In the spirit of all great sports sites, we will be giving out our NBA power ranking 2020 from the preseason to the end of the season. Belly Up Sports Hoops will give you the Western Conference and the Eastern conference ranking, then an NBA all-around ranking.
Over the past few years, this was a bit of an easy task, at least at the top of the Western Conference. With all of the changes that went on during free agency, the balance has been reformed and the conference is up for grabs. Since no team has even played one game with their new stars, we
will assess by last years record, playoff run, or fight to get there, and what they have gained in the off-season. As the season gets underway this is the way the Western Conference looks today.
Western Conference
#1. Denver Nuggets-
2018-19 record: 54-28
Last season the Nuggets made a solid run in the playoffs coming up short to Portland in game seven of the second round. With one of the youngest cores in the NBA, their upside is off the charts. With the first team all NBA center Nikola Jokic and point guard Jamal Murry, they will be looking to be one of the best duos in the NBA this season. Last season Gary Harris got hit with the injury bug and never really got into a grove after. This year he should be back to the star he was becoming.
They have a bench that can be as good as some starting five, with Monte Morris and Malik Beasley, Plumlee and Grant. Denver did not make any major moves in the offseason, except to obtain Jerami Grant From the Oklahoma City Thunder. He will be a great boost off that bench. He adds size and power and will benefit from the running game in Denver.
But the most intriguing player on the team might be Michael Porter Jr. After sitting out all of last season he is now healthy and ready to show the Nuggets fans and the NBA what he can do. If he can add another star to this team they will be the front runner for sure. With coach Malone leading, add those additions along with being another year wiser, and the Nuggets will be ready to shoot for a title. They are our NBA power rankings 2020 number one.
#2. Utah Jazz
2018-19 record: 50-32
The Utah Jazz has been at or near the top of the Western Conference for at least the last three years. With Donovan Mitchell, who has improved his shooting and is still a rising star in this league. Along with Rudy Gobert leading the defensive charge, they are in solid hands. But then they also go out and gain Mike Conley and Bojan Bogdanovic in the offseason. Conley is an upgrade by anyone’s standards and should help the Jazz in many ways, from his ability to get to the hole or his leadership qualities.
Bojan adds some perimeter shooting that the Jazz so dearly needed. With the loss of Ricky Rubio, Derrick Favors and Jae Crowder, the Jazz should still be one of the top contenders in the West. They possess the bench and the role players needed to make a run. The question with the Jazz will be, can they ever get to point where they win the close games? They were 15-18 in games that were within five points in the last five minutes. Over the past five seasons that record is 89-101.
Once the Jazz overcomes this amazing stat they could easily take the Western Conference. They are our NBA power rankings 2020 number two.
#3. Houston Rockets-
2018-19 record: 53-29
The sort of wild card at the top is the Houston Rockets. When it comes to the regular season there is no other team that is sure to have a good year. Houston has reached the playoffs for seven straight years, reaching the conference finals two of the last five years. I don’t have to tell Rocket fans what happen next, the Rockets ran out of gas.
The iso play of Harden when they get deep in the playoffs really hurts them. They live with his propensity to go on his own during the season as he gets to the line with regularity. But deep in the playoffs, when stars are all over, getting a soft call gets less likely. He tends to not get the same calls he gets in the regular season.
That might be where their off-season prize comes in. The Rockets obtained Russel Westbrook from the Oklahoma City thunder. The triple-double machine that is Westbrook might take some of that pressure left on Harden when they get deep in playoffs once again. The big question with them will be how these two dynamic stars play together. They were great together a long time ago, but will they have that same chemistry now?
A theme of teams with new duos that will be seen throughout the top teams, but it holds true with all that they must have time together. Also, will the Rockets defense be as effective as in the past? The main departure for the Rockets was Chris Paul who is now in OKC. We expect a big year from Houston thus they are our NBA power rankings 2020 number three.
#4. Los Angeles Clippers
2018-19 record: 48-34
The Clippers have made the top five of our power ranking because of the moves they made in the off-season. Many believe that they were the big winner in free agency as they landed two of the top free agents that were on the market, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. They have Patrick Beverly, Landry Shamet and Lou Williams that make for a great bunch to pair with Paul and Kawhi.
The Clippers also have a nice bench and a coach in Doc Rivers that is one of the best in the NBA. Although they were out in the first round of the playoffs last season, the team showed its ability to play with anyone. Let the battle for LA begin.
