The impressive Southwest Division
With 2015 rapidly approaching, the NBA season is beginning to take shape. It’s obvious to even the casual fan that the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers will be fighting for the No. 1 overall pick in June, that the Toronto Raptors could be the surprise NBA Finals participant from the East, and that the West has almost all the good teams.
Another fun nugget is how good the Southwest Division is becoming, with none of the five teams under .500. In fact, the whole division is separated by only seven games, by far the smallest margin of any. The Memphis Grizzlies are leading the Southwest at 22-8, followed by the Houston Rockets (21-8), Dallas Mavericks (22-10), San Antonio Spurs (19-13) and New Orleans Pelicans (15-15). Think about this: the defending champs, who brought everybody back, are fourth in the division and may stay there awhile.
Over at Vegas Insider, four of the top nine odds for NBA Finals champion come out of the Southwest. The Spurs sit at 13/2, while the Mavericks (12/1), Grizzlies (18/1) and Rockets (18/1) follow suit. The Pelicans are 15th, coming in at 125/1.
New Orleans is the only one currently outside of the playoff picture, sitting two games behind the streaking Phoenix Suns for the eighth and final playoff seed. The Pelicans are a legitimate squad however, boasting one of the best players in basketball, Anthony Davis. The former No. 1 overall pick out of Kentucky has taken his game to another level, averaging 24.6 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.0 blocks and 1.7 steals per game, all team highs.
New Orleans also has some quality role players including Jrue Holiday, Eric Gordon, Tyreke Evans and Ryan Anderson. Combined, the foursome is producing 56.7 points per game while spreading the floor and allowing Davis to roam inside. When coach Monte Williams wants to go big, he has the luxury of Omir Asik to form a devastating defensive tandem with Davis. Even with a 15-15 record, few teams have the raw talent the Pelican possess.
The three Texas teams are all title contenders, especially with Houston and Dallas emerging. The Rockets have a powerful duo in Dwight Howard and James Harden, perhaps bolstered by the recent addition of Josh Smith. Dallas is no slouch, acquiring Rajon Rondo to partner with Dirk Nowitzki, Tyson Chandler, Monta Ellis, Chandler Parsons and coach Rick Carlisle. The Mavericks, buoyed by the deep pockets are Mark Cuban, are a rising force in the West.
Memphis is perennially underrated, led by Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph on the interior. With Mike Conley Jr. and Tony Allen on the perimeter, the Grizzlies are one of the best defensive teams in the NBA. They don’t play flashy basketball and come playoff time, will fight like the old-school 1990’s New York Knicks. It’s not always the sexiest style, but it can be brutally effective.
Factor in San Antonio, and the race is going to be fascinating down the stretch and into the postseason. Will all five make the playoffs? Seems like a stretch, but anything is possible.
