After a dramatic 2020 season, ending with the Bucks winning their first championship in a half-century, The 2021 NBA season has started, and already there are some surprises in the season. Some teams expected to win haven’t gotten it done, and surprise teams out there have been making a name for themselves. Here are my playoff predictions for the West.
The Western Conference
1. Utah Jazz
Utah finished top in the west last year, and there is nothing telling me it won’t be the same story this year. They’re second in the conference so far, led by Donovan Mitchell, the incredible shooting guard, and the Stifle Tower, Center Rudy Gobert. They also scored big in the draft by landing the Final Four MVP in Jared Butler from Baylor. They also kept the excellent floor general in MIke Conley, who has averaged fifteen points and six assists in his career. Even though I think they will be successful in the regular season, like last year, I’m thinking of a huge letdown in the playoffs.
2. Golden Warriors
You might think I’m crazy, but the Warriors are first in the west right now, have beaten BOTH LA teams, and they have depth without Klay Thompson, who is expected to return this season. Andrew Wiggins, with vaccination status looming in the late offseason, got vaccinated and is averaging sixteen points and five rebounds per game. Steph Curry has...well, Steph Curry. You kinda know, crazy shots and scoring bursts and sun level hot streaks of buckets. Curry is averaging TWENTY-SEVEN points per game, EIGHT rebounds for a six-three point guard, and seven assists.
3. Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers are the oldies of the NBA, with one of the oldest teams in NBA history, with ELEVEN players over thirty! But with age comes experience, and the Lakers had the most active offseason in the NBA. LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Russel Westbrook, AND Carmelo Anthony are the big names on the team. They’re all twenty-eight years old or higher. Another interesting fact: LeBron James, who has been on the team three seasons, has the LONGEST amount of years on the team. Every other player has only been here two or less seasons with LA. Even though the Lakers have struggled lately, I expect for them to bounce back. They have too much talent not to.
4. Phoenix Suns
The Suns made their first NBA finals since Charles Barkley and the Suns made it in 1993. They kept most of their players, but DeAndre Ayton will be a free agent next season, which is a big blow. Chris Paul is looking to have another solid season, and Devin Booker is ready to take the next big step. The Suns are good, but they can’t compete with the teams I’ve mentioned above, and I don’t expect them to win the West this year.
5. Dallas Mavericks
Luka Donic is here once again, ready to make incredible buzzer beaters and explode for triple doubles. Porzingis is here as well, but trade talks have happened with the seven footer leaving Dallas. Plus the Mavs have a solid bench. I think they will make the playoffs by a healthy margin, and hopefully not face the Clippers in the first round.
6. Portland Trail Blazers
It’s Dame Time in Portland! Portland is back with Lillard, who’s ready to pick up what he did last year, CJ McCollum is ready to do whatever he can to help the squad, and Norman Powell is averaging seventeen points per game. The Blazers have been in the playoffs ever since Damian Lillard was a ROOKIE eight years ago, the longest streak in the game, but they haven't made it past the second round. But they have had successful regular seasons to build. I think they will repeat the last two seasons and fall in the first round though.
7. Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets had it rough late last year, losing Jamal Murray to a torn ACL late in the season, and losing Will Barton to a calf injury. Because of this, the Nuggets won the first round over the Trail Blazers but were swept in the second round by the Suns off of Chris Paul’s amazing series. The Nuggets have Murray and Barton back, but I don’t think they made any big moves this off season and don't look as equipped as the other Western Conference teams.
8. Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are struggling, tenth in the west currently. They had an awesome playoff run, led by Kawhi Leonard and Paul George ( A.K.A PG-13) and made their first Western Conference Finals appearance since becoming an NBA team FIFTY years ago (That’s really, really bad). But in the second round, they suffered a huge blow when Kawhi Leonard blew his knee in Game 4. But they did well without him and gave Phoenix a run for their money in the WCF. They’re offense and defense are lost without him, but they’re still a playoff team, just not a deep playoff team. I think they will just sneak into the playoffs over the other teams but lose in the first round.
Coming Next: The East
Resources:
https://www.espn.com/nba/team/roster/_/name/lal/los-angeles-lakers
Image Source: UPI