The NBA Western Conference standings will be tight once again this season.
Entering the 2024 playoffs, Oklahoma City edged No. 2 Denver for the top seed despite their match of 57 wins, and they were ahead of No. 3 Minnesota by one game. Last year's West champion and No. 5 Dallas were behind the 51-win Los Angeles Clippers by one game, and the Phoenix Suns were No. 6 at 49-33. The Suns were just two games ahead of No. 7 L.A. Lakers, and New Orleans, Sacramento and Golden State rounded out the remaining three play-in tournament spots.
Here is The Republic's top 10 predicted order of finish for 2024-25 in the NBA Western Conference.
1. Oklahoma City Thunder (59-23)
Many media pundits are predicting a Finals appearance by the young Thunder. They're led by its nucleus of last year's elite scoring MVP runner-up Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Rookie of the Year runner-up Chet Holmgren. They've added key veterans in big Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency and prized glue guy Alex Caruso in exchange for its former starting point guard Josh Giddey, plus have the reigning Coach of the Year Mark Daigneault.
2. Dallas Mavericks (56-26)
Jason Kidd has led the Mavericks to two West Conference finals in his first three seasons as their coach. Having all-time greats Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving as backcourt mates is one of the league's best tandems, and adding Klay Thompson in free agency to their perimeter play after he left Golden State adds more to their championship contender pedigree on paper. In addition, the rise of stretch-four man P.J. Washington in last year's playoffs, as well as the lob threats from bigs Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford makes them highly dangerous.
3. Minnesota Timberwolves (54-28)
The Timberwolves' new starting five of Anthony Edwards, four-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert, Jaden McDaniels, 18-year veteran point guard Mike Conley and Julius Randle from the trade of Karl-Anthony Towns to New York maintains their size and scoring on a high. Their depth from last season's Sixth Man of the Year Naz Reid, Donte DiVincenzo from the New York trade, rookie guard Rob Dillingham and veteran shooter Joe Ingles puts them back where they were last season among the best on both ends of the floor.
4. Phoenix Suns (53-29)
The Suns have a lot to prove in the Big 3's second year together. Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal have more talent behind them this season. The Suns drew media criticism for its limited cap room flexibility with salaries that puts them well over the second tax apron, paying more than $150 million to the Big 3 stars. After a first-round elimination by Minnesota, the Suns now have more to prove amid their championship expectations, and offensive-minded coach Mike Budenholzer could bring more stability in his title-winning system along with the addition of point guard Tyus Jones, something the Suns lacked last season.
5. Denver Nuggets (50-32)
Having Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Russell Westbrook gives the Nuggets a shot at another title. Denver will continue to be itself, wearing teams down through the first three quarters then taking over in the fourth to win. Their rim runner and shot blocker Aaron Gordon's locked in after he signed a four-year, $133 million extension on Monday that reestablishes the Nuggets going for the gold in June.
6. Sacramento Kings (48-34)
The Kings added one of this generation's best scorers in DeMar DeRozan as the missing piece they've needed with Domantas Sabonis and De'Aaron Fox. This team believes in their two-time Coach of the Year Mike Brown's system after he's won four titles as an assistant coach, and ended the Kings' 16-year playoff drought two seasons ago.
7. Los Angeles Clippers (47-35)
The Clippers are by far not the same team as last year without Paul George (now with Philadelphia), Westbrook, and Kawhi Leonard out indefinitely (knee inflammation). The 35-year-old James Harden is their lone star left who will carry the load as the No. 1 option, which he's thrived as in the past with Houston as a former MVP, and he'll need all the help he can get from their new roster.
8. Los Angeles Lakers (44-38)
The Lakers will continue to draw the league's biggest news headlines per usual. That's because LeBron James is matching Hall of Famer Vince Carter's 22 years for the league's longest career ever. He also is joined by his son and new teammate Bronny James, Anthony Davis and their first-year coach JJ Redick. This is a middling team that went to the conference finals two seasons ago, but has more youth than when they were swept by Denver in 2023. Having LeBron and Davis carry this team is a heavy load. They'll need to stay healthy.
9. Memphis Grizzlies (43-39)
All eyes will be on Ja Morant's return. He played just nine games last season after his 25-game suspension and his season-ending shoulder injury in December. The biggest question besides Morant's leadership and health is how will the two-time College Player of the Year and 7-4 rookie, Zach Edey, fair as a traditional big in this era? After the team was marred by injuries and won just 27 games last season, Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins will need Morant, Edey, former Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. and their top two-guard Desmond Bane to lead them back to the postseason.
10. Houston Rockets (42-40)
The Rockets haven't been the same since Harden forced his way out in a trade to the Brooklyn Nets. But last season, they showed their potential, winning 11 straight and barely missing a play-in tournament berth at 41-41. Houston's top young players are Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Şengün and Cam Whitmore Jr. The Rockets are led by their second-year coach Ime Udoka, who knows how to make a team stronger like he did with the 2022 finals runner-up Boston Celtics in his only year there.