3 Most Impressive Western Conference Teams

The Los Angeles Lakers may be the most impressive team in the Western Conference so far this season. They are 11-2 and currently sit in the top spot. They are led by Luka Dončić, who is averaging 38.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 7.6 assists on nearly 50% shooting and 40% from three. 

There is no doubt that Dončić deserves to be at the top of the MVP ladder at this very moment. His individual greatness, coupled with team success, is a strong case. All five starters on the Lakers are averaging north of 10 points per game. 

New addition Walker Kessler has been a great signing. He’s averaging 14.5 PPG and 10.8 RPG. That’s a significant improvement over DeAndre Ayton’s 12.5 points and 8.0 rebounds per game last season at the center position.

It also feels like Austin Reaves is thriving as a second option. He’s averaging 24.7 PPG on 51.3% shooting. He’s been able to carry the load when needed, as he scored 43 a few days back when Dončić sat out for rest.

There was a bit of a scare with Dončić’s injury in the most recent game. He injured his right ankle late in Los Angeles’ most recent game against the Milwaukee Bucks. Dončić, however, reassured the media and team that he’s expected to be fine.  All in all, the Lakers have the offensive firepower and supporting cast to make a serious run at the Western Conference crown.

Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets were viewed as the most disappointing team a year ago. They were knocked out in the first round by a Dončić-less Lakers team. Many thought that Kevin Durant might be departing. 

It’s a good thing that Durant didn’t, because Houston has been on fire to start the year. They are 9-3 and have some impressive wins. They’ve beaten the Dallas Mavericks, San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Boston Celtics, and Golden State Warriors. These are all teams with winning records. 

The return of Fred VanVleet has been paramount. He is averaging 13.7 points on nearly 40% shooting from three and has provided that spark from the point guard position they missed last year when he tore his ACL. The Rockets’ offensive rating has jumped from 115.3 a year ago to 118.5.

It’s arguably been Alperen Şengün’s best start to a season, averaging 21.1/9.4/7.9 on 51% from the field. His play, along with Kevin Durant staving off Father Time, has proved to be a lethal duo early in the season. Look out for H-Town!

Dallas Mavericks

The third Western Conference team that has been thoroughly impressive is the Dallas Mavericks. They are 7-4 and look leaps and bounds better than they did a year ago when they finished 26-56. The return of Kyrie Irving has been nothing short of spectacular.

In Irving’s return, he is averaging 22.9 PPG on nearly 50 shooting. He’s made Cooper Flagg’s life much easier on the court. Flagg is averaging just under 26 PPG on 50% shooting. He has made a massive improvement from 21.0 PPG on 46% shooting he posted a year ago.

The Mavericks also have the ninth-best defensive rating with 111.2. With Flagg and Irving spearheading the offense and the defense being anchored by Daniel Gafford and his 1.9 blocks per game, they are more than just a good story. This team could make some real noise in the postseason, barring injury. 

This franchise was in disarray less than two years ago after Dončić’s departure. Many thought they would be in the gutter for years to come. With a bit of luck, they were able to rebound fairly quickly behind their new superstar, Flagg.

End Of My Western Conference Rant

There’s a case for at least eight Western Conference teams to be classified as impressive. I chose the three above as they had the perfect blend between the elements of surprise and team success. There are certainly other teams that are honorable mentions. 

The Portland Trail Blazers, with the return of Damian Lillard, deserve some flowers. The San Antonio Spurs’ run of 10 straight wins after two losses to open the season has been impressive. Even the Oklahoma City Thunder’s success has been a bit shocking considering the plethora of injuries they have dealt with. 

The Golden State Warriors would have certainly made the list above, but Stephen Curry’s oblique injury is concerning. The Western Conference race is going to be a wild one.