Northwest 1/2
Oklahoma Thunder (last year: 55-27, 4th in the West; lost 1-4 to Dallas in the Western Conference Finals)
Oklahoma is young—but they are also formidable. They played exceptionally well all last season, specifically after adding the Perkins/Mohammed center duo, which provided the interior defensive grit they previously lacked.
They enter this season with nearly the exact same roster. There haven't been any major shakeups; a few fringe players joined, while a handful of bench pieces departed, though neither move significantly alters their depth.
Offensively, Oklahoma is diverse—as they should be, given they possess the league's premier scorer, Kevin Durant. He is essentially unguardable for most; it will be interesting to see if he continues to draw as many free throws as he did last year, especially since the league has signaled that officials will be less inclined to whistle contact clearly engineered by offensive players looking to "fish" for fouls. Alongside him is one of the most explosive talents in the game, Russell Westbrook. He’s an incredible player still finding his footing, but he still carries too many erratic habits that cost Oklahoma games—specifically, overplaying his hand, forcing shots, and excessive turnovers. This is a new season, so hopefully, there's some growth there. The sooner he accepts he isn't the sole focal point, the better off the team will be. We all know who actually leads this group.
Following that primary duo, James Harden is steadily emerging as a third option. He’s a highly talented young guard with a sharp jumper and excellent driving ability; in my view, he'll be a star in the coming years. He'll provide scoring punch off the bench while Durant and Westbrook rest. The starting shooting guard is Jeff Green, a player who may lack offensive polish but offers significant defensive value. At center, we have Perkins, who arrived from Boston mid-season and immediately stabilized the defense. He is vital to this rotation, provided he stays healthy—and his knees aren't exactly reliable. If he remains on the floor, Oklahoma could go very far. The starting four is rounded out by Serge Ibaka, an elite shot-blocker with ideal physical tools who truly broke out last season.
The Thunder bench is deep. Beyond Harden, you have Maynor, Mohammed, Cook, Robinson, and Collison—a functional blend of youth and veteran savvy. They can certainly fill in for the starters, and the team's ceiling depends heavily on how much production they provide.
The team's greatest strength is its offensive versatility, particularly at home where the crowd is loud, coupled with fast transition play and Durant's sheer efficiency.
After winning 55 games last year, I expect them to potentially improve on that mark, simply because they are a year more seasoned.
Denver Nuggets (last year: 50-32, 5th in the West; lost to Oklahoma in the first round of the playoffs)
Last year, Denver boasted perhaps the deepest roster in the league. It was safe to say they had two viable options at almost every position, especially following the Carmelo Anthony trade to the Knicks—a move that turned out to be quite shrewd. After he left, the team found a rhythm and went on several winning streaks, though they couldn't get past the first round of the playoffs because Oklahoma was just too much.
For this season, they’ve lost Raymond Felton, who was traded to Portland for the veteran Andre Miller—a highly intelligent and efficient playmaker. The roster also added shooting guard Rudy Fernandez (who arrives in good shape after a successful stint playing in Spain during the lockout) and Corey Brewer. That covers the primary movement. However, three key players—Kenyon Martin, Wilson Chandler, and J.R. Smith—decided to chase a paycheck in China during the lockout. Unlike other players who sought opportunities abroad, they don't have an automatic right to return to their NBA clubs now that the lockout is over. Martin is attempting to buy out his contract to rejoin Denver, but that won't happen until March once the Chinese season concludes. He hasn't pulled it off yet, though he likely will, and it's unclear if the others will follow suit. Regardless, these three are unavailable to Denver until at least March.
Denver remains a powerhouse even without him—certainly good enough for a deep playoff run. After all the rumors and potential destinations floating around, their center, the Brazilian Nene, decided to sign an extension rather than test the market. He’s a vital piece of this roster; paired with Afflalo, he should be more than enough to keep Denver in the hunt come postseason.
Then you have the quickness of Ty Lawson—who was playing overseas during the lockout—the Italian standout Galinari, who spent his lockout stint in Milan, the Russian big man Mozgov from his time with Khimki, and the veteran presence of Al Harrington.
