Overview
Kevin Durant has taken the Oklahoma City Thunder to another level. I had the Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, and the Portland Trailblazers in my top three after the two months. Even without Chris Paul, The Los Angeles Clippers have stepped up their game and creeping up to make it a top 4. Nevertheless, the strength of the Western Conference is its depth and there are certainly many good teams below the top teams.
Top Three
1. Oklahoma City Thunder (38-11)
Lebron James is the best player in the game because of his ability to dominate with his scoring, passing, and defense. However, Kevin Durant is the MVP this season. Even without Russell Westbrook, Durant has elevated his team to another level. In January, he averaged 35.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 1.6 steals, and 0.9 blocks. On the other hand, the Heat have been cruising and not going all out to win games. Lebron James still has Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade in even though the Heat are giving him extra rest by allowing him to miss games. Moreover, Lebron is in a weaker Confernece. As Durant’s Thunder has a better record in a tougher Conference and he has had less help than Lebron this season, Durant is clearly the MVP this season. It also helps the case that the Thunder had a signature win against the Heat in Miami. Although the Thunder fell behind by 18 points in the first quarter and were in danger of getting blown out, they recovered and surged by the Heat winning the game by 17 points. Durant is a combination of size, shooting ability, and ball handling ability that has never been seen in the NBA. He is the most unstoppable scorer in the league.
Besides Durant, Serge Ibaka has stepped up averaging 16.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks in January. In my opinion, he is a key to a championship run as his progression can give them a dominant low post presence. Moreover, the young, role players have developed. Reggie Jackson is a great backup point guard and has done very well filling the hole left by Russell Westbrook. Jeremy Lamb is an excellent scorer off the bench averaging over 10 points. He was a great scorer in college at UCONN and made big shots. He is becoming the same type of player in the NBA. Of course, the Thunder will need Russell Westbrook back at some point to help shoulder the burden from Durant so they can be true title contenders. Nevertheless, they already have the second best point differential at +7.6 which is best in the West and second in the NBA behind the Pacers.
2. San Antonio Spurs (34-13)
The Spurs are old reliable as they are yet again at the top of the Conference. Tony Parker is having another great season as their best player and is their sole All-Star. Nevertheless, future Hall of Famer Tim Duncan is having another All-Star caliber season. The strengths of the Spurs are the depth and the ability of every player to execute the game plan. They added to a great bench by signing Marco Belinelli, who is averaging 10.9 points. Kawhi Leonard is having a good season but I am surprised he has not progressed more after a big NBA Finals. I was hoping for a Paul George like improvement. I still believe he will have to be a star in the playoffs if the Spurs are going to have another legitimate shot at winning a Championship. Nevertheless, the Spurs will continue to win in the regular season. We will just have to stay tuned for the playoffs.
3. Portland Trailblazers (34-13)
The Trailblazers play great team basketball and are legit. They are led by their two All-Stars, LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard. Aldridge is making the case for being the best big man in the NBA. He has improved every month this year. In January, he averaged 26.1 points, 13.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.4 blocks. He is a complete player. On offense, he can post up and hit jump shots. Lillard is one of the best, young point guards in the league. He is following up a Rookie of the Year season with an All-Star season. The Trailblazers are young, athletic, deep, and unselfish. They need to improve on their defense that is currently giving up 103.4 points per game before they are true title contenders. Nevertheless, the season is already a great step forward for the franchise.
4th Wheel
Los Angeles Clippers (34-16)
When Chris Paul suffered a significant injury at the beginning of the calendar year, I thought it would hurt the progression of the Clippers under new head coach Doc Rivers. Instead, they have taken a step forward. Blake Griffin has turned up his game. In January, Griffin is averaging 25.7 points, 8.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.4 steals. In my opinion, Griffin is the key to the Clippers ascending to a Championship caliber team. Backup point guard Darren Collison has been a godsend filling in for Paul. He averaged 14.4 points, 6.1 assists, and 1.6 steals last month. The return of JJ Reddick has also helped. He is not a star but he is an excellent all around, intelligent player. He adds outside shooting and is a great team player. He is an excellent passer that keeps the ball moving and makes an offense more fluid. In the long run, they may be a better team learning how to play without Paul. I am still skeptical of the Clippers as an elite team this year but I would not bet against Doc Rivers as a coach.
Other Playoff Teams
1. Houston Rockets (32-17)
James Harden and Dwight Howard are All-Star reserves and the core of the Rockets. They are a great offensive team but their defense is light years away from being good enough to win a Championship. For example, Chandler Parsons is a great, young small forward. He recently made headlines hitting 10 three pointers but then was benched in a subsequent game for his lack of defense. In addition, Jeremy Lin and James Harden still get in each other’s way. They play the same game but Harden plays it much better. Lin recently registered a triple double off the bench. It may be the best way for Lin to flourish on the Rockets so Harden and he are on the court at different times. My opinion of this team has not changed. I think they are a team that wants to have fun first with winning as a pleasant but secondary consideration. It is why they are not committed to defense.
