For the NBA, the off season that is coming to a close was a dramatic one. Lebron James returning to the Cavs, the Bulls becoming a real contender thanks to the signing of Pau Gasol and the return, finally, of Derrick Rose and the New York Knicks looking like a playoff team.
Incidentally, however, it’s hard to ignore that most changes did affect the Western Conference that drastically, which can only foretell more success from the Conference that clearly dominated last year’s season. Whilst Eastern rosters were jumbled and media attention focused in on Cleveland, teams in the West looked to build in a more intelligent and solid way. This stability will be the difference between the two conferences, yet again.
When mentioning the Western Conference and stability, it is inevitable to talk about the San Antonio Spurs. The reigning champions made practically no changes to their roster in the offseason, and had no reason to. When you compare the best team from each Conference last year, the contrast between the Heat’s summer and the Spurs’ summer is thought provoking. Whilst the Heat lost their main star and their credibility, the Spurs remained the solid and consistent team that they have always been under Gregg Poppovich; instead of signing or losing superstars, you build on your team and specific areas in your roster. Rookie Kyle Anderson, surrounded by these selfless and intelligent players, will have the chance to grow into a mature and basketball smart player, especially with Kawhi Leonard as the starter in this position.
But the Spurs aren’t the only side who have played the stability card in the West. Oklahoma, Houston, Portland and Golden State are among the teams that chose to keep quiet in the offseason, and sign a handful of players that could really help build on their solid season last year. The role models and stars have stayed put in the West, and that is a promise of continuity for their past success.
Arguably, every team in the Western Conference is a contender for a playoff spot this year, apart from the Utah Jazz; over such a long season, inexperience will without doubt hinder their consistency, but youth like Dante Exum, Trey Burke and Rudy Gobert should allow them to be competitive. Other than the Jazz, it’s hard to name any team that doesn’t have a solid chance of playing in the postseason. And that makes it all the more exciting. The battle for the eighth playoff spot near the end of the season will be a fascinating one, and yet again a handful of teams will miss out despite having great records, just like the Suns last year.
So whilst the media goes wild about Cleveland, make sure you keep an attentive eye on the Western Conference, which will no doubt prove, yet again, that more often than not stability and consistency are more important than superstars.
Thank you for reading. Please take a moment to follow me on Twitter – @fourpoint_playor @MatthieuRident. Support LWOS by following us on Twitter – @LastWordOnSport and@LWOSworld – and “liking” our Facebook page.
For the latest in sports injury news, check out our friends at Sports Injury Alert.
Have you tuned into Last Word On Sports Radio? LWOS is pleased to bring you 24/7 sports radio to your PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone. What are you waiting for?