One of the big questions for this team will be Paul George’s health. He will be out for a good amount of time to start the season. Can he stay healthy is a huge question, this was a big factor in making them number four. As well, the question is the same for teams that added two or more players, how well can they mix with each other? This is where Doc comes in, he has the experience of taking a few stars, putting them together and making it work.
While in Boston he managed to win with the same type team so if any coach out there today can make this team a champion, Rivers can. They are our NBA power rankings 2020 number four.
#5. Los Angeles Lakers
2018-19 record: 37-45
The Lakers are another team that made some big moves in the off-season. Some might say a bit of an overhaul really. With the major addition of Anthony Davis, via a trade with the Pelicans, the Lakers position themselves as a top contender in the west. Davis will help with some of the defensive problems that the Lakers have had. Last season the Lakers were a bottom 10 defense and that will be one of the areas they will need to make a major jump in.
They signed DeMarcus Cousins in the off-season only to see him go down with a season-ending injury to his knee. To replace Cousins they signed Dwight Howard, who brings his own questions with him back to L.A. To help as well with the defense they recruited Danny Green who will be a nice addition. There are so many questions for this team from on the floor play, to the front office, but when you have two of the best players in the game it affords you the respect that you will win.
After not making the playoffs last season we feel a jump to five is a good place for this team to start. Therefore they are our NBA power rankings 2020 number five.
#6. Golden State Warriors
2018-19 record: 57-25
Over the past several years there was one consistency in the NBA, The Warriors would lead the west. This year it looks like things will be a bit different. While it feels crazy to put them at the number six position but they lost a lot from last season. With Kevin Durant in New Jersey, Clay Thomason out with the ACL injury and Andre Iguodala in Memphis, the Defense just won’t be the same.
To me, that is too much to lose in one off-season to not feel the effect. Even with the addition of D’Angelo Russell, they will struggle this year. To start this season we will put them at the six and see how the team can role without all the pieces. Therefore they will be our NBA power rankings 2020 number six.
#7. Portland Trailblazers
2018-19 record: 53-29
Portland made it all the way to the Conference finals in the West last season. Even though they made that run without the big guy, Jusuf Nurkic, they have lost a lot more than just him this offseason. With Al-Farouq Aminu leaving and basically 7 of the top guys as far as playoff minutes from last season leaving, they will need more to get by.
It is not as if they have nothing, they have what some believe to be the best backcourt in the NBA. Damian Lillard and C.J McCollum are a great pair to have, they give you all the scoring you want and the heart of two lions on the floor. With this duo, we already know they can play together unlike some of the other duos in the west. Just seems like they lost a lot and if they prove me wrong I will be happy to move them up.
They also added Kent Bazemore and Hassan Whiteside to the Roster which will help, but Whiteside is far from a replacement for what they have lost. Now Bazemore will add to the outside shooting, which is much needed I may add, but with what they have going into the season, a seventh ranking is where they belong to start. For these reasons, they are our NBA power rankings 2020 number seven.
#8. Sacramento Kings
2018-19 record: 39-43
The Kings have a young core that can really play. With two of the top 55 players in the league according to SI. Buddy Hield and De’Aaron Fox are becoming two of the best at what they do. Primetime players that will need to up their game to another level if they are going to make the playoffs this year. This is not all the Kings have though. They have some really nice players to go with these two.
Harrison Barnes, who also made the top 100, is a great guy to have. He ended up shooting 39% from three last season, a big boost from outside. Another big piece to this team is Bogdan Bogdanovic from Serbia. If he keeps his current pace he is sure to be in the top 100 very soon as well. Finally, they have a pair of big men in, Marvin Bagley and Harry Giles that if they can up their game this year they will help the King reach the playoffs this year. If not San Antonio will make it 23 years straight. They will be our number eight in our NBA power rankings 2020.
#9. San Antonio Spurs
2018-19 record: 48-34
With the emergence of Derrick White last season, he is posed to be a big part of the Spurs this season. As they go for the record of 23 years straight of getting to the postseason. another piece, Dejounte Murray will play a big role as well. He and White will be the makeup of the Spurs backcourt for many years. They have DeMar DeRozan who can play and has played at the three, very effectively.
LaMarcus Aldridge will still man the post and is always a threat. He is still one of the top big men in the league and can help lead this team. One of the biggest acquisitions may have been to hire ex-big man and Hall of Famer from the Spurs, Tim Duncan. Having the best coach in basketball, Gregg Popovich, and adding Duncan, can only be a good thing for the Spurs. The question may be the bench. Is there enough on this team to get to the playoffs once again? The Spurs will be fighting for one of the last spots and they will need to overachieve to do this. Thus they will be our number nine in our NBA power rankings 2020.
