Also read Neon Tommy's NBA Previews for the Atlantic, Central, Northwest, Southeast, and Southwest Divisions.

The time has finally arrived for fans to put on their favorite player’s jersey and yell at their television sets. If one is looking for some thrilling basketball moments this season, look no further than the NBA Pacific Division. The Lakers, Clippers and Warriors are all giving their fans a lot to look forward to. The Kings have a really young team that could surprise, while the Suns will be one squad facing a hard year after trading Steve Nash to the Lakers.  

There is plenty to anticipate. The Lakers have their two big acquisitions with Nash and Dwight Howard, while Lamar Odom and Matt Barnes both return to the Clippers. It will be intriguing to see how the Suns will do after losing their key point guard, whether the Warriors can rely on injury-prone starters Stephen Curry and Andrew Bogut, and if the Kings can tap into their undeniable potential to avoid the division cellar. 

1st- Los Angeles Lakers

Since the Lakers’ loss to the Thunder in the playoffs last season, much has changed. The roster has been polished and is full of A-list players, meaning the team has a lot to prove. With the non-stop chatter about the “triple threat,” fans everywhere are excited to see how coach Mike Brown and his Lakers will take advantage of their three veteran All-Stars, and that doesn’t even include Steve Nash. Though they remained winless during preseason, finishing 0-8, the record is little indication of how the team will perform during the regular season. Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard played little in those eight games, giving major playing time to the bench. 

Nash, Dwight Howard, Antawn Jamison, Jodie Meeks and Chris Duhon are the new additions that are without a doubt going to be beneficial for the team. Losing Andrew Bynum, Ramon Sessions, and Matt Barnes might not be too evident or disadvantageous because of the talent of these new additions. It’s the first time Kobe will be playing alongside one of the most talented point guards in the game in Nash, and the two should create on-court magic. Speaking of magic, Dwight Howard’s trade from the Orlando Magic to Los Angeles has been one of the most exciting things to happen to the Lakers in a long while. Howard will be a great help to Pau Gasol inside, and will hopefully give the Lakers the necessary boost to create another title run.  

Much more on the Lakers here.

2nd- Los Angeles Clippers

The Clippers were the talk of Los Angeles last year after trading for Chris Paul. Now, they have a lot to prove to their dedicated and newfound fans alike. With Matt Barnes and Lamar Odom on board, this Clippers team has a better chance to advance beyond the second round of the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. 

Chauncey Billups is recovering well from his Achilles injury and will be a key player in the team’s success, while eyes will be on Eric Bledsoe to show improvements in his third year in the league. 

Clippers fans hope to watch Lamar Odom return strong after his controversial 2011-12 season that saw him traded to Dallas and leaving the Mavericks early after his awful play in Dallas. Odom is still talented and will hopefully bring those talents back to Los Angeles, where he had his best days with both Los Angeles teams. 

For all his flaws, Blake Griffin is still a beast in the paint. By combining him with Paul and the Clippers’ offseason additions, this team basically has a free pass to the playoffs. 

Coach Vinny Del Negro has a lot to look forward to, because this year might be the one where the Clippers’ hopes for being one of the best teams in the West become reality.

Much more on the Clippers here.

3rd- Golden State Warriors 

The Warriors are definitely a playoff-worthy team this season. They just might not know it yet. 

With the key addition of forward Harrison Barnes, the team’s rotation looks pretty set. Stephen Curry played less than half of last season due to injury, but will retake the role as top shooter with his return. Klay Thompson and David Lee form the rest of the Warriors’ top three. Lee’s smarts and quickness will help him create effective rotations on the offensive side, while Thompson came on late in his rookie season as a lights-out shooter. 

Andrew Bogut will make huge contributions with his elite post defense after coming over from Milwaukee in exchange for Monta Ellis last season.  If he can stay healthy that is. Small forward Brandon Rush had by far the best shooting season of his career coming off the bench last year, and will be a valuable asset for Coach Marc Jackson to bring in.

It’s been a while, but the Warriors finally have a legitimate group of players with the talent and opportunity to reach the playoffs. If Stephen Curry and Andrew Bogut stay safe and avoid any further injuries, this team together has a chance to make big things happen.

4th- Sacramento Kings

The Sacramento Kings are starting fresh this season with a young team, but this green lineup has great potential. With the addition of rookie Thomas Robinson the Kings should consider themselves lucky to have drafted one of the hardest-working athletes in basketball. Aaron Brooks and James Johnson are two of the other additions to the Kings, with both being young talent to fill out the rotation. 

DeMarcus Cousins and Tyreke Evans are the team’s most talented, but questionable players. The two are motivated and have the power to drive the Kings, but both lack authority and emotional stability. The team is full of young and new players alike, so coach Keith Smart will have his work cut out for him in making the pieces all fit. 

5th- Phoenix Suns

Right about now the Suns are readjusting to their unfortunate loss of long-time point guard Steve Nash, now with the Lakers. They also lost Grant Hill to the Clippers, who contributed greatly under the basket. Losing Channing Frye due to illness didn’t help either 

The additions to the team this season might not make up for the loss of Nash, but Goran Dragic, Michael Beasley, and Luis Scola will make this squad competitive.

Coach Alvin Gentry will have to do his best to keep the team from falling apart, but will keep the pace and structure of his defense-based system the same in order to mold his team for success a few years in the future.  

It will be exciting to see how the team will adapt to the changes and all the pressure. The Suns do not have the talent to stack up with the rest of the division, so they must have more intensity and competitiveness than their opponents in order to stay respectable. 

Reach Staff Writer Sareen Tavidian here or follow her on Twitter.