2. Phoenix Suns (29-18)
The Suns are the surprise of the league. Despite losing young, stud guard Eric Bledsoe for potentially the rest of the season, they continue to win in a tough Conference. Gerald Green has filled the void left by Bledsoe by averaging 15.9 points in January. Nevertheless, the strengths of this team are an excellent point guard in Goran Dragic and their talented, young front line led by the Morris brothers (Markieff and Marcus) and Miles Plumlee. There are rumors of them trying to trade for Los Angeles Lakers big man Pau Gasol for the stretch run. I think it is a great idea. He is a professional, adds veteran leadership, and still has a lot left in the tank as evidenced by his January averages of 20.8 points, 11.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.7 blocks. Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni completely misuses him anyway. As far down in the standings as the Lakers are, they might as well tank in hopes of getting a top draft prospect in the great draft class coming up.
3. Golden State Warriors (29-19)
The Warriors look unstoppable when they hit their shots. However, it is difficult to have a top record in the Western Conference relying on the jump shots as there are enough days where they will not go down. Although they are currently in the 7th seed, they are a handful for any team. Point guard Stephen Curry is an amazing player and has progressed to NBA superstar. He is unbelievable averaging 24.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 9 assists, and 1.8 steals with a 45.3% on field goals, 40.7% on 3 pointers, and 86% on free throws. He is a rare combination of sharp shooting and ball handling. It is uncanny how he is able to pull up from anywhere on the field even when he is in full speed driving the ball. He is definitely deserving of his first All-Star Game and was rightfully voted in as a starter. Center Andrew Bogut and the return of versatile Andre Iguodala make them a much improved defensive team. In the end, they are known for their ability to shoot the ball. Although I am skeptical that they are true title contenders, they can beat anyone and is not a team the other West teams want to face in the playoffs.
4. Memphis Grizzlies (26-20)
When the Grizzlies traded Rudy Gay last season, I wrote them off as title contenders. They made it all the way to the Western Conference Finals. I liked their team going into this season. After a 14-17 start after two months, I gave up on them and suggested that they consider breaking up the team to start rebuilding. Since then, they have gone 12-3. I am going to stop making predictions about the Grizzlies. They are a tough and physical defensive team. Mike Conley is one of the better young point guards in the league and about to enter his prime. Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol form one of the best front lines in the NBA. Their turnaround coincides with the trade for guard Courtney Lee. He averaged 12.9 points and shot over 53% from the field in January. He adds outside shooting the Grizzlies desperately needed. No matter what seed they end up at, they are another team that other West teams do not want to face. They will physically beat you up.
Teams To Watch
1. Minnesota Timberwolves (23-24)
Kevin Love is having another brilliant season and deserves his starting spot in the All Star Game. He is averaging 25.5 points, 13.1 rebounds, and 4 assists. However, he will want to play for a contender at some point. Accordingly, the Timberwolves have added players such as veterans like Kevin Martin to improve the team. Martin has certainly helped by adding an experienced scorer who is averaging 19.1 points. Nevertheless, Love will want to see more. I keep on waiting for this team to take a step forward and breakout. Currently, they are staying afloat hovering around .500. We will have to wait and see if they progress enough to fight for a playoff spot.
2. New Orleans Pelicans (20-26)
They will not make the playoffs but have some great, young players led by budding superstar Anthony Davis. He is already an impact player who is averaging 20.4 points and 10.3 rebounds while being a defensive force with 3.3 blocks per game. The injury to playmaking point guard Jrue Holliday hurts their development. However, they have surrounded Davis with talented perimeter players that include Holliday, Eric Gordon, and Tyreke Evans. They need to learn to play with each other but they have time to grow with each other.
All-Star Team
Kobe Bryant got voted in because of his popularity. However, he has told fans he appreciates it but he has not been on the court enough to earn it. As such, he advocated for a young star to be voted in. Although the fans voted him in anyway, he will sit out because of injury. As such, he will be replaced with a more deserving player anyway. I hope he honors the fans that voted him in by still showing up for the game. I agree with the other starters elected by the fans. Stephen Curry has emerged as a superstar. Kevin Durant is a no-brainer. Blake Griffin is exciting and has really improved his game. Kevin Love is a superstar whose talents do not get appreciated enough because he has played on bad teams in Minnesota. It is nice to see his play recognized by the fans. Even in a small market, his numbers are difficult to overlook.
The reserves are excellent: Dwight Howard, LaMarcus Aldridge, Dirk Nowitzki, Chris Paul, James Harden, Tony Parker, and Damian Lillard. There is a case that Serge Ibaka should have made the team with his strong play on the best team in the Conference. I would have definitely liked to see a second Thunder on the team. However, there is no player I would really replace Serge Ibaka with on that list. The other player I definitely wanted see on the roster is Anthony Davis. Accordingly, I completely agree with the selection of Davis to the All-Star team to replace Kobe Bryant.
About Pat Wong
Patrick is a contributor for Rookerville. He is an avid sports fan. Before joining Rookerville, he was part of a defunct New York Yankees message board, NYYankeefans, where he was its top poster and was inducted in its Hall of Fame for his contributions. Patrick is also a passionate fan of movies. He has enjoyed reading movie reviews over the years and is excited about the opportunity to review movies.