NBA Western Conference Standings: As Wild as Ever With Recent News
Denver Remains Favorite Amidst Changing Landscape

The Denver Nuggets won the NBA’s Western Conference and the NBA title. But they are not the talk of recent NBA news. Teams like Phoenix, the Lakers, the Warriors, and even the Rockets have been making plenty of moves. Then there is Victor Wembanyama in San Antonio and Damian Lillard asking out of Portland. With all that, expect the NBA Western Conference standings to remain chaotic for 2023-24.
The NBA Western Conference Standings
Last Season’s Standings
The Nuggets finished atop the NBA Western Conference standings in 2022-23. The team locked up the top spot even amidst Nikola Jokic, the two-time MVP’s, absence. Speaking of injuries, it wreaked havoc on the standings. This led to plenty of lower seeds beating higher seeds in the playoffs such as the Lakers (7) over Grizzlies (2) and the Warriors (6) over the Kings (3).
This Season’s Upcoming Standings
Even if the Nuggets lead the West in the NBA Championship odds, they may not be the favorites to have the best regular season record in the conference. A team like Phoenix, which acquired three-time All-Star Bradley Beal could be favored. The Warriors, who added 12-time All-Star Chris Paul could also get a boost.
The regular-season win totals should be released sometime in mid-August. One caveat to the new season is that it will feature 80 regular season games, not the traditional 82. The two extra games will be played via the new in-season tournament or via flexible scheduling.
In and Out: New Teams Jockey for Playoff Spots
The 2022-23 NBA Western Conference standings frequently shifted outside of Denver staying at the top. With that said, other than Sacramento, the rest of the playoff picture stayed as most expected during the preseason albeit with different seedings.
In the last three seasons, there have been at least two new teams in the playoffs. Last season it was Sacramento and the Lakers. In 2021-22 it was New Orleans and Minnesota. Following this trend, there could be new faces in this year’s playoffs.
Of the teams that didn’t make it, the Dallas Mavericks are the obvious choice. The team re-signed Kyrie Irving and added several key players to the frontcourt. New Orleans and Oklahoma City are also touted by many NBA betting tips.
The Pelicans will be a threat if star power forward Zion Williamson can stay healthy or is dealt for another star. The Thunder finished 12-9 since March and will get 2022 second-overall pick Chet Holmgren back.
And of course, don’t underestimate what Houston and San Antonio can do. The Rockets spent a lot in NBA Free Agency to bring in sharp veterans like Fred VanVleet to bolster their already talented young team. And if Wembanyama lives up to his hype, San Antonio could make some noise.
For NBA betting news, odds, analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads.
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