Official 2017-18 Western Conference Standings Predictions

[Lipoli390]

In another thread, we predicted the Wolves win total for this upcoming season. This thread asks everyone to predict the final Western Conference regulator season standings for the season. No need to repeat your win total prediction. Just where you think all 15 Western Conference teams will end up in the standings. Here's my prediction:

1. Warriors - I know this is a shocker
2. Thunder - Westbrook, George, Melo, Adams, Roberson and a great head coach
3. Rockets - Could easily finish #2, but I think the Thunder edge them out
4. Spurs - On pure talent, the Wolves should finish ahead of the Spurs. But then there's Pop.
5. Wolves - Could easily finish 4th, 7th or 8th. Depends on improvement from Wiggins/KAT
6. Nuggets - Good team last season. Even more talented/experienced this upcoming season.
7. Blazers - 2nd best scoring backcourt in NBA behind the Warriors.
8. Pelicans - If AD is healthy and Cousins has his head on straight, I see them landing at 7.9. 9. Grizzlies - Tough call, but Marc Gasol and Conley might not be enough for #8.
10. Clippers - If Gallo stays healthy, then Clips could easily finish 6th, 7th or 8th. But...
11. Jazz - Possible playoff team, but losing Hayward and Hill probably means 9-11 finish.
12. Lakers - A healthy Lonzo will be ROY. Randle, Lopez, Ingram, Kusma, KCP, Clarkson.
13. Mavs - I'm probably underestimating the Carlisle effect.
14. Suns - Booker is a budding star. Bledsoe's good when hearlthy. But then...
15. Kings

[thedoper]

How does Minny get to the 5 with 47 wins? I think the 5 seed has to have more if the East is going to be so awful again. I agree with your order 1-7. I think the Grizz take a bigger dip just because of injuries and they even trade one of their 2. I think Dallas is going to be not so bad. I just think Carlise is such a competent coach and I am rooting hard for Dennis Smith.

1.GSW
2.OKC
3.HOU
4.SAS
5.MIN
6.DEN
7.POR
8. UTA
9. NOP
10.LAC
11. DAL
12.MEM
13.LAL
14.SAC
15. PHX

[Monster]

I'm going with a tiered approach. Other than the tiers the order probably doesn't matter except where noted.

1.
GS

2.
Rockets
Thunder
Spurs


3. Wolves
Portland

4. Denver
Clippers
Jazz
Grizz
Pels

5. Mavs
Lakers

6. Kings
Suns

Injury is big for how ai view these teams. A couple teams have already been hit with injuries. Pels have lost Rondo for a while with hernia surgery and they were thin to begin with. That team just seems pierced together and while they have 2 really talented guys and Cousins looks ready to do damage I'm just not sure they can overcome the rest of that roster (plus stay healthy themselves) even with Dante and Allen signing there. Clippers are a disaster waiting to happen with injuries. The Grizz??? There are likely going to be at least 2 teams derailed by injuries in the conference. Pray one isn't the Wolves.

Denver I think is a nice team with some nice talent but I think they are a bit overrated. They have quality depth though (except PG) and that does help. Butler is simply a better all around player than anyone Denver has and that's enough to put the Wolves a tier above them. Portland's depth and high level of guard play offensively put them on a higher tier than the teams below.

I think the Suns are gonna end up with a terrible record. If someone offers anything decent for Bledsoe he will be gone and he is arguably their best player if you are looking at winning games night in night out. The Kings have some vets and some nice youth but at the end of the day I don't think they have the vets that will helps as much as some of the other teams. The Mavs already have Curry injured for a bit.

Ultimately you could probably simplify the tiers into

GS

Contender hopefuls

Rockets
Spurs (they are gonna be there some how some way unless Leonard is out for an extended time)
Thunder

Playoff hopefuls (someone might get fired for some of these teams if they dont make the playoffs)

Wolves
Portland
Denver
Grizz
Jazz
Pels
Clippers

Teams few will be surprised if they suck and most would be surprised if they were in a legit playoff hunt

Lakers
Mavs
Kings
Suns

[maelstrom11 [enjin:6599701]]

1. Warriors
2. Thunder
3. Wolves
4. Rockets
5. Spurs
6. Clippers
7. Jazz
8. Nuggets
9. Blazers
10. Pelicans
11. Grizzlies
12. Lakers
13. Suns
14. Mavs
15. Kings

