NBA Season Preview: Western Conference
Contenders
Los Angeles Lakers: After a busy summer that has seen the arrival of Steve Nash, Antawn Jamison, Jodie Meeks and Dwight Howard; fans of the purple and gold will be expectant.
While Mike Brown’s side are sure to need time to gel and become accustomed to the new Princeton offence, in a team that now boasts a Big Four, winning a championship will be the only way to satisfy all.
The additions of two-time MVP, Nash, and three-time Defensive Player of the Year, Howard, in particular, give L.A. some much needed offensive firepower.
Dominant forces in their own right, the link up between these two off the pick and roll will have teams shaking in their boots and I haven’t even mentioned Kobe Bryant yet.
Signing Jamison and Meeks as cover has also given the Lakers bench a boost in an area that was heavily criticised last season.
The new additions will be linking up with Pau Gasol, the black mamba and more in a team that has to go for title-or-bust.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Defeat in the NBA finals last season to the Miami Heat was the next step in the team’s development.
A gradual increase in their seasonal achievements has seen Scott Brook’s side develop into serious title contenders.
Winning last season’s Western Conference may have been important but served merely as a warning to the rest of the league as they look to take the next step to becoming champions.
With Serge Ibaka signing a four-year £31 million contract he joins Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook in committing his long-term future to the franchise.
While financial difficulties have delayed contract talks with James Harden, the experienced gained by Durant, Ibaka and Harden at this summer’s London Olympics is bound to help as OKC continue their push to be crowned NBA champs.
Teams To Watch
Minnesota Timberwolves: After an exciting start to last season was derailed through Ricky Rubio’s ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) injury, big things are expected of Rick Adelman’s side.
Once the Spaniard returns to full fitness he will bring an unselfish team ethic that disappeared towards the end of last season.
Alongside him will be one of the most talented big-men in the league. At 6-foot-10 Kevin Love is far from being the tallest player around but with a high intensity, mixed with an impressive array of offensive and defensive skills, Love brings a lot to the table.
While the controversial decision to sign Brandon Roy is a big gamble, his dodgy knees are a risk that the Timberwolves are ready to take.
At 28-years-old the shooting-guard from Seattle is coming back in after retiring a year ago. A player that was able to produce greatness throughout his career, Adelman and his staff will be hoping to see more of the same when Roy returns to the NBA.
Another newcomer at the Target Centre is Russian forward Andrei Kirilenko. The former Utah Jazz signed as a free agent this summer and brings an athletic style of play as well as tough perimeter defence, an area Minnesota were particularly poor in last season.
On the down side, the Timberwolves are poor defensively. Other than Kirilenko they lack solid perimeter defenders and with two big-men under seven-foot they are vulnerable inside.
Los Angeles Clippers: In a city that plays host to Hollywood’s greatest, the L.A. Dodgers and Kobe Bryant’s Lakers it’s hard to stand out.
So when the Clippers earned the right to be called the NBA’s most exciting team to watch last season they accomplished something big.
With Chris Paul running the show and Blake Griffin rising higher than the rest to produce unbelievable dunks it was a joy to behold.
The additions of Jamal Crawford, Lamar Odom, Grant Hill and the contract extension of Chauncey Billups has only improved the team heading into the new season.
If they are to fall off the wagon this season it will be due to a lack of any inside defence other than DeAndre Jordan. While Blake Griffin offers sensational plays offensively, the defensive side of his game is an area that sorely needs working on.
If they are able to overcome the obstacles in front of them “Lob City” is set up to have an even more successful year than the last.
Strugglers
Houston Rockets: After a blockbuster trade for Dwight Howard fell through the Rockets were forced to undertake somewhat of a squad overhaul this summer.
After trading Kyle Lowry to the Toronto Raptors they used the amnesty clause on Luis Scola, leaving Kevin McHale without a player over the age of 29 in his squad.
Drafting in youth such as Jeremy Lamb, Royce White and Terrence Jones, Houston is in desperate need of a leader.
The big summer signing for the Rockets was last season’s breakout sensation Jeremy Lin. The 6-foot-3 point guard signed a three-year contract worth £16 million.
Tallying a total of 35 games played last year, Lin is far from the leader they were looking for and is still a relatively unknown quantity in the NBA.
While there will be high expectation on him to produce this season, the team is built on youth and is sure to struggle for a good while yet.
Phoenix Suns: With two-time MVP Steve Nash in the side the Suns finished the season at .500 and barely missed out on a playoff place.
Nash has now disappeared from Phoenix and what is left is nothing to write home about.
The return of Goran Dragic brings a security at the point-guard spot that was sorely lacking after Nash’s departure to Los Angeles.
Luis Scola signed as a free agent this summer but while he brings a fighting ethic to the team, his body is unlikely to withstand the punishment it takes for much longer.
The other high profile signing this summer is Michael Beasley. After trade talk for weeks involved a move to the Lakers, Beasley ended up being traded to the other side of California.
A player that was removed from Minnesota’s starting line-up due to bad effort, the 6-foot-10 forward is hardly a solid cornerstone in the franchise’s future and has failed to produce his best basketball since his days at Notre Dame Prep.
All-in-all, while the loss of Nash was needed for the long-term future of the franchise, it is sure to take time before this team are challenging at the top again.
