging youngsters that should play a huge role for the Spurs in 2013-2014. The engine that makes this team go, however, is Tony Parker. He had perhaps his finest season, setting a career high with 20.3 points per game to go with 7.6 assists and great shooting percentages.
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4. Oklahoma City Thunder (1798.53)
2012-2013 Record: 60-22, 1st in Northwest
Playoff Result: Lost to Memphis Grizzlies in Western Conference Semifinals
Projected Depth Chart
C - Kendrick Perkins, Hasheem Thabeet, Steven Adams
PF - Serge Ibaka, Nick Collison, Perry Jones
SF - Kevin Durant, Ryan Gomes, Andre Roberson
SG - Thabo Sefolosha, Jeremy Lamb
PG - Russell Westbrook, Reggie Jackson, Derek Fisher
The Thunder ran through the regular season, and were on their way towards perhaps another NBA Finals appearance. Then, with the loss of Russell Westbrook's knee went Oklahoma City's title chances. The Thunder's lack of depth was too much to overcome. Thus is the life of a small market NBA team. Oklahoma City was forced to trade James Harden, and has failed to adequately surround the big three of Kevin Durant, Westbrook and Serge Ibaka with the right role players. Durant is as good as it gets in the NBA. The 25 year old superstar had an amazing year, with averages of 28.1 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 4.6 apg, 1.4 spg, 1.3 bpg, .51 FG%, .416 3PT%, 905 FT%. Those are simply godly numbers. How quickly Westbrook can return from his injury will determine where the Thunder end up in the playoff hunt. Without him this is simply a shallow team that will have to lean on Durant for almost all of it's offense.
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5. Memphis Grizzlies (1720.17)
2012-2013 Record: 56-26, 2nd in Southwest
Playoff Result: Lost to San Antonio Spurs in Western Conference Finals
Projected Depth Chart
C - Marc Gasol, Kosta Koufos
PF - Zach Randolph, Ed Davis, Jon Leuer
SF - Tayshaun Prince, Quincy Pondexter, Nick Calathes
SG - Tony Allen, Mike Miller, Jamaal Franklin
PG - Mike Conley, Jerryd Bayless
The Grizzlies made it all the way to the Western Conference Finals, but curiously, head coach Lionel Hollins was not brought back. Former assistant Dave Joerger takes over, and should continue to instill the same defensive philosophy that has gotten the Grizzlies where they are. It starts with the big man duo of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph. Both are very talented offensive players and the offense runs through those two. Memphis will need to find some outside scoring and someone who can create his own offense, something they lost when they dealt Rudy Gay to the Raptors. Defensively, however, there may not be a better team in the NBA.
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6. Minnesota Timberwolves (1638.7)
2012-2013 Record: 31-51, 5th in Northwest
Playoff Result: Did Not Qualify
Projected Depth Chart
C - Nikola Pekovic, Ronny Turiaf, Gorgui Dieng
PF - Kevin Love, Derrick Williams, Dante Cunningham, Chris Johnson
SF - Chas Budinger, Corey Brewer, Shabazz Muhammed
SG - Kevin Martin, Alexey Shved
PG - Ricky Rubio, JJ Barea
Health will play a huge role for the Timberwolves, but they are a popular sleeper playoff team in the West, and for good reason. This roster has had the David Kahn stripped from it quite nicely, and there is now good balance. To be fair, solid starters Ricky Rubio and Nikola Pekovic are there because of Kahn, and both players are going to play huge roles for Minnesota. Rubio has become one of the most exciting young point guards in the league, and Pekovic has developed into a solid scoring and rebounding big man. Kevin Martin and Corey Brewer were very good signings. Martin should bring some much needed perimeter shooting and Brewer is a solid wing defender. The key to Minnesota's success will be the health of Kevin Love. When he is at full strength, he can drop 30 points and collect 20 rebounds any given night.
