WESTERN CONFERENCE RANKINGS
As we say goodbye to one of, if not the most consequential trade deadline in league history, we can take a look at where all of the teams stack up to each other. Updated 2/6/25

#1: OKC Thunder
Current Odds (via Fanduel)
+230 to win Championship
+105 to win Western Conference
What you need to know:
- Runaway #1 Seed
- +12.7 Point Differential (HIGHEST IN NBA HISTORY)
- MVP Favorite Shae-Gilgeous Alexander (-650)
The best way to describe this OKC team is that they have the highest point differential in NBA history. You read that correctly. Now, are you ready to really feel confident in this team? Six of the next seven teams on that list won the title, with the only exception being the 1971-72 Bucks. Here’s that list: '71-72 Lakers – Wilt & West '70-71 Bucks – Kareem & Oscar '95-96 Bulls – Arguably Jordan's best team '16-17 Warriors – Prime KD & Steph '23-24 Celtics – Last year’s Celtics were a buzzsaw all season long '71-72 Bucks '96-97 Bulls WHY YOU SHOULD BELIEVE: The better question with this group is: why wouldn't you believe? They have the best point differential in league history, and they aren’t even healthy! Once Chet comes back, we’ll really get a sense of what this team is capable of. Jalen Williams (J-Dub) has predictably continued his rise as one of the best wing players in the league. Aaron Wiggins has emerged as a real 3-and-D player. It feels like every time someone checks into the game, you see them at the scorer’s table and think, "Oh, I kind of like that guy." This team is full of bulldogs on the defensive end, and it’s almost surprising when they lose a game. +105 odds to win the West seems like a steal. With MVP favorite SGA running the show, I’ll be shocked if anyone even takes them to a Game 7. WHY NOT TO BELIEVE: They’ve never done it before. That’s really the only case against them. There are moments when their offense gets a little stale, but in the playoffs—when SGA is playing all the big minutes—I have very few reservations. J-Dub hasn’t had the best track record in big games thus far in his career, but at this point, I’m really reaching for reasons not to believe in this team. X-FACTOR(S): Three-point shooting from role players. Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins, Cason Wallace, Isaiah Joe—great players you trust in a random January game. But can these guys hit big shots in the playoffs? They’ll need to make at least a few if they want to hang a banner this year.

#2: Denver Nuggets
Current Odds (via Fanduel)
+1400 to win Championship
+600 to win Western Conference
What you need to know:
- Nikola Jokic is the best player alive and maybe to ever live
- Jamal Murray decided to get in shape!
Nikola Jokić is just not real. What he does on a day-to-day basis is better than anything I have ever seen, and I am not exaggerating. Miami Heat/second-stint Cleveland LeBron was a special player, but what the Joker is doing has statistical comparisons only with the great Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson, and current teammate Russell Westbrook—except he’s doing it on a completely different level of efficiency. WHY THEY COULD WIN: I’m sorry for being repetitive, but it can be summed up in two words: Nikola Jokić. As of today, he is 3rd in scoring (29.5 PPG), 3rd in rebounding (12.9 RPG), 2nd in assists (10.3 APG), 4th in steals (1.8 SPG), and 2nd in three-point percentage (46.6%). Let’s see Jordan do that! Come at me—no player in league history, outside of maybe peak Larry Bird, could even dream of that stat line. All I can say is, thank you, Nikola. Thank you for doing what you do because it sure is a pleasure to watch. WHY NOT TO BELIEVE: The rest of the roster is just really not very good. Let’s talk about the team Calvin Booth has assembled. Jamal Murray has finally decided to get in shape and is playing like someone earning $36 million this year, so that’s exciting. But they are relying on him to be a 25-points-per-game sidekick for the Joker, and whether he can channel that version of himself again remains to be seen. Michael Porter Jr. has been fine. Aaron Gordon is pretty good but will need to keep hitting open threes to be a real asset. Christian Braun has been a fun addition to the starting lineup, but that only highlights the real problem—the lack of depth on this team. The real wild card that could have gone either way is Russell Westbrook, and so far, it could not be going better. Whether we’ll feel confident as Westbrook is being taunted by the defense to take his fifth wide-open three in a must-win Game 6 in the playoffs remains to be seen. But for now, Nuggets fans, enjoy the ride. Outside of Russ, the depth gets sketchy, to say the least. Julian Strawther is quite a roller coaster to root for. Jaylen Watson might be good someday—at least that’s what my Nuggets friend tells me. Jokić is amazing, but the rest of this roster seems poised to let him down.

