The Western Conference Is Going To Be Absolutely Stacked For The 2022-23 NBA Season

For years, the Western Conference has had the stigma of being the stronger conference in the NBA. Teams such as the Spurs, Lakers, and Warriors have dominated the last 2 decades of professional basketball, and they have some of the greatest players ever. Tim Duncan, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant have all dominated the Western Conference en route to winning multiple NBA titles.

But heading into next season, the Western Conference is absolutely stacked. The amount of historical prowess for the Western Conference is disregarded, the Eastern Conference simply does not compare even if it has some of the best players in the world right now. Multiple Western Conference teams have fantastic chances to reach the NBA Finals next year, and the postseason will nowhere near be a cakewalk.

Here is the complete breakdown of the current Western Conference standings and an idea of just how tight the playoff seedings will be from start to finish.

Los Angeles Lakers

Starting Lineup: Russell Westbrook, Lonnie Walker, Talen Horton-Tucker, LeBron James, Anthony Davis

Best Players On Bench: Austin Reaves, Talen Horton-Tucker, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Damian Jones, Thomas Bryant

The Los Angeles Lakers might be a team that most will not hold in high regard after last season’s disaster, but you cannot count out a roster that features LeBron James at the core. The King had an excellent season last year by posting 30.3 PPG and almost ended up winning the scoring title. As an offensive star, The King had it all and did it all for a team that did not fit well together.

The Lakers are still trying to move on from Russell Westbrook, and unless they can bring in Kyrie Irving or players such as Buddy Hield and Myles Turner, it is likely the team will not find a trade they will like. Westbrook can be an important piece if he can accept playing off the ball more efficiently and taking a third seat on the team, but we have to wait and see if that works out. Of course, the Lakers season depends greatly on Anthony Davis’ health.

The Lakers improved slightly this offseason by bringing in Lonnie Walker, Juan Toscano-Andeson, and Thomas Bryant, who can all defend and also score a little bit. Losing Malik Monk hurt, but the Lakers needed more defense which they got some of. Overall, as long as James can be a top-5 player in the game and Davis stays healthy, nobody wants to play the Lakers in any important game.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Starting Lineup: D’Angelo Russell, Anthony Edwards, Kyle Anderson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert

Best Players On Bench: Bryn Forbes, Austin Rivers, Jaylen Nowell, Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid

The Minnesota Timberwolves went all-in with the surprising move for 3-time Defensive Player of the Year, Rudy Gobert. We have to see how the big men fit together on the court, especially when they even added in 6’9” wing Kyle Anderson. It seems Minnesota want to go big and play in the half-court because they want to set franchise star Karl-Anthony Towns at the three-point line as much as possible.

Of course, Anthony Edwards needs to become an All-Star for the team to reach another level. Edwards is the most explosive athlete on the team and also the best shot-creator, so he must take his game to the next level to help lead Minnesota to at least the second round of the playoffs. There is also the waiting game on D’Angelo Russell, a player Minnesota wants to move on from.

But as the roster stands, Minnesota is a sure-fire playoff team next year and will be difficult to score against with Gobert down low. Again, their offense will be interesting to watch since Towns will be a 3-point specialist next year, and fans want to know if giving up a package of first-round picks for Gobert will pay dividends immediately.

New Orleans Pelicans

Starting Lineup: C.J. McCollum, Herbert Jones, Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson, Jonas Valanciunas

Best Players On Bench: Jose Alvarado, Devonte’ Graham, Jaxson Hayes, Larry Nance Jr, Willy Hernangomez

The Pelicans are one of the most exciting teams in the NBA because they have a franchise cornerstone in Zion Williamson, who is returning to the court alongside a host of All-Star-caliber players, including Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum. McCollum was a great pickup for New Orleans last year because the guard is an experienced veteran who can score 20 PPG consistently and also handle the ball.

It is expected that McCollum will control ball-handling duties for the majority of the time to allow shooters to fit in the lineup alongside bigs Zion Williamson and Jonas Valanciunas. Herbert Jones is a blossoming shooting guard, Jose Alvarado is a fan favorite who is a pesky defender, and the bench looks solid if they can stay healthy. But of course, everything depends on Williamson’s health.

