We turn our attention to the Western Conference after the East has been wrapped up. College basketball isn’t the only place that experiences March Madness, as it’s the same in the NBA. As of this writing, the Oklahoma City Thunder sits atop the Western Conference with a 45-15 record. San Antonio is the only team within striking distance of the defending champions. The Spurs are riding an 11-game winning streak and are only 1.5 games behind OKC. 4 games separate Houston, Denver, Minnesota, the Lakers, and Phoenix. Oklahoma City has dealt with its fair share of injuries throughout the season. Are they still the favorite to reach the NBA Finals again? How about the Spurs? Is it their year? Could a sleeper emerge? Check out my top 5 Western Conference teams that could reach the NBA Finals.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Oklahoma City is the best overall team in the league. Despite their recent string of injuries, they remain atop the Western Conference. The Thunder have a three-game lead over the Spurs with 20 games remaining in the regular season. Oklahoma City is the first team to clinch a playoff spot already. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made his return after being out for an extended time due to an abdominal injury. The Thunder should continue to get healthier as we get closer to the end of the season. The only issue that the defending champions could face is getting their chemistry back when everyone is healthy. Either way, Oklahoma City is my favorite to reach the NBA Finals once again.
San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio has the third-best record in the league at 43-17. The Spurs fell to the Knicks yesterday, and that ended their 11-game winning streak. San Antonio didn’t lose a game in February. Victor Wembanyama is one of the best players in the league and brings so much to both sides of the ball. Stephon Castle and Devin Vassell also add a lot to this young Spurs team. De’Aaron Fox, Harrison Barnes, and Luke Kornet add that veteran presence this young team needs. San Antonio has dominated the Thunder all season, but it will need to get by teams like Denver, Minnesota, and Houston first. If the Spurs were to meet the Thunder in the Western Conference Finals, would they be the favorite?
Denver Nuggets
Denver is a team that could potentially reach the NBA Finals or get put out in the first round. They have dropped two games in a row, and they’re fifth in the Western Conference. Denver fell to two teams they could see in the playoffs: Minnesota and Oklahoma City. If they have Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets are a problem. Jamal Murray always shows up in big moments, especially in the playoffs. Denver has greatly missed Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson. They both could return in the next couple of weeks as they head down the home stretch of the season. Gordon has played 23 games so far this season for a career-high 17.7 points per game.
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are currently fourth in the Western Conference. The Rockets are half a game behind the Minnesota Timberwolves. On the flipside, they’re a half-game ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets. Amen Thompson is the X-factor for this team, and if they can advance further. Thompson is quickly becoming one of the better two-way players in the league. Kevin Durant continues to be a scoring machine even at the age of 37. Durant is putting up 26 points per game and is still one of the best scorers in the league. The Rockets are coming off a tough, blowout loss to the San Antonio Spurs. The Rockets face Toronto, Denver, and the Lakers twice in the next eight days. This will tell a lot about this Rockets team as they position themselves for the playoffs.
Minnesota Timberwolves
My fifth and final team in the Western Conference is the Minnesota Timberwolves. If this team could remain consistent, they’d be much higher on the list. The Wolves had their five-game winning streak snapped at home against Orlando. The Magic didn’t just beat them, but they decimated them. Minnesota will have the chance to redeem itself when they head to Los Angeles tomorrow and takes on the Lakers. There’s only one game separating the Lakers and Wolves in the Western Conference. Anthony Edwards has been amazing this entire season as he’s almost averaging 30 points per game. Minnesota has the talent that could surprise someone and make a conference finals run.
What do you think about my top 5 Western Conference teams that could make the NBA Finals? Any disagreements? Who are your top 5 teams in the Western Conference? Leave some feedback below about anything related to my top 5 Western Conference teams that could make the NBA Finals.