#3: Los Angeles Lakers
Current Odds (via Fanduel)
+2000 to win Championship
+850 to win Western Conference
What you need to know:
- They have Luka Doncic
- LeBron James continues to drink from the fountain of youth
- Austin Reaves is quickly becoming one of the best white players of the 2020's
Before the fateful night of February 1st, I would have quit reading any site that had the Lakers this high on any list. Then came the dumbest trade of my lifetime—and probably in league history. Welcome to the Luka Dončić experience, Los Angeles fans! WHY THEY COULD WIN: Luka magic. That’s really it. Sure, LeBron continues to turn back the clock and look like a modern-day Karl Malone in the post when he wants to, but this is all about the Slovenian President, Luka Dončić. Luka carried a Dallas team—one you could argue had equal talent to this Lakers roster—to the Finals last year. Now that he’s pissed off, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if he does it again. WHY THEY WILL NOT WIN: Defense. Calling this roster defensively challenged would be generous. LeBron and Luka don’t play defense—that’s 40% of your crunch-time lineup right there. My beloved Austin Reaves tries hard but isn’t exactly a lockdown defender, bringing us up to 60% of the crunch-time lineup. Now, even if Dorian Finney-Smith plays like prime Scottie Pippen and Mark Williams plays like prime Bill Russell, this team will have to flat-out outscore everyone at the end of games. And you know what? With two supercomputers in Luka and LeBron running the show, it just might happen.

#4: Memphis Grizzlies
Current Odds (via Fanduel)
+3000 to win Championship
+1100 to win Western Conference
What you need to know:
- Ja Morant misses a lot of games
- Jaren Jackson is one of the best big men in the league
- Memphis nailed the draft...again
Memphis is so hard for me to figure out. On one hand, their depth and resilience—winning games no matter who is in or out of the lineup—is a testament to incredible drafting and the culture that Taylor Jenkins has built. Jaylen Wells (WSU’s own!) has been one of the most impactful second-round picks in recent memory. Zach Edey is a matchup nightmare for the wrong team. But here’s the issue: in the playoffs, depth becomes less important. You play your best players more minutes, and I worry this team doesn’t have that next gear. Ja Morant has consistently proven he can’t stay healthy for more than two weeks at a time. For this team to be a serious contender, he has to be one of the 10 best players in the league. He’s capable of that when healthy—but we haven’t seen that version of him in two years. WHY THEY COULD WIN: Youth and athleticism! To beat this team, you have to be healthy and you have to play well. Their relentless defense and activity make them a tough matchup for older teams. A core of Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Desmond Bane is really good. They’ve picked up a couple of playoff scars and could be ready to surprise some people. WHY THEY WILL NOT WIN: Health and half-court offense. As mentioned, Ja Morant can’t seem to stay healthy for more than two weeks at a time. Some people in Memphis believe this is intentional—an effort to keep him fresh for the playoffs—so we’ll see. The downside of all their youth and depth is that these guys haven’t played in big games yet. You never know how young players will respond when the moment gets big. Ultimately, Memphis still feels a year or two—and a trade or two—away.

#5: Dallas Mavericks
Current Odds (via Fanduel)
+4700 to win Championship
+2300 to win Western Conference
What you need to know:
- They made the worst trade in league history at the deadline
- Kyrie Irving is the only creator on this team
I am not sure that I have ever felt worse for a fan base than I do for current Mavericks fans. Anthony Davis is an awesome player and one of my personal favorite players in the league so I certainly do not want to disparage what he offers a team. I worry that the dark cloud that is settling over this group will push them one way or the other. Either this group really bonds together and the fans really buy into this tough nosed defensive team and they get an awesome half year/playoff run from Kyrie. The other side of this could get ugly. Fans are asking for full refunds for the rest of their season tickets for the season. There is a scenario where Kyrie and AD get hurt, the fans turn on management in a way that hasn't really been seen in the modern NBA and this team finishes 12th in the west and the conspiracy theories of the team moving to Las Vegas take a whole new life. WHY THEY COULD WIN: Defense. And that is what Nico Harrison is betting big on. I do not disagree with him that "defense wins championships" and maybe this group can channel the tough nosed identity. Klay Thompson gets hot from 3, Kyrie turns back the clock a couple of years, AD keeps playing like a 1st team All-NBA player. All of these things can conceivably happen and I am rooting for it because I enjoy almost every player on this roster. WHY THEY WILL NOT WIN: Health and a fan revolution. Kyrie goes a little off the rails with the pressure of being a number 1 again for the first time since Boston (which went so well!). Klay Thompson continues to look his age. PJ Washington can't play the 3. Honestly, there are a lot more reasons to doubt rather than believe in this team. I hope that I am wrong but I would be stunned to see this team make it past the first round of the playoffs and will not be surprised at all to see them not in the dance at all.

