NBA Power Rankings: How the West Stacks Up Against the Lakers
The Western Conference might not be as deep as it has been in recent years, but there are still plenty of talented teams ready to give the World Champion Lakers a run for their money.
Kevin Durant and the upstart Thunder gave L.A. a tough battle in the first round last season, and will just keep getting better. No team has worse luck when it comes to injuries than the Blazers, but a healthy Portland squad can compete with any team in the NBA.
The Mavericks put together a team with the hopes of tangling with the Lakers in the playoffs, and the Spurs have surrounded aging veterans with a nice young nucleus.
Realistically, it's difficult to imagine more than a handful of teams knocking off L.A. in the playoffs. For the sake of argument, here's a look at how the entire Western Conference matches up with the Lakers.
No. 14: Minnesota Timberwolves
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Ahh, the joys of David Kahn.
The Timberwolves' general manager has stockpiled swingmen and plenty of power forwards. He has also failed to put the team in a position to show much improvement next season.
Al Jefferson's reliable presence will be missed, and the Timberwolves could be absolutely abysmal defensively in the paint.
A 25-win season is fairly realistic.
No. 13: Golden State Warriors
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Don Nelson's mad scientist act hasn't exactly helped the Warriors find success.
Thankfully for Warriors fans, change is in the air and Nellie's days are probably numbered.
The Warriors shouldn't have any problems scoring, but don't expect much defense to be played. Don't expect many wins, either.
David Lee should flourish and Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry are a joy to watch.
Beyond that, there won't be much to get excited about in the Bay Area—until the Lakers come to town.
No. 12: Sacramento Kings
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It seems like forever since the Kings have been a playoff contender. Barring a Vlade-like flop from the Western Conference's better teams, this probably won't be the year for Sacramento to return to respectability.
At the same time, the Kings are headed in the right direction. An abundance of young players gives the franchise the potential to save money while figuring out who fits and who doesn't.
DeMarcus Cousins' future will have a huge impact on whether the Kings contend in the next few seasons. Assuming Tyreke Evans learns how to take the pedal of the medal, the Kings have two nice cornerstones in place.
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No. 11: New Orleans Hornets
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The Western Conference isn't quite as good as it has been in recent years, but there are still a solid 11 teams in contention for playoff spots.
New Orleans probably won't be one of those teams.
The Hornets' big free agent signing in 2010 was Aaron Gray. Although there is a decent amount of talent in place, there is little to suggest that the pieces will gel to form a cohesive team.
Chris Paul might not make it through next season without being traded, which could spell disaster on multiple levels.
Aside from promising youngsters Darren Collison and Marcus Thorton, there isn't much to be excited about in New Orleans.
The Lakers aren't in any danger yet, but the playoff contenders are right around the corner.
No. 10: Phoenix Suns
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Surprised to see the Suns ranked so low?
The Suns lost more than just 25-10, or more accurately, 25-5 when they balked at Amar'e's contract demands. They lost a dominant inside scorer.
Channing Frye and Hakim Warrick are decent players but lack much of low-post game.
The real reason that the Suns are ranked so low centers around the state of the franchise. Don't be surprised if owner Robert Sarver's influence leads to the trade of Jason Richardson at some point next season in another cost-cutting move.
That would leave Steve Nash and the Suns in a tough spot to say the least.
The Suns could certainly make the playoffs if the team stays intact. They could even give Lakers a few headaches if they sneak into the postseason.
But at the moment, it looks like the Suns are trending down.
No. 9: L.A. Clippers
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A sudden improvement in the Clippers' fortunes next season might seem like nothing more than a pipe dream.
However, there is enough to suggest that the Clippers could at least hover around playoff contention as the 2010-11 season unfolds.
As usual, the Clippers' fate lies on two important ifs: Blake Griffin's health and impact and Baron Davis' health and interest.
Griffin should be able to rebound and defend from the outset of his career as he continues to develop his offensive game. That could take pressure off Chris Kaman.
Baron Davis showed flashes of his former self last season, and also his usual habits of drifting aimlessly through games.
A solid young core could inspire B Diddy to rise to the occasion and help the Clippers challenge the Lakers.
Maybe even in the playoffs.
No. 8 Houston Rockets
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Had the Rockets found a way to acquire Chris Bosh, the team would have been a lock for the postseason and possessed enough pieces to bother the Lakers.
