Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers will try to
defend their 2009 NBA Championship.
(Creative Commons licensed)

Seven of the last 10 teams to win the NBA championship have come out of the Western Conference. Coincidence? Not really. Over the course of the last decade the West has been a deeper and more talented conference than the East. Nowhere was that more evident than last season when the Lakers trounced the Magic 4-1 in the NBA Finals. Now that's domination.

With the NBA season less than a week away, let's take a look at the teams in the West and sort the contenders from the pretenders.

Northwest Division

Denver Nuggets

2008-09 Record: 54-28
Key additions: Arron Afflalo, Ty Lawson, Malik Allen
Key losses: Dahntay Jones, Linas Kleiza, Sonny Weems

The Nuggets return with a slightly different roster from the one that stormed the Western Conference Finals last season. Gone are reserves Dahntay Jones and Linas Kleiza, who received better offers from the Indiana Pacers and Greece's Olympiakos respectively. In their place are rookie Ty Lawson, a slashing point guard, and Arron Afflalo, a defensive specialist. The majority of Denver's starting lineup is intact though. Chauncey Billups, Carmelo Anthony, Nene, Kenyon Martin and J.R. Smith present a difficult matchup for teams other than the Lakers or Spurs. And Chris "Birdman" Andersen, who signed a lucrative extension this summer, is a dominant presence off the bench.

The Nuggets will ultimately rise and fall with Billups and Anthony, which is fine because both are capable of carrying the team. Billups, 32, has played in over 800 NBA games, but the mileage on his odometer shouldn't be detrimental because he maintains a slower pace of play than, say, Tony Parker or Chris Paul. Anthony, meanwhile, is maturing into a terrific all-around player. He can do a bit of everything on the court. And though his numbers dipped slightly last season, he is still an elite scorer.

The Final Word: The Nuggets are a team with a lot of talent and a lot of depth. Barring injury, they will be a 50-win team and a serious contender to represent the West in the NBA Finals.

Minnesota Timberwolves
2008-09 record: 24-58
Key additions: Jonny Flynn, Ramon Sessions, Wayne Ellington, Ryan Hollins, Damien Wilkins
Key losses: Mike Miller, Randy Foye, Sebastian Telfair, Craig Smith, Mark Madsen, Shelden Williams

This offseason, GM David Kahn traded away veterans Mike Miller and Randy Foye for the fifth overall pick in the draft, which he used to select teenage Spanish sensation Ricky Rubio. Rubio is an extraordinary player, but he decided to stay in Spain, significantly depleting the talent pool in Minnesota. In his place is Jonny Flynn, an exciting rookie point guard who takes a veteran's approach to leadership. Flynn's playmaking ability makes him a dark horse candidate for Rookie of the Year, and a good fit in the backcourt with defensive-minded shooting guard Corey Brewer.

Flynn aside, Minnesota's strength lies in the talent of its big men. Center Al Jefferson returned from knee surgery this fall in the best shape of his life, and sophomore power forward Kevin Love is arguably the best young rebounder in the League. The Timberwolves are weak defensively, though. And Kurt Rambis is having a difficult time teaching his team Tex Winter's famed triangle offense. There's a lot of work to be done here.

The Final Word: The Timberwolves will struggle to win 30 games this season. Kahn would be wise to keep Minnesota's payroll low and gear up for Rubio's debut in 2011.

Oklahoma City Thunder

2008-09 record: 23-59
Key additions: James Harden, Byron Mullens, Shaun Livingston, Etan Thomas, Kevin Ollie
Key losses: Desmond Mason, Damien Wilkins, Earl Watson

Outside of the draft, which yielded sharpshooter James Harden and promising center Byron Mullens, it was a slow offseason for the Thunder. Oklahoma City had space available under the salary cap, but Sam Presti chose to sit pat and wait for Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook to develop into stars. That may turn out to be a smart move. Durant is a future superstar who can score from anywhere on the floor, and Westbrook is a force of nature on both ends of the court. They are a difficult combo to defend, and will be for years to come.

Unfortunately, Presti's lack of action leaves the Thunder with some glaring holes. They are not a particularly good defensive team, and are weak in the front court. Jeff Green is a serviceable power forward at best, and Nick Collison is a limited offensive player. Scott Brooks is a master motivator, but there's only so much he can do with the personnel on the Thunder's roster.

