Zion Williamson (left) is finally delivering on his enormous potential, and New Orleans is benefitting tremendously. Photo: Getty Images.
With each and every NBA team having played at least 25 games to this point, it’s high time we looked at how the sides are travelling so far.
Today we look at the rest of the West, after we recently looked at eight teams from that conference, and graded the East last week.
**A note that these grades are made in relation to a team’s pre-season expectations.
New Orleans Pelicans (18-9 record at the time of writing)
Grade: A+
How can topping your conference after barely scraping into the playoffs last season earn anything other than top marks?
Already enviably deep, stocked with top-end talent and precocious young prospects, the Pelicans have only gone and added a seemingly healthy Zion Williamson, who this past week became the first player in NBA history to average 25 points per game whilst shooting at least 60 per cent from the floor over their first 100 games.
Zion is, as the always great Shea Serrano said, as if ‘a Rhino learnt how to fly’.
Even as Williamson has missed games (the team is rightfully very, very cautious when it comes to his health), Brandon Ingram has missed time and CJ McCollum has been out, the Pellies have simply kept on racking up wins. That’s a testament to that much-vaunted depth.
There is something to be said for having base-level competency on the floor at all five positions, at all times (read: Utah Jazz).
New Orleans has more than just base competency available to them.
Rookie Dyson Daniels is, like Herb Jones last season, already a stout and versatile defender, Jose Alvarado has added offensive punch to his pesky defence and Larry Nance is one of the best reserve bigs in the league – Jaxson Hayes and Devonte’ Graham can’t even crack the rotation for this team!
Oklahoma City Thunder (11-17)
Grade: A-
I’m absolutely sure that the Thunder would have preferred to have seen Chet Holmgren doing his thing on an NBA floor this season, but the fact that he will miss his rookie campaign has worked in the team’s favour in a few areas.
The obvious is that it will diminish the Thunder’s win total this season, leading to a better draft pick without the need to nakedly torpedo the season (that said, they’re on course to win about 33 games – far more than in previous seasons).
It’s also allowed Shai-Gilgeous Alexander – putting up MVP-esque numbers – to establish himself as the undoubted alpha of the squad.
This squad is coming together nicely. ‘SGA’ is a star, Josh Giddey is rounding out his game around his incredible passing, Jalen Williams looks a keeper, Lu Dort’s Dillon Brooks tribute act (great defence, spotty shooting and horrible shot selection) continues to play the hits and the super raw Ousmane Dieng has shown flashes.
This season could hardly have gone better for the finally competitive Thunder.
Phoenix Suns (16-12)
Grade: A-
Since earning the West’s top seeding for last season’s playoffs, the Suns have endured their fair share of drama.
From their infamous flameout against Dallas, to former No.1 pick Deandre Ayton attempting to leave the team, to Jae Crowder demanding out, to Chris Paul finally looking his age, the Suns have hardly been all lollypops and rainbows.
Yet, they just keep winning. Well … they did until a recent five-game losing streak, anyway.
There are circumstances around their poor form: the first four of those losses came against very good opposition (Boston, Dallas and New Orleans twice) with the latest loss, a 14-point reverse to Houston, coming with both Devin Booker and Ayton sidelined.
That said, there is something about these Suns that just feels a little off. It’s hard to put a finger on it, but something isn’t right in the Valley.
Could it be a lingering animosity stemming from Ayton’s failed bid to leave via restricted free agency? Could Paul – as he often does – be wearing on his teammates? Has Crowder’s particular brand of ‘leadership’ poisoned the locker room?
PLEASE HELP US CONTINUE TO THRIVE BY BECOMING AN OFFICIAL FOOTYOLOGY PATRON. JUST CLICK THIS LINK.
Portland Trailblazers (16-12)
Grade: A
They’re back, folks.
The Blazers, still starring Damian Lillard but sporting an almost entirely new support cast, are once again a top-four seed in the West, at the time of writing.
Lillard did, frankly, start the season on somewhat of a cold streak though a recent four-game tear, where he posted 37.8 points with 24 made three-pointers (on 55/41/100 shooting splits, no less) and 7.8 assists put paid to that.
Around their resident megastar, Anfernee Simons has rewarded the faith shown in him by management by averaging 23 points per game, Jerami Grant is playing at a borderline All-Star level, Rookie Shaedon Sharpe has shown some most tantalising flashes, while Gary Payton II has yet to debut for his new team.
To be sure, the Blazers have next to no depth and as such have no real margin for error, but at 16-12, the Blazers will be more than happy with their lot.
Sacramento Kings (15-12)
Grade: A
LIGHT THE BEAM!!!
Say it quietly, but these Kings are legitimately good at basketball.
Domantas Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox helm the best offence in the NBA (non-Celtics division), playing with a speed and verve that makes them one of the most exciting watches in the league.
The Kings fly up and down the court whenever possible. Even if you manage to get them into a halfcourt battle, they still play with speed as the ball pinballs from hand to hand, causing defences to adjust and readjust every other second. It’s a delight!
Defensively, the Kings are admittedly horrid and it’s that 27th-ranked defence that will ultimately hold them back from genuine contention.
But this is the Kings, folks! Breaking that embarrassing playoff drought is definite, tangible progress.
San Antonio Spurs (9-19)
Grade: C
The Spurs are rebuilding, of that there is no doubt, but to be so obviously awful is such a jarring sight.
This is the Spurs! They’re always at least competent, right?
Yet these Spurs are bottom of the West sporting an average losing margin of over 11 points a game – they’re not even close to competing.
Of course, the payoff for San Antonio would be the opportunity to draft Victor Wembanyama or Scoot Henderson, both of whom could re-energise a franchise in desperate need of a tentpole superstar.
And the Spurs do have history of nabbing a top pick in years where franchise saviours are available.
In the here and now, Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson are getting priceless reps as primary options and Tre Jones looks like a borderline starting point guard for a good team already.
Utah Jazz (16-14)
Grade: B+
Whilst their early season form was a lovely story, the Jazz were never going to be able to maintain their torrid pace.
Still, though, they sit above .500 (it’s a sign of how competitive the West is that an above .500 record currently gets you into the play-in tournament).
Much like the Indiana Pacers, the Jazz’s main bone of contention with their hot start is that it’s likely played them out of the Wembanyama sweepstakes.
The main point of difference between the Jazz and Pacers, though, is that Indiana is being led by the young men who are expected to make up the core of the next very good Pacers team. Can the Jazz say the same?
Lauri Markkanen (parlour game time – see if you can spot the Lauri tribute throughout this paragraph) is firmly in the mix to makke his All-Star debut this season, averaging career-highs across the board.
At 25 years of age, he’s somebody the Jazz can build around.
Walkker Kkessler is making a name for himself as a rookie and looks a kkeeper, while Malikk Beasley is a bonafide gunner who has already proven he can be a part of a good team.
The rest, though? I’m not so sure. Even Jared Vanderbilt, who the team loves, strikes me as an energy player off the bench at best.
Mike Conley and Kelly Olynyk are too old, Collin Sexton might regain the form he showed prior to injury but, in admittedly limited minutes, Ochai Agbaji has failed to impress.
Fortunately for Utah, much of its future draft prospects are tied up in other team’s fortunes.
The Cavaliers are looking good and the Timberwolves are also looking good, only this time it’s for the Jazz.
To find more of Jarrod Prosser’s content visit vendettasportsmedia.com