#10. New Orleans Pelicans
2018-19 record: 33-49
We all know that the Pelicans traded away Anthony Davis and in return got a good group of players.
Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, and Josh Hart as well as a whopping three first-round draft picks, including this year’s fourth overall. The Pelicans also added J.J. Redick and Derrick Favors. This along with the number one overall pick in this years draft Zion Williamson. In sports terms, this is a complete overhaul and in most cases, it does not work out too well.
But this is a group of players that if they can find a rhythm, become a close team, they could surprise a lot of people and teams this year. Not to far fetched that they could move into one of the payoffs spots if all things work out. But expect them to have more growing pains this year as they get that team together. In our NBA power rankings 2020, they will be our number 10.
#11 Dallas Mavericks
2018-19 record: 33-49
Of course, when talking Mavericks basketball you must talk about Kristaps Porzingis. The Mavs gave him a max deal even though he has been out for a long period of time with an injury. The question will be, can he still shoot 39% or better from three? Can he still be the force at the rim he was before? all question that needs to be answered before they can compete for the playoffs.
Don’t get me wrong, they will not be run over this year. Porzingis and Luka Doncic may be dynamic together, and new addition, Seth Curry, will add needed outside shooting. But do they have enough around them to compete in a west that is so loaded? Right now the post-Nowitzki era begins, and they will our number 11 in our NBA power rankings 2020.
#12. Oklahoma City Thunder
2018-19 record: 49-33
What can you say about the Thunder? I mean you lose Russell Westbrook, Paul George, Jerami Grant and think you will be more than a six seed you had last season? That is a great deal of talent from a team that was not exactly stacked with talent. They did gain Chris Paul and a bunch of picks, but that is not really going to help them this year.
As they rebuild they may and should trade Paul and get some more picks and build that team the right way. For now, they will stay number 12. Don’t be surprised if they fall before they go up. In our NBA power rankings 2020, they are number 12.
#13. Minnesota Timberwolves
2018-19 record: 36-46
When you talk about the Timberwolves, Karl Anthony-Towns must be the subject. There is not a lot around Towns right now that would make the Timberwolves more of a threat. Last season Wiggins did not exactly light the league up. That is not to say that he will not come back this year and play up to his ability. Let’s just say they both play their best ball, is that enough?
Anthony-Towns will be a great player as he has been in past years, and he is only 23. It is not too late for this franchise, Karl has five years before he hits the market. They have a chance to build around a couple of guys that can be around a long time. Although they did gain a new president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas and they added Jarrett Culver. They hope Rosas can build this back into a contender once again. But for this season they will start at number 13 in our NBA power rankings 2020.
#14. Memphis Grizzlies
2018-19 record: 33-49
Since the departure of Mike Conley, about the only thing, Grizzlies fans have to cheer about is Ja Morant. Their number one pick in this year’s draft and some say should have been the first pick, is a dynamic player and scorer. He is a good facilitator and will be asked to lead the team. But he is a rookie and so only time will tell how good he is or will be, but his upside seems great.
They also have Jaren Jackson Jr who also has a big upside. Jackson is a good rim protector and has a good outside game as well. If he can get a duo thing going with Morant that will be a nice starting point to get this franchise moving. They have a ton of picks to play within drafts or for trades so they are ok for the future. This is a proud franchise with a fan base that knows their basketball, but this year will be a growing year. We have them at number 14 in our NBA power rankings 2020.
#15. Phoenix Suns
2018-19 record: 19-63
The Suns have been at or near the bottom of the west for a long time. This is not due to lack of effort to become better as they did draft the face of the franchise, Devin Booker as well as Deandre Ayton. together they may become one of those duos of the west. The Western Conference is stacked and loaded this year and unfortunately, the Suns have not reached a point for them to get out of the bottom.
Adding Ricky Rubio and Dario Saric is another good move that can make a difference. Rubio is a nice pairing with Booker, and he is an upgrade on the defensive side as well. That should help with a defensive point deferential per 100 possessions last season that was more than three times worse than any other Western Conference team. That is their downfall and until that, and countless other things, can change we will have them at the number 15.
The results
This is where we believe the western conference stands today. As camps begin and as the pre-season gets underway this list will sure to change, but as of now, they are flying a mile high in Denver.
Follow me on Twitter @Gourmetcasanova and
@HoopsBellyUp for more basketball content.