The Final Word: There's promise here, but ultimately the Thunder don't have the pieces necessary to make the playoffs this season. Durant and Westbrook will enjoy breakout individual seasons, but Oklahoma City will finish with fewer than 35 wins.

Portland Trailblazers
2008-09 record: 54-28
Key additions: Andre Miller, Dante Cunningham, Juwan Howard, Jeff Pendergraph
Key losses: Channing Frye, Sergio Rodriguez

Trailblazers GM Kevin Pritchard has historically knocked the ball out of the park in the offseason with killer trades and insightful draft picks. Not so this year. This summer, Pritchard settled for solid players, like Dante Cunningham and Jeff Pendergraph, in the draft, and whiffed on marquee free agents Hedo Turkoglu and Paul Millsap, who ended up in Toronto and Utah respectively.

Though it was a blessing in disguise that Portland missed the boat on Turkoglu - whose value in free agency was bloated by an advantageous offensive system in Orlando - veteran point guard Andre Miller is also a bad fit for the Blazers. There's already friction between Miller and the organization, and Miller will likely take fourth quarter possessions away from Brandon Roy, who is a terrific clutch performer. Nate McMillan has his work cut out for him.

The Final Word: Brandon Roy is terrific, and center Greg Oden improved significantly this offseason, but Portland has too many question marks to be taken seriously as a championship contender. The Blazers will win 50 or more games, but ultimately fall to the Lakers or the Spurs in the playoffs.

Utah Jazz

2008-09 record: 48-34
Key additions: Eric Maynor, Goran Sutan
Key losses: Morris Almond, Brevin Knight, Jarron Collins

The Jazz were uncharacteristically bad in the playoffs last season, losing in five games to the Lakers and enduring four losses of 10 points or more. This may have been a product of roster uncertainty, as Carlos Boozer, Mehmet Okur and Paul Millsap were all eligible for free agency at the end of the season. If so, it's not good news for fans in Utah. The Jazz face a similar kind of uncertainty this season.

Boozer, who chose to stay with the team in the offseason by exercising a player option, has been lobbying for a trade all summer, creating something of a circus atmosphere in Utah. Whether he stays or goes will depend on the trade market, but the Jazz have a solid team either way. Deron Williams is one of the best point guards in the League, and Mehmet Okur, Paul Millsap, Ronnie Brewer, Andrei Kirilenko and Kyle Korver are all solid contributors. There's no shortage of talent of here.

The Final Word: If the Jazz can stay healthy and rise above the distraction of Boozer's impending departure, they will return to the level of success that Hall of Fame coach Jerry Sloan is accustomed to. Fifty wins is not out of the question for this team.

Pacific Division

Golden State Warriors
2008-09 record: 29-53
Key additions: Stephen Curry, Acie Law, Speedy Claxton, Mikki Moore, Devean George
Key losses: Jamal Crawford, Marco Belinelli, Rob Kurz
 
The Warriors are a talented team that is rife with front office problems and mismatched talent. Chris Mullin, the architect of Golden State's fantastic 2006-07 squad, was released in the offseason amidst a power struggle with ownership. Public Relations Director Raymond Ridder was caught fictitiously hyping season tickets on team message boards. And (former) team captain Stephen Jackson requested to be traded less than a month before training camp. Other than that, everything's great.

Golden State is flush with young talent. Monta Ellis, Andris Biedrins, Anthony Randolph, Stephen Curry and Anthony Morrow are all potential elite players. Unfortunately, management refuses to acknowledge the team's defensive deficiencies. A backcourt of Ellis and Curry, though exciting to watch, is not defensively viable. Likewise, Randolph has a long way to go before he is the kind of defender who can keep bruisers like Blake Griffin and Carlos Boozer out of the paint. With that said, Golden State is one blockbuster trade away from being a serious contender.

The Final Word: The Warriors failed to address key needs this offseason. Unless GM Larry Riley pulls off a monster trade, they'll finish somewhere in the 35-40 win range.