Warriors are #1 because of the shooting and D.
Thunder #2 because MVP now has help.
Wolves #3 because of the depth, youth, and new commit to D. Our 2nd unit will win games for us.
Rockets #4. I see more of the same as last year. They shoot to many threes and D is suspect at times.
Spurs #5. LA is a defensive liability and age catching up with them.
Clippers #6. Lost CP3 and LRMAM, but gained Gallo, Williams, TEO, Bev. Still an OK squad. Doc will coach them up!
Jazz #7. Rubio plays hard! Hayward can be replaced...Quinn is a great coach. RG plays D!
Nuggets #8. Moves are very hyped but are they better than last year? I suppose an 8 seed but very close to Blazers.
Blazers #9. They didn't improve from last year but west got better. Thus they drop a spot to 9.
Pelicans #10. Size doesnt win in todays NBA.
Grizz#11. This is an old school roster playing in modern NBA. Coaching average.
Lakers #12. Young guns but not enough experience to win.
Suns #13. A few nice pieces but not enough.
Mavs #14. In a rebuild mode,
Kings #15. The new 76ers??

[Big O [enjin:13874644]]

1. GS
2. Houston
3. OKC
4. SA
5. Portland
6. Utah
7. NOLA
8. MN
9. Denver
10. LAC
11. LAL
12. Memphis
13. Dallas
14.PHX
15. Sac

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

I hate to underestimate the Spurs, but you just have to wonder how their two aging starting bigs - Aldridge and Gasol - can keep up defensively with so much perimeter switching required these days. And the biggest issue is that Leonard hasn't even scrimmaged yet, so there is no way he will play to start the regular season.

The Wolves unfortunately need some injury bad luck to hit a couple teams in order for them to secure a playoff spot in my opinion. I would love to see us win in San Antonio on opening night!

[Lipoli390]

I hate to underestimate the Spurs, but you just have to wonder how their two aging starting bigs - Aldridge and Gasol - can keep up defensively with so much perimeter switching required these days. And the biggest issue is that Leonard hasn't even scrimmaged yet, so there is no way he will play to start the regular season.

The Wolves unfortunately need some injury bad luck to hit a couple teams in order for them to secure a playoff spot in my opinion. I would love to see us win in San Antonio on opening night!

That would be a great way to start the season. Apparently, Leonard won't play in the opener. So I look at it as a game we should win.

[Coolbreeze44]

I hate to underestimate the Spurs, but you just have to wonder how their two aging starting bigs - Aldridge and Gasol - can keep up defensively with so much perimeter switching required these days. And the biggest issue is that Leonard hasn't even scrimmaged yet, so there is no way he will play to start the regular season.

The Wolves unfortunately need some injury bad luck to hit a couple teams in order for them to secure a playoff spot in my opinion. I would love to see us win in San Antonio on opening night!

Really Q? That's even pessimistic by your standards.

[TAFKASP]

I hate to underestimate the Spurs, but you just have to wonder how their two aging starting bigs - Aldridge and Gasol - can keep up defensively with so much perimeter switching required these days. And the biggest issue is that Leonard hasn't even scrimmaged yet, so there is no way he will play to start the regular season.

The Wolves unfortunately need some injury bad luck to hit a couple teams in order for them to secure a playoff spot in my opinion. I would love to see us win in San Antonio on opening night!

Really Q? That's even pessimistic by your standards.

He's positioning himself to be pleasantly surprised should they turn out to be good, unphased if they turn out to be the Timberwolves. In spite of picking them to win 50 games I'm still in more of an "I'll believe when I see it, and even then I'll still question if it's real" mode myself.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

I hate to underestimate the Spurs, but you just have to wonder how their two aging starting bigs - Aldridge and Gasol - can keep up defensively with so much perimeter switching required these days. And the biggest issue is that Leonard hasn't even scrimmaged yet, so there is no way he will play to start the regular season.

The Wolves unfortunately need some injury bad luck to hit a couple teams in order for them to secure a playoff spot in my opinion. I would love to see us win in San Antonio on opening night!

Really Q? That's even pessimistic by your standards.

I think there are six or seven teams fighting for the last four playoff spots, including us (the others being LAC, Portland, Denver, NO, and Memphis. I also think Utah might be in that mix too because their defense will be really good, but I'd rank them a half step down from the other squads). I don't see us being necessarily in a different tier from most of those five or six other teams, thus I think injuries could ultimately play a factor.