If Zion can get back to the superstar level he showed in his second season, things will be wonderful in New Orleans. They are a threat to reach the second round of the playoffs, at least when healthy, because they managed to push the Phoenix Suns to Game 6 in the first round without Zion. The 2023 NBA season could be one for the ages, and the Pelicans are one of the reasons why.

Dallas Mavericks

Starting Lineup: Luka Doncic, Tim Hardaway Jr, Dorian Finney-Smith, Christian Wood, JaVale McGee

Best Players On Bench: Spencer Dinwiddie, Reggie Bullock, Davis Bertans, Dwight Powell, Maxi Kleber

The Dallas Mavericks lost Jalen Brunson, but they brought in Christian Wood. In terms of statistics, that could be a direct swap, although Wood could be a more impactful player because of his size and two-way ability as a modern big man. Overall, the Mavericks could be in the same position they were last year in terms of playing well enough to push for another Western Conference Finals appearance.

Luka Doncic will be a major MVP contender next year because he put up incredible numbers again last year. The Slovenian posted 28.4 PPG, 9.1 RPG, and 8.7 APG in the regular season and took his numbers to 31.7 PPG, 9.8 RPG, and 6.4 APG in the playoffs. When surrounded by shooters and bigs, Doncic always has a major impact on the court for the Mavericks.

Even when losing Brunson, the Mavericks still have capable offensive player Spencer Dinwiddie coming off the bench. Dinwiddie will need to take a bigger role to compensate for the loss of Brunson, and Wood will need to stay healthy and motivated to give Luka that second scoring option in the starting lineup. Overall, expect Dallas to be a team that can defeat anybody on any given night.

Denver Nuggets

Starting Lineup: Jamal Murray, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Michael Porter Jr, Aaron Gordon, Nikola Jokic

Best Players On Bench: Bones Hyland, Bruce Brown, Jeff Green, Zeke Nnaji, DeAndre Jordan

The Denver Nuggets made a rather surprising trade to clean up the roster when they moved Will Barton and Monte Morris for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Denver wants more shooting and defense on the perimeter because Nikola Jokic will be trying to win his 3rd straight MVP award. An all-time great center already, Nikola has a tremendous impact on the modern game.

With Jamal Murray back and Michael Porter Jr hopefully getting healthy again, Denver is going to be a problem in the Western Conference. The only reason the team is not ranked higher is because Porter Jr seems to be cursed with a never-ending injury bug, and Murray might need a few months to get back to his usual self. As a result, the Nuggets might struggle to hold onto a top-3 seed in the Western Conference.

However, if both stars are healthy and Jokic continues to be an MVP candidate, Denver can legitimately be a challenger for the NBA championship. The bench looks solid with Bones Hyland continuing his ascent, and the addition of Bruce Brown could be an important factor during the season. Again, Denver’s season greatly depends on Jamal Murray being healthy because Jokic needs a ton of help to navigate a loaded Western Conference.

Memphis Grizzlies

Starting Lineup: Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Dillon Brooks, Jaren Jackson Jr, Steven Adams

Best Players On Bench: Tyus Jones, John Konchar, Ziaire Williams, Brandon Clarke, Xavier Tillman

Most people believed that Memphis would have reached the Western Conference Finals had Ja Morant stayed healthy during last year’s playoffs. Again, we will never know because the Warriors struggled to defend the explosive point guard, although they got the job done by defeating the injured Grizzlies and eventually winning the NBA championship. Next year, it is expected that Morant will be back healthy.

Ja could be an MVP candidate next year if Memphis can hold onto a top-2 seed in the West again, although it could be a more difficult task next year because a ton of teams will be competing. But Ja is a sublime talent because of his athleticism and scoring ability, and teams are still trying to find a way to slow him down when he gets going. So far, there has not been a single answer for the All-Star.

Of course, the loss of Jaren Jackson Jr for the first half of the season will be difficult. But the Grizzlies have a lot of talent who can step in for the big man, and once Jaren gets back to the court, the Grizzlies can really take off. Dillon Brooks and Desmond Bane are tremendous shooters, and Memphis has a solid rotation of bigs who can replace Jackson, including Steven Adams, Brandon Clarke, and Xavier Tillman. Overall, the Grizzlies will be a major force next year.

