Consider this our West roundtable before the season begins. Which stories are being overlooked as the league’s stronger, deeper half begins the pursuit of the defending champions from Oakland and the best franchise in the league, down in the Alamo City?
Maybe, as one of our writers says below, the Golden State Warriors are the story we’re not talking about enough. When compared to other recent NBA champions (LeBron’s Heat, the Spurs, the Kobe-Pau-Phil Lakers, Doc’s Celtics), that point becomes hard to argue.
Let’s go to the panel, then, without further ado:
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SEAN WOODLEY
Despite the defending champion Warriors referring to them as their toughest challenge in last season’s playoffs, the Memphis Grizzlies seem to be getting lost in most conversations about the absurdly talented West. Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Houston, the Clippers and the champs are all very real title threats, and the shininess of Anthony Davis joining forces with Alvin Gentry has help divert eyes away from the Grizzlies.
This season in Memphis promises to be fascinating, though. Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph remain a foundation which contradicts the architectural standards of most teams around the NBA. Tony Allen’s offensive ineptitude was exploited by Golden State in the spring, and with questionable human Matt Barnes representing the only addition to the Grizzlies’ perimeter corps, the lack of dead-eye shooting may continue to hamper Memphis from riding its old-school style of play to the top of the Western Conference ranks. With “should-be All-Star” Mike Conley preparing to enter free agency in the summer, Memphis can ill-afford to stagnate or regress. This could be the last chance for the Grizzlies to capitalize on the Grit and Grind era.
JOE MANGANIELLO
The Warriors are bringing back their entire core from a 67-win juggernaut which blitzkrieged the league. Steph Curry is the single-most important player in basketball, Draymond Green is the linchpin of the game’s most impenetrable defense, and head coach Steve Kerr is only his second season as head coach — he’ll presumably be better on the sideline in year two.
The reigning champs are pissed off and justifiably so that many have labeled their title run a lucky break through an injury-plagued league. Blame the Clippers if the Warriors come out of the gates firing on all cylinders — the sharks can smell blood in the water.
I know Steph Curry didn't do this last night. pic.twitter.com/BgIst8oRIj
— Dynamics • £ (@theDYNAMICS) October 6, 2015
JARED MINTZ
Since the Warriors are still regarded by Vegas as the team to beat, I’ll skip over them almost being underrated by basketball media. I’ll say this: I don’t think the Houston Rockets are getting their due heading into the season.
I understand that the addition of LaMarcus Aldridge makes the Spurs a trendy pick to come out of the West this season, and Oklahoma City boasting two (potentially) top-five players in the league and an improved frontcourt makes the Thunder scary. However, the Houston Rockets battled injuries all last season; yet, they still managed to clinch the two-seed in the conference and make it to the Western Conference Finals.
This team has improved its depth mightily, and as good as James Harden is as a do-it-all combo guard, slotting Ty Lawson next to him should help make life easier on the offensive end. Then we look at the frontcourt, where Terrence Jones should be able to play more than the 33 games he played last season, Clint Capela appears to be emerging as a backup big, and Dwight Howard is hopeful to play more than half of his team’s games.
I think the top five or six teams in the West can finish in any order, and I think the Rockets should be getting more consideration to be the toast of the conference.
BRYAN GIBBERMAN
I think there are two things — people forgetting how good the Oklahoma City Thunder can be when Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant are healthy, and the level the Golden State Warriors played to last season. These two teams have chance to put themselves above everyone else if everything goes right despite how talented the conference is. The playoff series we need and deserve is seeing these two teams play each other.
MATT ZEMEK
Sean is absolutely right in saying that West-focused NBA chatter has not flowed to the Grizzlies in the offseason. The Warriors have become a West discussion point because of their perceived luck (a very overrated discussion in the larger scheme of things, even if there was a grain of truth at the heart of it). The Spurs rocked the offseason in just about every way (grabbing LaMarcus Aldridge; getting Danny Green for great value; luring David West for a bargain price, and more), and that will naturally draw attention. Then there are the Clippers, a headline-magnet team in the West for every possible reason… except the whole “being great” part.
Lost in the shuffle: No, not necessarily the Oklahoma City Thunder as a whole, but the idea of how this team is going to compete for a West title with Enes Kanter in the middle.
My nickname for Kanter: The Matador. With that… errrrrr, defense (cough, cough, hack, wheeze, cough), the Thunder will not have a championship-caliber defense. Can they “120-117” their way to a West title? They’ll need more than Durant, Westbrook and Ibaka, as great as those three players are.