Houston didn't strike out in free agency, but there isn't enough talent or certainty to suggest more than a first-round loss as the No. 8 seed.
Aaron Brooks gives the Lakers trouble with his ridiculous quickness. A healthy Yao would also create problems.
Beyond that, there just isn't enough to suggest even the slightest possibility of the Rockets upsetting the reigning World Champions.
No. 7: Memphis Grizzlies
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The Thunder get most of the attention for being a Western Conference team on the rise, but the Grizzlies deserve some love.
By re-signing Rudy Gay, Memphis kept the core of a talented squad intact.
The Grizzlies drafted Xavier Henry and Sam Young's improvement was evident during the NBA Summer League in Vegas. The addition of Tony Allen should further solidify what will be a much-improved bench.
Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph present a formidable frontline duo for L.A.
If Mike Conley can raise his game to the next level, the Grizzlies might be able to take a game from the Lakers in the playoffs.
No. 6: Utah Jazz
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Now that the majority of Utah's roster has headed to Chicago, the Jazz are in retooling mode.
It starts with Al Jefferson, who can be a dominant player. His change of scenery might bring some of his energy and effort back to the surface.
As long as Deron Williams is running the show, the Jazz will be a challenge for any opponent. Williams hasn't enjoyed a great deal of success against the Lakers, and looked very average against Derek Fisher's defense last season.
If the two teams end up with a re-match in 2010, Jefferson's performance against Pau Gasol will be pivotal in determining if the Jazz can win more than a single game in the series.
No. 5: Portland Trail Blazers
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Will Greg Oden be the next Sam Bowie? At this point, it's difficult to believe otherwise.
Oden's injury problems have epitomized the Blazers' struggles to keep a team on the court in recent seasons. Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge need to stay healthy for the Blazers to stay in the top-half of the Western Conference.
It has to happen at some point.
This could be the year that Portland takes a sizable step forward.
However, The Blazers don't match up particularly well with the Lakers. It's conceivable that the Blazers could win one or two games in a series, but don't expect much more than that.
No. 4: Denver Nuggets
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Denver is a difficult team to predict for a multitude of reasons.
There's George Karl's health to consider. Carmelo Anthony's future. Chauncey Billups' age. Kenyon Martin's health. And last but not least, who will take the shots when Al Harrington and J.R. Smith are on the floor together.
These questions probably won't be answered until well into the season, but if everything works there is no questions that the Nuggets have the talent to compete with anyone.
In a head-to-head battle, Ron Artest's defense against Carmelo Anthony would be critical in determining just how far the Nuggets will push the Lakers.
A healthy K-Mart and active Nene Hilario would have an impact against the long Laker frontline.
A Lakers-Nuggets series would be fun to watch. In the end, the Lakers still have the edge because of consistency.
No. 3: San Antonio Spurs
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The Spurs have surrounded Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili with promising youngsters DeJuan Blair and George Hill.
Now the question is what will happen with Tony Parker.
If Parker stays healthy and remains in San Antonio, his quickness could give the Lakers trouble.
The Spurs are the type of pesky veteran team that nobody wants to play. That doesn't mean they have enough to outlast the Lakers in a long playoff series.
The acquisition of another wing player like Jason Richardson during the season could make things even more interesting.
No. 2: Oklahoma City Thunder
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Last year's success against the Lakers was no fluke. Kevin Durant and Co. are here to stay.
The continued improvement of Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka will be critical as the Thunder prepare to face the challenges of the upcoming season.
Both players are gifted athletes who present plenty of challenges for the aging Lakers.
Ron Artest bothered Durant with his brute strength throughout the first-round series last year. Durant's skills will eventually make him impossible to stop.
The Lakers should be able to fend off the young Thunder for another year, but it will be a real struggle.
No. 1: Dallas Mavericks
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It's not often that Mark Cuban is out of the headlines, but that was the case throughout the free agency period in July.
Don't look now, but Dallas is in a great position to challenge all comers, including the Lakers.
The roster features plenty of talent and a nice mix of youth and experience. Dirk Nowitzki's hunger to win could finally be satisfied.
The Mavs' have the length to bother the Lakers and enough scorers to spread the wealth.
Kobe Bryant could have a field day against the Dallas guards, but that doesn't mean the Mavericks don't have a chance to win a playoff series.
The Mavericks have the best chance of any Western Conference team to dethrone the Lakers.
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