Jusuf Nurkic knows as well as anyone that the Western Conference is as deep as it's ever been. The Portland Trail Blazers were swept in the first round of the playoffs last year after securing the three seed. That's bad news for Portland fans because the West is even better this year.
The Bosnian big man, Jusuf Nurkic, likened the Western Conference to the popular HBO television show, “Game of Thrones.” This comparison is fitting considering the brutal quest for the playoffs that teams are presented within the West. He told James Herbert of CBS Sports:
“At the end of the day, the West has never been probably a harder place. Especially with LeBron actually coming to the West. It's almost like a ‘Game of Thrones' kind of challenge. Every night is going to be difficult. Every night is going to be somebody else. Which is amazing: As a player, you want to play those kind of games. “
Luckily for many teams in the West, a bad season will only result in missing the playoffs. There will be no beheadings or hangings or people sent flying through the Moon Door.
The West will be just as competitive as the battle for the iron throne within Westeros, but the punishment won't share the same finality that “Game of Thrones” characters tend to face. Should the Blazers miss the playoffs, they can begin their vacations early rather than endure a walk of shame.
Jusuf Nurkic's reference to “Game of Thrones” is an apt comparison and it helps illustrate just how competitive the Western Conference will be this year.
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