The 2019-20 season has been everything we thought it would be, and maybe more. The western conference of the NBA has lived up to the hype as being the top conference in the NBA. All the new players on all the new teams have added the excitement and parity the league has been looking for. But there are a few that are trying to separate themselves from the pack. Will they survive the west? Can they hold off the up and coming teams behind them for a home-court spot in the playoffs? Let’s look at the best of the west so far.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers have started off the season the way all Lakers fans thought they would. The Lakers are 11-2 and are on top of the western conference. LeBron James up until this point has been the MVP version of himself. He is averaging 25 points and 11 assists, throw in seven-plus boards a game and the man is on fire, The talks of him being slowed down in his 17th year have all but went away.
Anthony Davis has also shown an MVP style of play so far as well. Davis giving 24.5 points a game and grabbing nine boards a game as well. When the two of them get going together it is a thing of basketball beauty. A couple of other additions to the team this year have been paying off as well. Danny Green who has been giving eight points and three boards as been a solid player. But it is the one and a half steals and the defensive pressure he provides that makes him a great pick up so far.
The other is Dwight Howard who is second on the team with 7.7 rebounds a game while also giving them seven points as well. He has been a good defensive presence for them. He has shown shades of the old Dwight at times and has been a good pick up. Let’s not forget Kyle Kuzma, who has risen his game this year. He looks polished somewhat and looks comfortable in his role and in his play.
The score after these guys drops for the rest of the team. The bench is what may be the weakest part of this team. With one of the big three on the floor then where does the scoring come from? But at 11-2 they must be doing ok and are the best in the west so far.
Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets have gotten off to a great record to start the season. At 10-3 they seem to be just where most thought they would be. But if you have watched them play one might wonder just how they got that record. Well, it has taken two last-second shots by Jokic, and a couple come from way behind to pull it out games. If those four games go the other way they are 6-7 and people would be wonder what happened to the Nuggets?
The one consistent, if they have one, would be the defense. They have at times looked like a defensive team. They held Harden and Westbrook in check in one of their better games of the season. they rotate like a team on a mission. On offense, it has been hit and miss.
Nikola Jokic has been an on-again, off-again, guy so far. His defense has picked up slightly and he still seems to score at will, when he wants. That is one of his big downfalls, if he is the big man, superstar player, then pick it up and score when needed. Jamal Murray has shown he has a grasp on this offense and the team. He is leading this team and it shows on the floor. Murray is at 18 points and five assists a game. Gary Harris has also been a solid player this year with his defense that helps jump-start the team.
The bench will need to be better for the Nuggets to keep a spot at the top of the west. The scary thing this team has not played well most of the time this year. The fact is they can and will be much better and that should be noted by all teams in the west.
Houston Rockets
The biggest question for the Rockets was how is James Harden and Russell Westbrook going to play together? Well so far so good. They are 11-4 and in third place in the west and they have no trouble scoring. Harden is scoring at a high pace at 39 points a game. In fact, he has six games of over 40 points including his last three of 47, 44 and 49 points respectively. He had 59 against Washington this year as well. He gives the team seven-plus assist as well a game.
Westbrook, who has 21 points, eight boards and seven assists to date. Those numbers are down a bit as he is used to averaging a triple-double. But these are more than adequate numbers that give the Rockets a combined 60 points a game from their backcourt. That is hard to match for any team.
Clint Capela has also been a factor in the winning of the Rockets. He looks strong and has been averaging 14 points and 13 rebounds. But his 2.3 blocks a game give them that rim protection that is so important. The surprise of the team might just be Danuel House Jr. who is giving them 11 points and five boards. Two more Rockets give them double-digit scoring, Eric Gordon with 10 a game and P.J. Tucker with 10. The balanced scoring and the defense have led this team to a great start.
That has not always been the case with the Rockets who tend to have slow starts. Now they are off and running and are one of the best of the west so far.
Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers are a team of drama. If it is not Kawhi Leonard taking every other day off then it is
Patrick Beverley running around the court like he is performing a modern dance routine and calling it defense. Well, that’s what Russell Westbrook sort of thought. They are a good team as Leonard leads them with 25 points a game but since the return of Paul George, George has been a beast.
Paul George came back with a vengeance and has picked up where he left off, scoring at a high pace and playing D. They are a great defensive team but it just seems like there is something missing. They have all the talent in the world with guys like Lou Williams, Montrezl Harrell, and Landry Shamet.
So why have they lost the five games they have? It just seems like they look like Houston a bit, a lot of ISO ball and the movement just is not there. Could it be the lack of both of their stars on the floor at the same time this year? Not sure but they do not look like a team that is going to beat any of the top teams in a seven-game series. But I also believe by the time Christmas comes around they will be rolling. In the end, they will be one of the last ones standing and one of the best of the west.
How the end goes
The west will not be decided anytime soon that is for sure. The teams that are at the top are tough and don’t seem to want to give those spots up. But the west is stacked this year and there are some surprised teams already. The Suns and the Mavericks are both coming on strong. They are only a few and the west is sure to be a fight to the end.
I believe the top four teams mentioned here will be the final four in the end. But getting to those four will be battles that are sure to satisfy all basketball fans. But as of now, these are the best of the west so far.