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7. Golden State Warriors (1579.5)
2012-2013 Record: 47-35, 2nd in Pacific
Playoff Result: Lost to San Antonio Spurs in Western Conference Second Round
Projected Depth Chart
C - Andrew Bogut, Festus Ezeli, Ognjen Kuzmic
PF - David Lee, Marreese Speights, Jermaine O'Neal
SF - Andre Iguodala, Harrison Barnes, Draymond Green
SG - Klay Thompson, Kent Bazemore
PG - Stephen Curry, Toney Douglas, Nemanja Nedovic
Every seven or eight years, the Warriors find their way into the playoffs and really make some noise once they are there. For the first time in decades, Golden State looks like they can make back to back playoff appearances. The Warriors strength in 2012-2013 was a dynamic, high scoring back court. Stephen Curry proved his health and was one of the most devastating offensive players in basketball. Klay Thompson, his back court running mate, is one of the better shooters in the NBA with 20 point potential. David Lee and Harrison Barnes provide even more scoring. Golden State's shortcoming was defense, but Andrew Bogut made all the difference in the world with his defensive presence as the Warriors knocked off Denver in the playoffs. The Warriors further upgraded their defense by adding Andre Iguodala, who should also thrive in the up tempo offense. If Bogut can stay healthy, the Warriors have a chance to advance deep into the playoffs.
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8. Portland Trail Blazers (1285.09)2012-2013 Record: 33-49, 4th in Northwest
Playoff Result: Did Not Qualify
Projected Depth Chart
C - Robin Lopez, Joel Freeland, Meyers Leonard
PF - LaMarcus Aldridge, Thomas Robinson
SF - Nicolas Batum, Dorell Wright, Victor Claver
SG - Wesley Matthews, CJ McCollum, Will Barton, Allen Crabbe
PG - Damian Lillard, Mo Williams, Earl Watson
The Trail Blazers were in the mix for a final playoff spot before a bizarre 13 game losing streak to end the season. Portland will look to bounce back with the great young trio of LaMarcus Aldridge, Nicolas Batum and Damian Lillard. Lillard showed his talent could carry over just fine from a mid major college to the NBA, averaging 19 points per game and winning the Rookie Of the Year. Aldridge has three straight seasons averaging at least 21 points per game and is one of the most talented offensive big men in the league. Batum showed why the Blazers had no intentions of letting him defect to Minnesota last season, stuffing the stat sheet with 14.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. It seems like he has been in the NBA forever but he is still only 24 years old. Portland improved some bad depth by adding Mo Willams, CJ McCollum, Earl Watson, Thomas Robinson, Dorrel Wright and Robin Lopez to the roster. This is now a deep, veteran team who should make a push towards a playoff spot.
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9. New Orleans Pelicans (1262.83)
2012-2013 Record: 27-55, 5th in Southwest
Playoff Result: Did Not Qualify
Projected Depth Chart
C - Greg Steimsma, Jason Smith, Jeff Withey
PF - Anthony Davis, Ryan Anderson, Lance Thomas
SF - Al-Farouq Aminu, Anthony Morrow, Darius Miller
SG - Eric Gordon, Tyreke Evans, Austin Rivers
PG - Jrue Holiday, Brian Roberts
The New Orleans franchise has bounced back nicely from the Chris Paul era. They now have new colors, a new nickname and a new identity. It starts with 2012 first round pick Anthony Davis. He struggled through some injuries but had a fantastic rookie season, showing shot blocking and rebounding ability, and good scoring instincts as well. He was one of the youngest players in the NBA and the sky is the limit for him. Management decided to surround him with a plethora of scorers. Ryan Anderson, Eric Gordon, Tyreke Evans and Jrue Holiday have all averaged at least 16 points per game throughout a full season. It will be interesting to see how all of those players can coexist with one basketball. It will be up to Davis and shot blocking specialist Greg Steimsma to hold down the paint, because opponents should get a ton of easy looks. The Pelicans definitely have the offensive firepower to make a playoff push, but it will be seen if the defensive ability is where it needs to be.
