Is this the greatest western conference ever?

[TheFire]

First 8 teams have all won 40+ games. Even the 11th place rockets are good team who’s won 10 of last 11.

If a team from the West goes all the way, automatically an all time great playoff run.

[Pelon chingon]

It's crazy out west. It's going to be a photo finish.

[Gatorade Sax]

All I can say is I’ve been checking the standings at the end of most days out of pure interest. Can’t remember the last season I’ve actually done that.

[PierceFan4ever]

2007-2008 western conference had the Phoenix suns winning 55 games and were the 6th seed, the 8th seed nuggets won 50 games and the 9th seed warriors missed the playoffs going 48-34, 10th seed blazers were a solid 41-41 team too.

[One_and_Done]

This is definitely a chance for Jokic to prove last year wasn't a one off. The competition is much stronger in theory, but let's see who is healthy come playoffs. If Jokic somehow dodges all the pick and roll heavy teams again though I'm going to be annoyed.

[BloodNinja]

No definitely not. Pretty weak at the top for contenders too. You have the Nuggets and two young unproven teams.

[zimpy27]

The West is exciting. The play in might get more views than a conference playoff series.

[SweaterBae]

Not even close, but it's fun.

[Sgt Major]

If Jokic somehow dodges all the pick and roll heavy teams again though I'm going to be annoyed.

So putting him in a gazillion pick and rolls is the solution? Got it.

[One_and_Done]

If Jokic somehow dodges all the pick and roll heavy teams again though I'm going to be annoyed.

So putting him in a gazillion pick and rolls is the solution? Got it.

historically it has been yeh

[Sgt Major]

If Jokic somehow dodges all the pick and roll heavy teams again though I'm going to be annoyed.

So putting him in a gazillion pick and rolls is the solution? Got it.

historically it has been yeh

Looks like you didn't watch the playoffs last year.

[maverick_41]

Teams records are solid but for some reason the teams are much less exciting that they used to in the above-mentioned period (2000s).

Maybe it's due to no rivalries outside Luka vs. Booker.

[One_and_Done]

So putting him in a gazillion pick and rolls is the solution? Got it.

historically it has been yeh

Looks like you didn't watch the playoffs last year.

Hence my comments; he didn't really play any high PnR teams last yr.

[dirkdiggler4177]

Not the greatest, but might be the most balanced. Like LeBron and Curry are in the 9th and 10th spots.

[MyTake_1]

This is definitely a chance for Jokic to prove last year wasn't a one off. The competition is much stronger in theory, but let's see who is healthy come playoffs. If Jokic somehow dodges all the pick and roll heavy teams again though I'm going to be annoyed.

What PnR-heavy team do you have in mind?

Jokic has been tearing up the league last 5 years, that's such a silly comment.

[One_and_Done]

This is definitely a chance for Jokic to prove last year wasn't a one off. The competition is much stronger in theory, but let's see who is healthy come playoffs. If Jokic somehow dodges all the pick and roll heavy teams again though I'm going to be annoyed.

What PnR-heavy team do you have in mind?

Jokic has been tearing up the league last 5 years, that's such a silly comment.

And who does he lose to historically?

2022; Warriors (high PnR team)
2021; Suns (high PnR team)
2020; Lakers (were still a pretty heavy high PnR team back then when Lebron had the legs for it)
2019; Blazers (high PnR team)

The Nuggets tanked regular season games in the past just to avoid Harden, so terrified were they of him destroying Jokic in the PnR. Then last year he plays some pretty flawed teams who are more midrange focused, or who can't go 5 out or run much high PnR. He dodges Boston, GSW, Memphis, the Kings, etc.

I sm not saying Jokic's title is undeserved, or that he and the team haven't improved since their past failures, but Jokic has a weakness. Now he's so good on O, and has such a well matched support cast, that being a high PnR team isn't enough. It takes a really good team to beat him too. The Kings have too many weaknesses for it to matter for eg. But the old Harden Rockets or CP3 Suns? They'd toast him.