Denver lacks superstar firepower—no big names here—but they make up for it with incredible chemistry and pure grit. Their strength lies on the perimeter, where they’re stacked with solid playmakers and reliable shooters. However, their interior presence is a glaring weakness. They're going to feel the absence of someone like Kenyon Martin deeply; outside of Nene, there isn't much quality in the frontcourt. Harrington doesn't fit the bill, and it's clear the others haven't quite adjusted to the pace of the NBA yet. It leaves you wondering—if Nene goes down with an injury, how is Denver supposed to survive?
Denver is one of the league's premier home teams—they went 33-8 at their place last year—and that home-court advantage is going to be their primary engine again this season.
If they tighten things up defensively—and we saw them figure that out during the second half of last season—they could realistically take another step forward. That’s my take. I don't see much room for them to go beyond that.
The Portland Trail Blazers finished the season at 48-34—sitting at 6th in the West—before dropping a 2-4 series to Dallas in the opening round of the playoffs.
Portland is an incredibly talented team—and an incredibly unlucky one. Despite making the playoffs and playing a solid series against the eventual champions, the Mavericks, they managed to exit in the first round for the third consecutive year. Honestly, Blazers fans should take some pride in that; making the postseason is no small feat when your franchise cornerstone is sidelined for most of the season, and your center—who arguably had the ceiling of an elite league leader—misses yet another year, inching closer to the end of his career before he even truly hit his prime. We’re talking about the now-retired Brandon Roy, a brilliant player who was universally respected, even by opponents, and Greg Oden, a center with massive potential. If Portland had stayed healthy, they would have undoubtedly been title contenders. Instead, fate intervened. On the very same day Roy announced his retirement because his knees simply couldn't hold up anymore, the team doctors delivered the news that Oden's season was likely a wash too. He had just returned to practice and was aiming to be game-ready in about two months. It’s a shame—a real shame.
It all falls on LaMarcus Aldridge now—an elite talent who’s going to have to shoulder upwards of 40 minutes a night if the Blazers want any shot at the playoffs. He had a career year last season, averaging north of 22 points while remaining solid defensively. With Roy gone, the real question is whether Batum and Matthews have actually matured enough to lead this group. Then there’s Gerald Wallace—experienced, high-motor, and always reliable on both ends of the floor. As for the backcourt, Andre Miller steps in for the lightning-fast Raymond Felton, who is still finding his footing. Felton can be a bit reckless—he loves taking those questionable early-clock shots—but I suspect Coach Nate McMillan will rein him in, which should benefit everyone. His arrival has already injected a much higher tempo into the lineup; the Blazers are playing significantly faster than they did last year. It’ll be interesting to see how that pace translates to the standings.
Jamal Crawford will be a massive addition—a lights-out shooter who should provide much-needed energy off the bench while the starters catch their breath.
The center position is clearly the Achilles' heel for the Blazers. They’re leaning heavily on two veterans—Camby, at 37, and newcomer Kurt Thomas, who's already 39. While both are elite defenders and solid on the glass, their age is a massive liability—especially Camby, whose injury history is a constant concern. Ultimately, Portland's success hinges entirely on whether these two stay healthy, given that they have virtually zero depth behind them.
Chris Johnson is also riding the bench—a guy who looked solid whenever he got minutes last season and hasn't missed a beat during this preseason. He’s an impressive jumper and holds his own as a blocker; if he keeps this up, Aldridge might actually get a decent breather now and then.
Defensively, Portland is legit—easily one of the better units in the league and undoubtedly their biggest asset. Most of these guys are pure athletes, and the coach has them positioned perfectly on the floor, which clearly shows in the box score.
On the offensive side, everything revolves around Aldridge—he’s a reliable shooter and proved last season his post game is still there. Beyond him, they have Crawford and Matthews providing perimeter spacing, Felton driving hard to the rim, and the sheer talent of Batum.
Portland has a strong roster and, quite possibly, the best fans in the NBA. I’d say a playoff berth is a safe bet—somewhere between the 6th and 8th seed—but everyone is looking for a real leap forward compared to previous years. If they catch a bit of luck, making the Western Conference Finals would be a massive ceiling for them.