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10. Dallas Mavericks (1221.83)2012-2013 Record: 41-41, 4th in Southwest
Playoff Result: Did Not Qualify
Projected Depth Chart
C - Samuel Dalembert, Bernard James
PF - Dirk Nowitzki, Brendan Wright, DeJuan Blair
SF - Shawn Marion, Vince Carter, Jae Crowder
SG - Monta Ellis, Wayne Ellington, Rickey Ledo
PG - Jose Calderon, Devin Harris, Gal Mekel, Shane Larkin
Different off season, same story for the Mavericks. For the second straight year Dallas cleared out cap space with the intent of signing a top free agent. For the second straight year, they were forced to sign solid but unspectacular veterans to fill out the starting lineup. The fact is Dirk Nowitzki is on his last legs and Mark Cuban might have to resign himself to rebuilding this roster through the draft. Instead, it looks like Dallas will fight for the 8th seed in the West once again, with little chance to advance further. Monta Ellis and Jose Calderon will form the new back court, and I do not see how that back court can coexist. Calderon likes to dish to teammates for buckets, and Ellis loves to have the ball in his hands at all times. Not to mention both players are pathetic defenders. Shawn Marion, Vince Carter and Samuel Dalembert will fight for scraps in the front court with Nowitzki, who saw his his numbers drop drastically. Dallas will only go as far as the best player in franchise history can take them.
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11. Denver Nuggets (1165.58)2012-2013 Record: 57-25, 2nd in Northwest
Playoff Result: Lost to Golden State Warriors in Western Conference First Round
Projected Depth Chart
C - JaVale McGee, Darrell Arthur, Timofey Mozgov
PF - Kenneth Faried, JJ Hickson, Anthony Randolph
SF - Wilson Chandler, Jordan Hamilton, Quincy Miller
SG - Randy Foye, Evan Fournier
PG - Ty Lawson, Andre Miller, Nate Robinson
The Nuggets had about as bad an off season as you could possibly have. Coming off a franchise record 57 win season, gone is the NBA Coach of the Year, the NBA General Manager of the year and their two best wing defenders. Not to mention their best perimeter shooter will probably miss half the season due to serious injury. The Nuggets are in serious danger of missing the playoffs for the first time in a decade. Denver signed a few free agents to remain a deep, strong offensive team, but replacing Corey Brewer and Andre Iguodala with Randy Foye, Nate Robinson and JJ Hickson is a huge downgrade defensively. The Nuggets will be very small in the back court and will struggle to play defense on a nightly basis.
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12. Los Angeles Lakers (1119.83)
2012-2013 Record: 45-37, 3rd in Pacific
Playoff Result: Lost to San Antonio Spurs in Western Conference First Round
Projected Depth Chart
C - Chris Kaman, Robert Sacre
PF - Pau Gasol, Jordan Hill, Ryan Kelly
SF - Nick Young, Wes Johnson, Shawne Williams
SG - Jodie Meeks, Xavier Henry
PG - Steve Nash, Jordan Farmar, Steve Blake
The Lakers were in unfamiliar territory when they were rejected by Dwight Howard. You may have heard the very humble and discreet Howard chose to sign with the Houston Rockets. Couple that loss with the fact that Kobe Bryant may miss half the year, and, the front office wisely decided to stay put and sign some stop gap role players like Nick Young, Jordan Farmar and Chris Kaman. Practically every dollar will come off the books next off season and the Lakers will be able to retool their roster. As for this year, they will be forced to rely on Pau Gasol and a combination of wing players who have underachieved thus far in their career. Steve Nash is still on the roster, but he has aged 50 years since leaving the magic witch doctor trainers of Phoenix. Anything they get out of him will be a bonus.
