Who are your West Contenders in Order?

[NBAfan3024]

Who do you think will be the top 4 seeds and who do you think will be legit contenders come playoff time to compete with the Spurs

Spurs
Warriors
Grizzles
Clippers/Blazers/Mavs?

[B-Ball Freak]

Spurs
Mavs
Warriors
Blazers

[SunZel]

Spurs
Mavericks
Grizzlies
Blazers

[laploutocratie]

Spurs, Grizzlies, Warriors, Mavericks. Clippers are weak.

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[Berserk_Raptor]

Mavs
Spurs
Grizzlies

[RSCD3_]

as of now 5 serious contenders out west

POR
DAL
MEM
GS
SA

and underneath them the

rockets
Clippers

and underneath that tier

Phoniex
New Orleans
Sacramento

Not even gonna entertain the thunder yet

[TDotsfinest97]

Spurs
Grizzlies
Mavs
Blazers

[raptor jesus]

Spurs
Warriors
Grizz
Mavs

[cammac]

SAS
Grizzles
GS
Dallas
Portland

LAC

SAC/Phoenix/NO/Houston/OKC ???????? 2 out of the 5

[Texas Chuck]

Still the Spurs until someone stops them.

Then Grizzlies, Rockets, Warriors, and Mavs are all on a tier below them in some order followed by the Clippers and Blazers.

Grizzlies would be my bet to knock off the Spurs atm.

[orange_juice32]

If Memphis manages to dodge San An somehow, I think they go to the finals.

[DoubleLintendre]

Spurs
Dallas
Clippers
Grizzlies
Warriors

Dallas is my clear #2, and the last 3 all can be shifted around.

Blazers doesn't make my contenders cut, just because I think they have a questionable bench. I do like them a lot though and can imagine them upsetting in the playoffs. Rockets the same thing, except I don't like them all that much. I know Clippers are stinking it up.. but I still think they have the talent, depth, coaching, stars to make a run for it. Something needs to happen with SF but that's the only real hole they have tbh.

[Chuck Everett]

My contenders in order (not including the Thunder until they are actually in the playoffs, they have put themselves in a big hole unfortunately).

1. San Antonio
2. Dallas
3. Memphis
4. Golden State
5. Portland

-----
6. Houston
7. LA Clippers

The messed up thing is, San Antonio/Memphis/Dallas may have the third best record in the West and end up the fifth seed due to the division setup. This actually creates a situation where you have to beat Golden State/Portland in round 1, San Antonio in Round 2 and then perhaps San Antonio/Dallas/Memphis in the conference finals. A damn gauntlet. I think all these teams will try to get the #1 seed. It's imperative this year, even if the Thunder somehow sneak into the playoffs.

EDITED TO ADD: San Antonio is the clear favorite when Splitter and Mills get back healthy. Dallas to Portland, any of those teams could finish with the second best record out West. My money is on Memphis or Golden State though.

[RaptorNews]

Wow people are really dismissive of the Clippers because of a relatively slow start

Until KD/Russ come back they still have the best 1/2 punch in the game

[Texas Chuck]

Wow people are really dismissive of the Clippers because of a relatively slow start

it goes beyond that mate.

[RaptorNews]

Wow people are really dismissive of the Clippers because of a relatively slow start

it goes beyond that mate.

Their wing situation is even worse than last year it seems but last year they were easily the third best team in the league and probably should have won that Tunder series.

They're still a contender

[NapoleonII]

Grizzlies
Spurs
OKC

rest not enough (talent, continuity, defense)

[Johnny Firpo]

I'm surprised how high you guys rank my Mavs, DoubleLintendre even said we are his clear Nr. 2 contender, above his Warriors. That's shocking to me, I feel the Warriors are better.

Much better defense and although their offense is not as explosive as ours, it's very-very good. To me Spurs and then Warriors, then the Mavs, Blazers, Rockets, Grizzlies are pretty much interchangeable and the Clippers could very well join that tier soon, they are on a roll (whenever OKC gets fully healthy, they are Nr. 2 of course, until they make the playoffs).

If RC can figure our defense out somehow (huuuuge task) then I'd be optimistic about our chances, until then... Not really, not until we beat a couple of elite teams. The Wizards game was promising, but they need to repeat that tonight, and going forward.

[DoubleLintendre]

I'm surprised how high you guys rank my Mavs, DoubleLintendre even said we are his clear Nr. 2 contender, above his Warriors. That's shocking to me, I feel the Warriors are better.

Much better defense and although their offense is not as explosive as ours, it's very-very good.

Warriors when they're ON they are Spurs tier. Can they retain that fire throughout the playoffs.. I have to see it to believe it fully.

I have my doubts about our bench, it doesn't matter so much now but playoffs are different than the regular season. I don't trust Barnes, Livingston, Speights, or Barbosa very much.

Our defense is excellent for sure. But also our team defense is predicated on Bogut being the ultimate anchor (and now he's a ball facilitator as well). Our back up Center Ezeli is good in spots but he's probably a year or two away from being good enough to be the 2nd Center on a championship team. I want to believe we can win a ring this year but I'm a little scared to commit primarily because of the bench scoring/Center situation.

[DavidSterned]

Spurs
Warriors
Blazers
Grizzlies
Clippers

in that order.