Sport2024 NBA Western Conference Predictions: Denver Nuggets No. 1 Seed, Dallas Mavericks Regress

After sending the wrong team to the Finals each of the last two seasons, the theme for the 2024-25 NBA campaign comes in the form of a question: Can we finally get it right?

One year after appearing to demonstrate they were primed to start a 21st-century dynasty, the Celtics laid an egg in the 2023 Eastern Finals and allowed a talent-challenged Heat team to move on to the grand stage, where it got demolished by a powerful Nuggets squad.

Last season, while the Celtics methodically did their part, it was the Mavericks who played the spoiler role and ruined a classic showdown by eliminating Nikola Jokic’s side and setting up a second consecutive ratings-losing mismatch.

So here we are today, with the Celtics and Nuggets each believing they should be going for a hat trick in June.

While the wildly talented and surprisingly disrespected Celtics appear to be on a mission, the Nuggets are going to have to prove that the enigmatic Russell Westbrook isn’t the same anchor that helped drag down the last nine teams he’s accompanied to the postseason.

With Westbrook stepping into Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s workmanlike sneakers, Denver remains the West’s most well-rounded team, featuring a powerful force inside, forwards who complement each other inside and out, and guards who take pride at both ends of the court. Like the Celtics, all five starters are All-Star candidates, and no other team East or West can boast of that.

Sorting out the Nuggets’ competition from the teams that are either too old, too young or likely to look a whole lot different after the trade deadline, here is my predicted order of finish in the 2024-25 Western Conference regular season:

1. Denver Nuggets. They have replaced one of the league’s best 3-point shooters (Caldwell-Pope) with one of the worst (Westbrook). The fate of the West’s best could come down to Jokic’s ability to keep his new teammate’s numbers down… and don’t forget who handles the ball distribution.

 2. Oklahoma City Thunder. Sam Presti’s incubation experiment is chirping, but the Thunder have failed to go “all-in” with their overflowing number of first-round draft picks. Adding Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein is nice. But, seriously, Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein? Maybe next season they’ll get serious about cashing in their assets for a REAL difference-maker or two.

3. Sacramento Kings. The West has gotten awfully old, with the Kings joining that close-to-retirement party with the addition of DeMar DeRozan. But in some cases, older is better. The Kings can now hit you from three different angles with a game on the line, and even the Celtics have trouble matching that. Unlike the Nuggets and Thunder, they’re a lock to win their division.

4. Minnesota Timberwolves. One of the great debates at this point last season was: Can you win in the NBA with two front-line big men? Yes led in the early polling until Minnesota couldn’t match up with Dallas’ shooters and then decided it was a bad idea. Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo trump Karl-Anthony Towns… against everyone but the Nuggets.

5. New Orleans Pelicans. Swiping Dejounte Murray makes them better, but let’s be honest: This team is going only as far as Zion Williamson can carry it… and his own 300 or so pounds. Brandon Ingram begins the season as one of the league’s most intriguing players. He could be very good, very bad, or, at some point, somebody else’s problem.

6. Dallas Mavericks. The Luka Doncic-Kyrie Irving pairing is a ticking time bomb… and the meter is still running. Now throw in Klay Thompson, who will be asked to stand in the corner when he’s not screening for Irving, even though he still thinks it should be the other way around. The 2025 Mavericks likely will mirror the 2024 Heat—from Finals to flops.

7. Memphis Grizzlies. What a perfect landing spot for Zach Edey, who should benefit from Jaren Jackson Jr.’s versatility and Ja Morant’s overall brilliance. This has a chance to be the West’s best defensive team, and in case you haven’t been watching the Celtics and Knicks, defense is back in vogue in the NBA. Here’s your MVP longshot: Morant.

8. Golden State Warriors. They’ve been at their best when Steve Kerr has had to coach and Stephen Curry has concentrated on shooting hoops instead of flipping turnovers. Newcomers Buddy Hield, Kyle Anderson and De’Anthony Melton bring new energy to a squad that still trots Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins out there, the latter for no apparent reason.

9. Los Angeles Lakers. Every ounce of energy LeBron has to put into shielding his out-of-place son figures to weigh heavily on the Lakers’ chances and create more of a burden for Anthony Davis. Unfortunately, the best days of Davis—like many of the former Western stars—are behind him.

10. Phoenix Suns. A lack of depth was cited as the problem last season, but that’s being kind to Bradley Beal, the league’s reigning Biggest Disappointment. The Thunder could benefit from a one-speed microwave like Beal, while the Suns could use about a bench-worth of first-round picks. It seems like a perfect match.

11. Houston Rockets. The good news is they’re closing the gap on the old-timers formerly known as the Warriors, Lakers and Suns. Maybe they make the pass next year. For now, Houston would really like to see rookie Reed Sheppard be as good as he appeared in the summer league.

12. Los Angeles Clippers. The Intuit Dome surely will host many fabulous shows in its future. But for now, it’s stuck promoting a February fire sale. Paul George is gone, and Kawhi Leonard is half-gone with his annual October injury, so that’s a start. And then there’s James Harden… yes, there’s still James Harden.

13. San Antonio Spurs. The forward-thinking Gregg Popovich told us (without saying a word) in June all about his intentions this season. With a chance to bolster playoff hopes by selecting another young talent with the eighth pick, Popovich dealt it away for one more lottery shot at Cooper Flagg next year. Another 50-loss season would help, too, and he knows it.

14. Utah Jazz. Danny Ainge has been very conservative with his Jazz rebuild. Heck, with Lauri Markkanen, Jordan Clarkson, Collin Sexton and John Collins still around, you could argue the makeover hasn’t even started yet. The question is: What’s the delay? Maybe Ainge is waiting to get a new phone for Christmas.

15. Portland Trail Blazers. Three teams will enter the Flagg Sweepstakes as co-favorites based on having the worst records in the NBA. Pencil in the Trail Blazers as one of them. Is it really bad luck when lottery misfortune one year sabotages your pick and increases your chances of winding up from Flagg the following year?