#6: Houston Rockets
Current Odds (via Fanduel)
+4800 to win Championship
+1800 to win Western Conference
What you need to know:
- Amen Thompson is amazing
- This team is 2 years and 2 trades away from being their final form
Welcome to year 21 of the LeBron James experience! If you give any fan truth serum, I doubt they would be able to come up with 5 players that they fear more in a one game winner takes all scenario (in which he is 12-0 in since he was 24). Unfortunately for the Lakers, the playoffs are not 1 game series. Why they could win: Despite having to get into the playoffs through the play-in tournament for the 3rd time, this Lakers team is peaking at the right time. Anthony Davis is unquestionably a 2nd team NBA player this year and is one of the most disruptive players in the game. D'Angelo Russell is playing the best basketball of his career, Austin Reaves is a dog in big games, Rui Hachimura has stretches where he just doesn't miss. Despite all of that, the team still comes and goes with the play of LeBron James who has been incredible when having a couple days of rest, which he will get for most of the first round. Why they could lose: The Denver Nuggets, that's why. I think I would maybe have the Lakers 2nd on this and no less than 4th if they didn't have a first round date with the defending champs. Denver has won 9 straight including a 4 game sweep in last years playoffs against the Lakers. I don't know if anyone can beat a healthy Denver, the Lakers hopes probably rely on the health of Jamal Murray. What is their most likely outcome: I think they probably get 1 game off of the Nuggets, probably game 3 at home. 5 game series loss to Denver in the first round.

#7: Minnesota T-Wolves
Current Odds (via Fanduel)
+2400 to win Championship
+900 to win Western Conference
What you need to know:
#3 Seed
56 - 26 Regular Season Record
Best Defense in NBA
Rising Star in Anthony Edwards
Soon to be Defensive POY Rudy Gobert
Well this sucks to write. I love Minnesota, I am rooting for Minnesota. This ranking has nothing to do with what I think of their team but more of their draw of Phoenix in the first round and Denver in the second round. Why they could win: They have the NBA's best defense and a transcendent player that is on the rise in Anthony Edwards. They have the size to bully smaller teams and are probably the only team (with Viktor Wembanyama not in the playoffs) that can make Nikola Jokic uncomfortable. Why they could lose: They drew literally their worst matchup in the first round. The Suns just beat them in a must win game in the last game of the regular season, they beat them the two times before that as well. Phoenix's team of mid range assassins is a worst case scenario for Minnesota's drop defense. Even if they can get past a really tough Phoenix team with arguably 2 top 10 players in the league, the T-Wolves reward will more than likely be a matchup with the defending champion Denver Nuggets. I see a really bright future for Minnesota but this playoffs is probably not where they break through. What is their most likely outcome: A competitive first round series against Phoenix probably losing in 6 games.

#8: New Orleans Pelicans
Current Odds (via Fanduel)
+13000 to win Championship
+6500 to win Western Conference
What you need to know:
#8 Seed
49 - 33 Regular Season Record
Zion Williamson is HURT
Injuries suck man...Zion was playing the best game of his young career, he was going score for score with the entire Lakers team and then all the sudden Zion was gone. Dang. It felt like we finally were getting the guy that we have been waiting for since his Duke days and then it is just gone. Well, without Zion this won't be much of a series against the Thunder. I was really excited for it before the injury but now it just feels like there is no way that Brandon Ingram and company will be able to keep this close. Why they could win: They won't. Why they could lose: They are a play-in team missing their best players, they are supposed to lose. What is their most likely outcome: They win one game because Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum get hot and lose a gentlemans sweep to the Thunder.