Phoenix Suns

Starting Lineup: Chris Paul, Devin Booker, Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder, Deandre Ayton

Best Players On Bench: Cameron Payne, Landry Shamet, Cameron Johnson, Torrey Craig, Dario Saric

The Phoenix Suns had a very interesting offseason because they were rumored to be going after Kevin Durant. But that quickly died down once the Suns re-signed star center Deandre Ayton after agreeing to a max extension. Chris Paul will be 38 years old next year, but he can still be an impact player if he can cap his limits to 30 MPG and continue to be the on and off-the-court leader for the roster.

Devin Booker needs to elevate his game and become an MVP candidate because Paul will need slightly more help at his age. Luckily for Devin, most of the core that made the 2021 NBA Finals is back, including Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder, Cameron Johnson, and Landry Shamet. The Suns will be right in the mix for another Finals appearance if the stars keep healthy.

Phoenix would have looked a lot better if Kevin Durant was on the roster alongside Paul and Booker, but it was obvious that the Brooklyn Nets wanted a package that included more than simply Bridges and Ayton. As a result, the Suns will need to keep things settled and continue their title run with Paul, the leader of the team.

Los Angeles Clippers

Starting Lineup: John Wall, Norman Powell, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Ivica Zubac

Best Players On Bench: Reggie Jackson, Terance Mann, Luke Kennard, Marcus Morris, Robert Covington

The Los Angeles Clippers will be back next year, and the NBA is on notice. Kawhi Leonard looks to be in tremendous shape, and Paul George is always a threat on both ends of the floor. Together, Leonard and George are very formidable because of what they can do in every facet of the game. But unlike last season and the season prior, the Clippers have a more complete roster with excellent starters John Wall and Norman Powell joining them.

Powell was an excellent pickup because he is another two-way player who has a tremendous impact, and Wall is a former All-Star who will be motivated to play and prove his worth again. Reggie Jackson will be back, Marcus Morris can still impose his will, and Robert Covington is an excellent two-way role player. Even Ivica Zubac is an active big man who can rebound and roll to the rim.

But as long as Kawhi is healthy and George can accompany him, the Clippers can realistically win it all in 2023. They had a great chance during the 2020 season, but the players did not want to be in the “Bubble” and that killed their chances. They have a chance to correct their wrongs three seasons later and make no mistake, the Clippers will be a force to be reckoned with if the injury bug stays far away.

Golden State Warriors

Starting Lineup: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green, Kevon Looney

Best Players On Bench: Jordan Poole, Donte DiVincenzo, Jonathan Kuminga, JaMychal Green, James Wiseman

The Golden State Warriors won the 2022 NBA championship, and because of that, they are right in the mix as favorites again next year. Stephen Curry is the best point guard in the NBA, and his star teammates that make up the Three Musketeers will be back. Of course, Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole are two exceptional third and fourth options, respectively, and could take their games to another level.

The Warriors lost Gary Payton II and Otto Porter, but they brought in Donte DiVincenzo, who wants to prove he can still play after his injury. Jonathan Kuminga will likely take a bigger role next year, while the addition of JaMychal Green could be fruitful. Not to mention, James Wiseman could make some appearances next year, and he brings size and scoring to the court as well.

But as long as Steve Kerr is the head coach and Steph Curry is the franchise player, the Warriors will be the favorites in the West. The Warriors’ shooting is second to none, and they play the best brand of basketball and basically created the style of basketball that everyone seems to emulate. It is hard to defeat the originator of something, which is why Golden State will continue to shoot the ball better than everyone else next year. 

Next

The Most Accomplished Current NBA Players: LeBron James Leads With 14, Stephen Curry Chases Him With 9

25 NBA Legends And Superstars Career-Highs In Points: Wilt Chamberlain Holds The Record With 100 Points, Kobe Bryant Is No. 2 With 81 Points

The NBA Players Who Have 20K Points, 5K Rebounds, And 5K Assists

10 Youngest NBA Players To Win The MVP Award: Derrick Rose Was Only 22 Years Old When He Broke This Record

The Most Career 3-Pointers Made By Position: Stephen Curry Leads The Point Guards, LeBron James Will Lead The Small Forwards Very Soon