Even though the Cleveland Cavaliers are the reigning NBA champions, the power of the association still lies in the West with the Golden State Warriors and the San Antonio Spurs, the one and two seeds in the Western Conference.
It won’t be a record-breaking win-loss season as it was last year for the Warriors, who broke the Michael Jordan-Chicago Bulls team record of 72-10, only losing nine games and winning 73. But it shouldn’t be far off, although the Warriors have already lost nine games this season, seven less than the Cavs.
The Warriors will have 26 games remaining when they resume the season after the All-Star Break next Thursday, Feb. 23.
Golden State set their course on the road to this postseason last July, when they signed four-time scoring champion Kevin Durant, who had become a free agent. Durant chose the Warriors over the Oklahoma Thunder, the team that drafted him, the second pick of the first round in 2007. Durant, voted the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in 2014, shocked the world by signing with Golden State, the team that OKC was one game away from defeating to reach the NBA Finals.
Durant, who’s still learning to fit in with Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Clay Thompson, is averaging 25.8 points per game, along with 8.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists during his first season with Golden State.
They’re the super power of the West, although they must share the spotlight with the Spurs, who hold down the second-best Western Conference record.
They also have fewer losses than Cleveland. And don’t let their national TV loss to the New York Knicks Sunday confuse you. That loss was as much a shock to them as winning was to the Knicks and a shock to those watching. It was another one of those miracles on 33rd Street.
Also attracting eyes and attention in the West are the much improved Houston Rockets.
Head coach Mike D’Antoni, who took the helm during the offseason, has transformed Houston, led by the explosive ball handler James Harden, into the third seed in the West. Harden’s style of play is perfect for D’Antoni’s fast-paced style of offense.
It seems customary for the L.A. Clippers to suffer through these past few seasons with injuries. This season is no different.
The current fourth seed L.A. is without the help of star guard Chris Paul, who’ll need surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb. The procedure is expected to sideline Paul for six to eight weeks. Hopefully his thumb can be repaired sometime in March and he and the Clippers will be prepared for the postseason run.
Paul’s injury came at a time when the Clippers were waiting for the return of Blake Griffin, who also needed a surgical procedure in late December. Griffin’s surgery was needed because of an injured right knee.
The Utah Jazz, much improved, the Memphis Grizzlies, OKC, feeling the effects of losing Durant, and the Denver Nuggets,who have a less than .500 record, currently hold down the fifth through eighth playoff seeds.
The Portland Trail Blazers and Dallas Mavericks, fifth and six seeds last season, have fallen out of “the best of eight” category, are out of playoff contention and are currently holding down the 10th and 11th spots.