Los Angeles Clippers

2008-09 record: 19-63
Key additions: Blake Griffin, Rasual Butler, Craig Smith, Sebastian Telfair
Key losses: Zach Randolph

The Clippers made two very smart moves this offseason. First, they drafted Blake Griffin. Then, they traded Zach Randolph. The Griffin pick was smart because, well, he's the League's next great power forward. Like Karl Malone before him, Griffin is a terrific rebounder with great hands and a deft shooter's touch. He is the runaway favorite to win Rookie of the Year.

The Randolph trade was addition by subtraction. In trading Randolph, the Clippers cleared a spot in the front court for Griffin, and eliminated a player who was both selfish on offense and invisible on defense. It was a rare coup for GM Mike Dunleavy, who has been under fire lately for his tactics both as general manager and as coach. Baron Davis is still an unknown quantity at point guard, and Al Thornton looks like he has reached his ceiling. But shooting guard Eric Gordon is a talented player who, if given enough shots, will be a breakout star in Los Angeles this year. He and Griffin give the Clippers hope for the future.

The Final Word: The Clippers have an outside shot at making the playoffs this season, but only if Baron Davis is able to find some of that 2007 magic.

Los Angeles Lakers
2008-09 record: 65-17
Key additions: Ron Artest, Chinemelu Elonu
Key losses: Trevor Ariza

The defending champions gambled big this offseason, allowing fan favorite Trevor Ariza to leave for Houston, and signing enigmatic veteran Ron Artest to take his place. Yes, Artest has upside as a defender and an around-the-basket scorer, but his penchant for wild shots and zany stunts make him the anti-Ariza, who was one of the Lakers' most reliable players last season.

The season hinges on Artest - which, to his credit, he readily admits - but, obviously, Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, Lamar Odom and Derek Fisher will also play a big role in the team's success. Kobe has the potential to enhance his legacy even more if he can keep Artest in line and win another title. Likewise, Gasol can build a case for Hall of Fame candidacy with another championship. And Bynum is primed for a breakout year.

The elephant in the room, of course, is Odom's recent marriage to Khoe Kardashian, which looms large as a potential distraction. Are Phil Jackson's Zen powers enough to keep the paparazzi from derailing the Lakers? It's going to be an epic battle. That's for sure.

The Final Word: With the Ariza-for-Artest swap, the Lakers may have taken one step forward and two steps back, but ultimately this is Kobe and Phil's team. Not Artest's. If he makes trouble, it'll be easy to kick him to the curb. Regardless of what happens with Artest, the Lakers are a championship-caliber team.

Phoenix Suns
2008-09 record: 46-36
Key additions: Earl Clark, Channing Frye, Sasha Pavlovic, Taylor Griffin, Jarron Collins
Key losses: Shaquille O'Neal

For the Suns, losing Shaq at this stage in his career was kind of like losing "The Sopranos" as a television series in 2007. It hurts, yes. But in the end, you don't miss it that much. After all, the Suns are a different team now. They're ready to run again. And as talented as Shaq is, he just isn't built for that style of play.

Know who is? Steve Nash. The 35-year-old two-time League MVP is coming off of his worst statistical season in five years, but that came under the regime of Terry Porter, whose failed attempt to slow Phoenix's offense was one of last season's biggest disappointments.

Now Alvin Gentry is running the show. And, unlike Porter, he's not going to slow Nash to a crawl. When Gentry took over in February, the Suns returned to an up-tempo offense and went 18-13 as a result. Under Gentry's watch, Phoenix improved in every major statistical category, including blocks and steals, which is an encouraging sign for fans, many of whom dream of the good old days of "Seven Seconds or Less." Phoenix has some holes, specifically Channing Frye at center, but at least they've regained their identity.

The Final Word: The Montreal Gazette said it best with this headline: "Nash, Suns may not win, but will be fun to watch." The playoffs aren't out of the question. But everything must go right for the Suns in order for them to make the postseason.