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13. Sacramento Kings (890.67)2012-2013 Record: 28-54, 4th in Pacific
Playoff Result: Did Not Qualify
Projected Depth Chart
C - DeMarcus Cousins, Chuck Hayes
PF - Patrick Patterson, Carl Landry, Jason Thompson
SF - John Salmons, Luc Mbah a Moute, Travis Outlaw
SG - Marcus Thornton, Ben McLemore, Jimmer Fredette
PG - Greivis Vasquez, Isaiah Thomas, Ray McCallum
The Kings already scored a huge win when they were able to remain in Sacramento long term. New ownership cleaned house in the front office and the roster is expected to follow suit. The team already decided to let former Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans move on, and drafted sweet shooting Ben McLemore to take his place. The one player to be excited about is DeMarcus Cousins. He has to feel good that ownership rewarded him with a nice contract extension and practically labeled him the face of the Sacramento franchise. Other then Cousins and McLemore, this roster is somewhat deep but composed of role players. The Kings will struggle to finish at .500, but thankfully the franchise, city and fan base are no longer held hostage by the Maloofs.
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14. Utah Jazz (747.75)2012-2013 Record: 43-39, 3rd in Northwest
Playoff Result: Did Not Qualify
Projected Depth Chart
C - Enes Kanter, Andris Biedrins
PF - Derrick Favors, Rudy Gobert
SF - Gordon Hayward, Richard Jefferson, Jeremy Evans
SG - Alec Burks, Brandon Rush
PG - Trey Burke, John Lucas, Jamaal Tinsley, Ian Clark
The Jazz have finally decided to unleash their young lottery picks, and guys like Enes Kanter, Derrick Favors and Gordon Hayward could really thrive with all the minutes they can handle. Utah will not be able to keep up in the ultra competitive West, but the youngsters will gain experience and the Jazz could have a high first round pick to add to the mix in 2014-2015. Favors has been on the verge of a breakthrough for a couple years. He is very strong, and his offense is finally starting to catch up with his defense and rebounding. Kanter is another big man with strong offensive potential. Hayward is one of my favorite breakout players for this season. He has 18 point, 5 rebound, 5 assist potential and has improved every year. I am not a huge fan of the back court. Alec Burks is tough and a good slasher, but is not a very good shooter and is still very raw. Trey Burke will begin the season injured, and could have a tough time playing catch up this year. There is little depth to speak of, so this team will only go as far as their five young starters will take them.
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15. Phoenix Suns (524.58)2012-2013 Record: 25-57, 5th in Pacific
Playoff Result: Did Not Qualify
Projected Depth Chart
C - Alex Len, Channing Frye, Viacheslav Kravtsov
PF - Markieff Morris, Marcus Morris, Miles Plumlee
SF - PJ Tucker, Gerald Green
SG - Eric Bledsoe, Archie Goodwin, Dionte Christmas
PG - Goran Dragic, Ish Smith
During Steve Nash's MVP years, Suns ownership was cheap when they could have pushed for an NBA Championship. The last couple years, they have overpaid for veterans who could not help the Suns get to the playoffs. Last year, things finally bottomed out in Phoenix. The Suns are wisely starting over, and the cupboard is pretty bare. Gone are key rotation guys Michael Beasley, Jared Dudley, Marcin Gortat, Luis Scola and Wes Johnson. Eric Bledsoe was the key off season acquisition and will get plenty of burn in a fast, terrible defensive, back court with Pheonix's best player, Goran Dragic. I believe Dragic will be traded for some young help during the season. The Suns are one of the front runners for Andrew Wiggins, and could potentially have four first round draft picks in 2014.
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Western Conference Playoff Predictions
Western Conference First Round
8. Portland Trail Blazers over 1. Los Angeles Clippers 4-3 (yes, I think this will happen)
2. Houston Rockets over 7. Golden State Warriors 4-3
3. San Antonio Spurs over 6. Minnesota Timberwolves 4-1
4. Oklahoma City Thunder over 5. Memphis Grizzlies 4-2
Western Conference Semifinals
4. Oklahoma City Thunder over 8. Portland Trail Blazers 4-1
2. Houston Rockets over 3. San Antonio Spurs 4-3
Western Conference Finals
2. Houston Rockets over 4. Oklahoma City Thunder 4-3
2013-2014 NBA Finals
Houston Rockets over Miami Heat 4-3
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