Jokic best match up is against the LAC, 76ers, Heat, Pelicans, etc. Teams who have a classic 5 man and/or can't do enough in high PnR (we'll see if an older Harden changes that for the LAC). This year the Clippers have Harden, the Suns will likely be healthy and deep enough to play alot if high PnR, OKC & Boston can go 5 out, and even teams like the Mavs and aged GSW have a punchers chance. Will Jokic have to play those match ups tho? We'll see.

[Hoopstar23]

2009-2010 season is the only season that compares... 1 through 8 in the West all won 50 games and the 8th seed OKC Thunder wasn't your normal 8th seed... they gave the eventual defending champs Lakers a run for their money in that playoff series, that might have been one of the best 8th seeds of all time... I think better than we believe Warriors... a coming to his own KD, young Westbrook, young harden, and Ibaka

[nikster]

This is definitely a chance for Jokic to prove last year wasn't a one off. The competition is much stronger in theory, but let's see who is healthy come playoffs. If Jokic somehow dodges all the pick and roll heavy teams again though I'm going to be annoyed.

What PnR-heavy team do you have in mind?

Jokic has been tearing up the league last 5 years, that's such a silly comment.

And who does he lose to historically?

2022; Warriors (high PnR team)
2021; Suns (high PnR team)
2020; Lakers (were still a pretty heavy high PnR team back then when Lebron had the legs for it)
2019; Blazers (high PnR team)

The Nuggets tanked regular season games in the past just to avoid Harden, so terrified were they of him destroying Jokic in the PnR. Then last year he plays some pretty flawed teams who are more midrange focused, or who can't go 5 out or run much high PnR. He dodges Boston, GSW, Memphis, the Kings, etc.

I sm not saying Jokic's title is undeserved, or that he and the team haven't improved since their past failures, but Jokic has a weakness. Now he's so good on O, and has such a well matched support cast, that being a high PnR team isn't enough. It takes a really good team to beat him too. The Kings have too many weaknesses for it to matter for eg. But the old Harden Rockets or CP3 Suns? They'd toast him.

Jokic best match up is against the LAC, 76ers, Heat, Pelicans, etc. Teams who have a classic 5 man and/or can't do enough in high PnR (we'll see if an older Harden changes that for the LAC). This year the Clippers have Harden, the Suns will likely be healthy and deep enough to play alot if high PnR, OKC & Boston can go 5 out, and even teams like the Mavs and aged GSW have a punchers chance. Will Jokic have to play those match ups tho? We'll see.

What does it matter who he loses to historically if there is a massive talent disparity? That doesn't tell you anything about strategy. It just tells you that players like Will Barton, Monte Morris, Jeff Green, Austin Rivers and Campazzo are not playoff caliber starters

[r0drig0lac]

no

[shi-woo]

2007-2008 western conference had the Phoenix suns winning 55 games and were the 6th seed, the 8th seed nuggets won 50 games and the 9th seed warriors missed the playoffs going 48-34, 10th seed blazers were a solid 41-41 team too.

Facts, that era of the West was a bloodbath essentially since 99, and really got going when Nash went to PHX in 05. It was the perfect blend of the old guard still going hard (Dirk, Duncan, Nash, TMac, Kobe) against the up and coming teams led by Melo's Nuggets, Pauls Hornets, and Derron Williams' Jazz. Crazy to think Baby Durant was also in that conference and the team of the future in POR that won 41 games should have had him on there too

As this poster mentioned as well, the We Believe Warriors were also in this conference, got better, and still didn't even make the tourny with the #1 offense in the league.

The WC was so stacked from 2005-11 that topics of contraction, breaking up the conferences, and all that jazz were normal topics to see on the message boards back then.

No one is really talking about that anymore, as the East has also been pretty loaded lately. There is no more easy basketball in either conference after the 1st round. The West is stacked this year, but there are still teams that clearly stick out like DEN and OKC. Can't say that about the late 2000's.