Sacramento Kings

2008-09 record: 17-65
Key additions: Tyreke Evans, Sean May, Sergio Rodriguez, Omri Casspi, Jon Brockman
Key losses: Rashad McCants, Ike Diogu

The Kings were miserable last season, finishing with the worst record in the NBA at 17-65. Midway through the season Reggie Theus was fired and Kenny Natt was promoted in an attempt to spur the team. It didn't work. This season Paul Westphal takes the helm. Already he has received endorsements from players and the media, but Westphal has a tough road ahead. The Kings are young and inexperienced. They lack leadership and their best player, Kevin Martin, is injury prone. Even if Westphal is the best coach in the League, it's going to be difficult for them to win games.

If there is a saving grace for fans in Sacramento, it's Tyreke Evans. The Kings' first round draft pick is a monster-of-a-point guard. At 6-feet, 5-inches, he's bigger than most other point guards and thus able to impose his will on them. He's also a terrific finisher and a good defender at the guard spot, something the Kings haven't had since Doug Christie was around. Ultimately, Sacramento's success depends on Evans' ability to mesh with his teammates, especially Martin, and take care of the ball. If he has as many turnovers as he did in college it's going to be a long season for the Kings.

The Final Word: There are stat-heads out there who predict as few as 10 wins for the Kings next season. That's a bit farfetched though. The Kings will likely be in the 20-25 win range.

Southwest Division

Dallas Mavericks
2008-09 record: 50-32
Key additions: Shawn Marion, Drew Gooden, Tim Thomas, Kris Humphries, Rodrigue Beaubois
Key losses: Jerry Stackhouse, Antoine Wright, Devean George

The Mavericks made a lot of noise this offseason, bringing in veterans Shawn Marion, Drew Gooden and Tim Thomas, and outbidding New York for star point guard Jason Kidd. Dallas also made a play for the "Polish Hammer," Marcin Gortat, but they lost out on the hardworking center when Orlando unexpectedly matched their offer.

From these moves, one thing is abundantly clear: Mark Cuban wants to bring a title to Dallas and he's willing to pay almost anything to make it happen. Will it work? It's hard to say.

Marion is fitting nicely with Kidd, Dirk Nowitzki, Josh Howard and Jason Terry, but "The Matrix" has a history of pouting when he feels unappreciated. With so many star players in Dallas, it will be interesting to see if Marion can keep his composure when the accolades are, or are not, coming his way. With that said, the Mavericks are too talented to fail. Nowitzki had a terrific season, particularly in the playoffs, and he seems to have moved past an off-the-court incident involving his now ex-girlfriend, Cristal Taylor. If Rick Carlisle can keep the Mavericks focused, they'll be a dangerous team this season.

The Final Word: The Mavericks are more top heavy than Christina Hendricks. If they don't make the playoffs, Cuban will unleash the angriest, most publicly derisive rant in NBA history. Even so, it will be difficult for the Mavs to keep pace with the Lakers and Spurs in the playoffs. Both teams are more experienced, and have fewer question marks, than the Mavericks.

Houston Rockets

2008-09 record: 53-29
Key additions: Trevor Ariza, Jermaine Taylor, Chase Budinger
Key losses: Ron Artest, Yao Ming (injury), Tracy McGrady (injury), Von Wafer

Without Yao Ming, who will sit out the season with a fractured foot, and Tracy McGrady, who will be out until midseason after undergoing microfracture surgery, the Rockets look dead in the water. Not so fast, though. The Rockets stunned the Lakers in the playoffs last season without Yao, taking L.A. to the wire in the Western Conference Semi-Finals before losing in the final game. The Rockets survived in that series with an undersized roster of Aaron Brooks, Shane Battier, Ron Artest, Chuck Hayes and Luis Scola, why should it be any different in the regular season?

Artest is gone, replaced by utility swingman Trevor Ariza, but the rest of the roster that tormented the Lakers is still in place. Brooks, Battier, Ariza, Hayes, Scola. On paper it looks like a ridiculous collection of role players, but looks can be deceiving. Brooks is a dynamo at point guard, Scola is a double-double waiting to happen, and Battier is a perennial contender for Defensive Player of the Year. Other than a glaring lack of star power, this team is solid. They'll challenge teams on a nightly basis.

The Final Word: Conventional wisdom says a team like the Clippers or Suns should make the playoffs over the Rockets, but Rick Adelman has been disproving conventional wisdom for years. Don't be surprised if Houston sneaks into the postseason.

