Power Rankings: The Top 5 Teams in Each Conference

Western Conference

1) Oklahoma City Thunder- No team has done enough this offseason to unseat the Thunder as this conference’s top team. I believe OKC would have reached the Finals if not for Russell Westbrook’s injury (no slight to Spurs fans at all, Tony Parker would not have been able to keep up with Westbrook), and I trust Scott Brooks’ ability to replace Kevin Martin’s bench scoring. If they get Mike Miller, he will help — assuming he can stay healthy. Jeremy Lamb will have to play a large role as well.

2) San Antonio Spurs- As Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili enter the twilights of their careers, Kawhi Leonard and Tiago Splitter lead the next wave of disciplined team players ready to command this team for the rest of the decade. The depth and cohesion this team has is nearly impossible to replicate, and will allow San Antonio to contend for the title again next season. Marco Belinelli was a nice addition.

3) Memphis Grizzlies- Memphis returns its same starting five, including the West’s best front line and a standout defensive backcourt in Tony Allen and Mike Conley. The Grizzlies will still be able to muscle most teams into submission, and that bodes well in the playoffs against teams like the Warriors, Clippers, Rockets and Nuggets, which is why they’re comfortably nestled in this third slot in the conference.

4) Golden State Warriors- This team is so young and talented, but the best part is that they’ll grow together under emerging head coach Mark Jackson. Andre Iguodala’s signing will only improve the team’s depth, defense and athleticism. They were the sixth seed last season, and you should expect them to improve on that as Steph Curry, Harrison Barnes and Klay Thompson mature and gain experience.

5) Los Angeles Clippers- LA did a very good job of spinning the Eric Bledsoe asset into reliable spacers, shooters and defenders in J.J. Redick and Jared Dudley. However, the team didn’t address its lack of toughness inside and that could haunt them in the postseason against teams like Memphis, San Antonio and, to a lesser extent, Oklahoma City. But having Chris Paul in the fold ensures that the Clippers won’t be leaving the conference’s top five anytime soon.

Honorable Mention- Houston Rockets- How could I leave the Rockets out of the top five in the West after they signed Dwight Howard? Remember that time when a team acquired Howard and most people thought they were a lock to make the NBA Finals. Yeah, the Lakers. Last year. With a similarly dynamic scorer, James Harden to Kobe Bryant, a skilled big man (Omer Asik to Pau Gasol) and a popular point guard (Jeremy Lin to Steve Nash). Let’s see if Howard can take Houston to the next level before anointing them.

Honorable Mention- Denver Nuggets- Despite losing Andre Iguodala, Denver didn’t take a huge step back because of their shrewd signings of J.J. Hickson and Nate Robinson. They’ll still be a fun team to watch under Brian Shaw with the same really strong rebounding differentials from last season.

Shlomo Sprung is a Sheridan Hoops columnist specializing in advanced statistics and the way they explain what happens on the court. He is also the web editor of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle. A 2011 graduate of Columbia University’s Journalism School, he has previously worked for the New York Knicks, The Sporting News, Business Insider and other publications. His website is SprungOnSports.com. You can follow him on Twitter