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This year's Western Conference is interesting, and it will be a fascinating playoff to see which team represents the conference to compete for an NBA title.
Whether it be the Phoenix Suns, Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State Warriors, Utah Jazz, Los Angeles Clippers, or someone else, the Western Conference playoffs are going to be highly competitive and filled with some insane moments.
It's easy to determine who the top team in the Western Conference has been this year because it has clearly been the Phoenix Suns. With Chris Paul's injury, there are some concerns now in Phoenix if he can't return healthy, although it seems likely he will return just fine.
The Western Conference playoffs are going to be exciting, and we're going to see some surprises that no one predicted.
There should be three favorites in the Western Conference right now. Golden State, Phoenix, and Memphis have all proven that they are the three best teams in the West, and saying otherwise would be crazy.
Let's take a look and rank the three favorites to come out of the Western Conference.
Winning an NBA title is never easy. As we have seen with the past 20 champions, every team is going to need something significant to go their way. Whether that is an unfortunate injury to someone, or having guys on the roster step up more than they ever have. There is a reason why winning a championship is so hard, and a reason why we have seen crazy upsets in the past. If a team is going to win a title, they’re going to need everyone on their roster to be playing the best basketball they possibly can, and even sometimes that isn’t enough to get the job done. Matchups are always something that is going to play a major factor, and some teams just know how to get the job done against certain teams when it matters most.
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The 3 Biggest Contenders In The Western Conference, Ranked
3. Grizzlies
Memphis has been absolutely outstanding this year. No one could have predicted their success, and it only goes to show how hard these players on the roster worked during the offseason.
Despite how they've performed, there are still some doubts about them since they lack the second player who can truly take over a game.
The fact that this Memphis Grizzlies squad, after Ja Morant, lacks a second star, is maybe their most critical problem. Desmond Bane, for example, has made a significant contribution to this squad this season, but he isn't the kind of second star that a championship team needs. In every postseason series they play, Bane will have to keep playing like he is now, and Ja Morant will have to be the best player on the court, which are both possible.
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Memphis plays with plenty of fire and passion, which will be highly essential in the playoffs and make them dangerous in addition to their exceptional skill. No rival team will want to play against them since they are fearless and believe they are the best team in the NBA while having a fantastic time doing so.
2, Warriors
It's difficult to rank the Warriors and Suns because they've been the two best teams in the Western Conference, but at the moment, the nod has to go to Phoenix to be the best in the West.
Despite dealing with guys being sidelined for a big portion of the season, Golden State has been amazing and has a legitimate opportunity to win a title.
Draymond Green is expected to return shortly, and when he does, it will be clearer whether the Warriors are the best in the West or not. Draymond cannot be replaced on this Warriors team, whether he's setting off-ball screens, giving the ball to other guys for open shots off screens, or guarding the opposing team's top offensive player. They need to make sure he's 100 percent healthy when he returns, because if he is, Golden State will be a title contender.
1. Suns
The Suns have been the best in the NBA for the majority of the season, and that doesn't appear to be changing anytime soon.
The question now for Phoenix is whether they can play this brand of basketball in the playoffs. There's no reason to doubt them after the previous year and a half, but there will always be doubts about a team's ability to extend its regular-season dominance into the playoffs.
Outside of that, the biggest issue for them is when Chris Paul will return and if he will still be the same player he was before his injury. Phoenix will not win a title unless he is. Booker must also continue to perform at a high level in order for this team to attain its goals.
