As the NBA postseason approaches, ten teams remain in the Western Conference playoff hunt. Several teams have been deemed contenders throughout the season, while others may soon fall victim to elimination.
Contenders
Golden State Warriors
The likely favorite to win it all, the Warriors have won nine straight games and 16 of their last 18. After winning the Pacific Division, Steve Kerr did not allow his team to lose a beat as they promptly clinched the top seed in the Western Conference. The Warriors are the best team on their home court, having lost just one regulation game at the Oracle Arena all season. Now, with home court advantage, the rest of the pack will be bracing for a deep playoff run by the toughest arsenal in the NBA.
Houston Rockets
James Harden has been a top candidate for the Most Valuable Player award throughout the season. While others have emerged in the second half of the season, The Beard has continued to make plays and showcase his point-scoring ability. The Rockets now have Dwight Howard back in the lineup, adding dangerous depth in the post. Josh Smith may prove to be an X-factor who could draw the focus away from Howard and Harden. Although Patrick Beverley has been ruled out for the season, the Rockets have the depth to make a deep run the playoffs.
Los Angeles Clippers
One of the hottest teams in the NBA, the Clippers have won seven straight games. Much of that can be credited to Blake Griffin’s return to the court but the Clippers have also benefited from consistent performances from Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan. Players such as J.J. Redick and Matt Barnes have also contributed to this late surge and will be key pieces to a potential NBA Finals run. The Clippers bench has largely underperformed this season and will need to step up for them to move into position as a top contender.
San Antonio Spurs
The defending champions have won three straight games and six of their last seven. They have dwelled in the bottom of the playoff pack throughout the course of the season, but have gotten hot at the right time. Still the most balanced, unselfish team in the NBA, the Spurs get quality scoring from a different player every night. They are the current sixth seed in a brutal Western Conference but, once playoffs begin, Gregg Popovich will have his troops ready for battle in search of his third straight NBA Finals appearance.
Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies have been solid all season, mainly a product of the dominant post duo in Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph. While they have slipped below the Rockets in the standings, they still have one of the more complete teams in the league. A potential first round matchup against the Spurs could be a problem, but the Grizzlies have maintained a top position in the Western Conference all season and are poised to make some noise in the postseason.
Pretenders
Portland Trail Blazers
The Blazers have hovered around the top of the Western Conference standings, but coping with the loss of Wesley Matthews has made their ultimate goal a bit more challenging. Arron Afflalo is a great replacement, but also takes away from much-needed depth. LaMarcus Aldridge is still battling a thumb injury and, while he has continued to play well, it is unclear how the postseason grind will affect him. A questionable lineup will likely shorten the Blazers playoff run.
Dallas Mavericks
The Mavs have dropped two straight and five of their last ten games. They are just three games ahead of the eighth-place Oklahoma City Thunder in the standings and have not benefited from the additions of Rajon Rondo and Amar’e Stoudemire. In fact, they have been a worse team with Rondo, who has clearly stirred up the locker room chemistry. Stoudemire, on the other hand, has visibly aged and has not improved alongside better talent than he played with on the New York Knicks. To this point, the Mavericks appear to be a one-and-done playoff team.
Oklahoma City Thunder
After losing Kevin Durant for the season, the Thunder have stayed in the hunt because of Russell Westbrook. Even without Serge Ibaka, the Thunder are a playoff team, now two and a half games up on the New Orleans Pelicans in the Western Conference standings. While they are likely to make the playoffs, the Thunder will have trouble escaping a first-round matchup against the Golden State Warriors. Even if that feat can be accomplished, the Thunder have the toughest uphill battle of any potential playoff team.
New Orleans Pelicans
Anthony Davis has been the main attraction in New Orleans all season. The Pelicans have played solid team basketball all season. At 39-34 overall, they have upped the ante, forcing the Thunder to shift into high gear. Unfortunately for the Pelicans, the Thunder have done just that. As a result, Davis and company will likely miss out on the postseason.
Phoenix Suns
The trade deadline beat down that the Suns endured immediately bumped them out of the playoff standings. They have now fallen to tenth place in the West and are the last remaining team that has yet to be eliminated. Their time will come, however, as they have now lost three straight games. Four games back from the Thunder for the eighth seed in the conference, the Suns are a long shot to make the postseason.