Memphis Grizzlies
2008-09 record: 24-58
Key additions: Allen Iverson, Hasheem Thabeet, Sam Young, DeMarre Carroll, Marcus Williams
Key losses: Darko Milicic

The Grizzlies are a young team with a lot to prove. Rudy Gay, O.J. Mayo, Hasheem Thabeet and Mike Conley are all under 25 years old, and each has been challenged in recent years by the media. Whether deserved or not, there's a knock against each one of them. Gay for sloughing off last season, Mayo for his middling defense, Thabeet for his inability to stay out of foul trouble, and Conley for his struggle to stand out at the NBA level. Add Zach Randolph and Allen Iverson to the mix, and the Grizzlies are arguably the most negatively discussed franchise in the League.

Despite all of the pessimism, the Grizzlies have potential. Think of them as the Clippers circa 2000-01. Mayo is Corey Maggette, Gay is a young Lamar Odom, Conley is a slightly better Jeff McInnis, and Thabeet is Michael Olowokandi. It's a great match until you get to Darius Miles. There's no one quite like Darius Miles in Memphis; or anywhere for that matter.

Jokes aside, the Clippers won 31 games in '00-01. And, had they kept their core intact, they would have won a lot more games than that in future seasons. For better or worse, that's what the Grizzlies are this season: a struggling team with a bright future.

The Final Word: Like the '00-01 Clippers, the Grizzlies will win close to 30 games and constantly torment their fans with unrecognized potential. Hopefully, Thabeet will turn out to be better than Olowokandi.

New Orleans Hornets
2008-09 record: 49-33
Key additions: Emeka Okafor, Marcus Thornton, Darren Collison, Devin Brown, Ike Diogu
Key losses: Tyson Chandler, Rasual Butler

This summer the Hornets wisely traded injury-plagued center Tyson Chandler to the Bobcats for iron man Emeka Okafor, who hasn't missed a game in two seasons. The trade not only cut payroll in the short term, it also brought reliability to the Hornets' starting lineup and shored up a defense that was pulverized by the Nuggets in the playoffs last year. All things considered, it was a good trade for the Hornets.

Drafting Darren Collison and Marcus Thornton gives the Hornets added depth at the guard position, and Ike Diogu will provide rebounding off the bench. The linchpin of the team is obviously Chris Paul, though. Paul has led the League in assists and steals two years in a row, and is a consistent MVP candidate. If the Hornets can compete with the Lakers, Spurs and Nuggets for the best record in the West, "CP3" will have a legitimate shot at the Maurice Podoloff trophy. Otherwise, he'll have to be content with 1st Team All-NBA honors and a trip to the playoffs.

The Final Word: As one of the best defensive teams in the West, the Hornets will make the playoffs as 5-7 seed. Despite Paul's best efforts, they'll be knocked out by a deeper team in the first or second round. Byron Scott will be on the hot seat all season.

San Antonio Spurs

2008-09 record: 54-28
Key additions: Richard Jefferson, DaJuan Blair, Antonio McDyess, Theo Ratliff, Keith Bogans
Key losses: Bruce Bowen, Drew Gooden, Fabricio Oberto, Kurt Thomas

With the additions of Richard Jefferson, Antonio McDyess and DaJuan Blair, the Spurs are primed for a return to the Western Conference Finals. Jefferson gives San Antonio a much-needed offensive boost, while McDyess and Blair shore up a front line that had trouble rebounding last season. General Manager R.C. Buford deserves credit for addressing San Antonio's weaknesses and providing Tim Duncan with the support Duncan needs to make a run at another championship. His moves this summer are yet another reason why Buford is arguably the best general manager in the League.

Meanwhile, Manu Ginobili is finally healthy after consecutive ankle injuries held him out of 38 games last season, and Tony Parker continues to terrorize opposing guards in a way that only Tony Parker can. Throw in talented reserves Roger Mason Jr., George Hill, Keith Bogans and Matt Bonner, and the Spurs have an eight-man rotation that rivals any in the NBA. They'll be a tough team to contend with in the playoffs.

The Final Word: The Spurs' defense, depth and outside shooting make them a favorite, along with the Lakers, to represent the West in the NBA Finals. With his career winding down, this is a great opportunity for Duncan to win another championship.