For years, the NBA’s Western Conference playoffs were like a battle royal. The league put together eight talented teams, that could mop up nearly anyone in the East, and let them duke it out for supremacy. It often seemed that the West boasted five or six legitimate title contenders. Now, with the emergence of the Golden State Warriors, it appears though that Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Co. have deflated and defeated many of its West-side rivals. These days the conference’s true title contenders look like a terrible spades hand – two and a soft possible.
In the previous five playoff series, the following teams have all made at least one trip to the Western Conference Finals: Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder, Memphis Grizzlies and Dallas Mavericks. Furthermore, the Los Angeles Clippers seemed to accrue enough talent to become a viable contender, but it hasn’t come to fruition.
Now it seems the Spurs are the only team with a real chance of stopping the Warriors. The Spurs are the only team that has been able to acquire players and improve the team without changing its scheme or style in hopes of defeating the Warriors. Credit Gregg Popovich for understanding that he can’t try to beat the Warriors at their own game. He simply wants the Spurs to do what the Spurs do. Acquiring LaMarcus Aldridge (and David West on the low) obviously didn’t hurt. Kawhi Leonard’s development into a MVP candidate and one of the top two-way players in the game is as impressive as the Warriors’ rise.
The Thunder, equipped with two perennial MVP candidates, must be given an outside shot. Russell Westbrook is nearly unstoppable now. Kevin Durant is back healthy and lighting up the nets. Good news for Thunder fans is that the team finished 2-2 against the Spurs in the regular season. The bad news is that it finished 0-3 versus the Warriors. If Durant and Westbrook get hot for a series, anything can happen. But the Thunder showed in losing Game 2 to an injury-depleted Mavericks team that it has a hard time staying focused and consistent. The big question is, what happened to everyone else?
Houston Rockets: The Rockets simply don’t have enough heart. James Harden is a magical wizard on the offensive side of the basketball, but often makes himself disappear on defense. Dwight Howard hasn’t been the same since he was with the Orlando Magic. Howard has proven that while he can still put up decent stat lines, he cannot be a game changer when he is not the primary focus on offense. Harden is a ball-dominant guard and thus it is impossible for Howard to be happy. He sulks, whines and lacks the effort that once made him one of the premier big men in the game. Firing Kevin McHale after a 4-7 start wasn’t the answer. Houston must part ways with its big man if the team wants to bounce back into contention.
Memphis Grizzlies: For years the Grizzlies were the antithesis of the run-and-gun Warriors. They’re a half-court, defensive-minded team that likes to bully teams down low with Zack Randolph and Marc Gasol. Gasol’s injury signaled the doom of the Grizzlies from contention. Even with Gasol in the lineup, they lack the offensive firepower to rise back to the top of the West. The Grizzlies desperately need a quality two-way wingman. O.J. Mayo couldn’t get it done. Jeff Green wasn’t consistent. Lance Stephenson isn’t the answer. The search continues.
Dallas Mavericks: Dirk Nowitzki is still the heart and soul of the Mavs franchise, but at 37-years-old, he can no longer carry the team on his shoulders. To their credit, the Mavericks surprised everyone by bouncing back to finish as the sixth seed in the West after a tumultuous offseason due to DeAndre Jordan’s free-agent flake-out. Deron Williams resuscitated his career, Chandler Parsons and Wesley Matthews played well. Zaza Pachulia turned out to be a steal. Still, none of players are elite. The Mavs are in the playoffs due to great coaching and teamwork. They pose no threat to the throne. Mark Cuban will have to fight hard to bring a superstar to Dallas to take the torch from Nowitzki.
Los Angeles Clippers: Just like the Rockets will never win with Howard anchoring the middle, the same holds true for the Clippers with Jordan. Yes, Jordan is a beast on the boards and a solid defender but he doesn’t have the mental fortitude to anchor a team deep into the playoffs. Player-for-player, the Clippers have the most-talented team in the league. Blake Griffin is one of the most underrated players in the league, but is coming off injury and suspension in what has been a tumultuous year. Chris Paul is still an elite point guard but has an interesting dilemma on the Clips. He has too many mouths to feed and still need to eat in order for the Clippers to win. Luckily for the Clippers, they were the second fiddle so long in Los Angeles that being the best team in L.A. should be enough for the fans. It better be, because being the best in the West just isn’t happening.
Let’s Go Blues!
I’m always hesitant to get excited about the St. Louis Blues in the playoffs. Let’s keep it real, regardless of the regular-season record, the Blues always seem to go to bed early in the postseason. Furthermore, the Blackhawks leave the Blues with black eyes at almost every encounter. Now Ken Hitchcock has his team in prime position to exorcise its demons with a commanding 3-1 series lead. We’ve seen this not work out so well in the past, but hopefully this is the season the Blues can finally put it together and make a deep run. Let’s all put our hands together in preparation for claps and not just another collapse.
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