Team to beat: The South West division is a tight one. All 5 teams could legitimately make a claim to a playoff spot, but the Mavericks have to be the team to beat. Even while tanking last year, they couldn�t help but win enough games to make it to the playoffs to the detriment of division rival, Memphis, who finished 9^th. The Mavs though now have the addition of some guy, you may have heard of him, Kevin Durant. To pair with the Unicorn himself, Kristaps Porzingis, and a swathe of talented guards too. If they can ever stop a bucket down one end, they�ll be dropping so many up the other that it may not even matter anyway. A legit threat to take the entire West.

 

Key story line:
The incumbent: San Antonio � 51-31.
The Spurs were the Division titlist last year by 8 games above the Mavs, and they have made a bunch of moves in the offseason to produce what looks like a really solid starting 5 with a couple of key role players to boot, but their depth has definitely taken a hit as they struggle even to make up the simple 14 player numbers despite boasting an unheralded $164 million payroll. Pair this with the unpredictability of Karl-Anthony Towns, the possible down swing of Covington and the inevitability of games missed by Butler and Walker, and last years sheen and this years hope dashes a little. They would seem to be less than a lock to defend the title

The New Order: Dallas � 43-39.
The Mavs were the only other South Westian to make the playoffs last year and they only scraped into the 8^th seed while trying to lose, as Kristaps had other ideas. KP now has a running mate�or becomes the running mate to one of the all time greats in KD and the Mavs you would project should easily eclipse the win total of last year and with the likes of FVV, Dennis Schroder, Buddy Hield and Kelly Oubre also all running and gunning, the Mavs are going to get buckets on literally everyone. Of course, they come with the full proviso that KP needs to stay healthy, something he struggles to do, and KD is coming off one of the worst injuries in basketball, all be it 18 months removed. It could all go pear shaped pretty quick in a worst case, but if they�re healthy, they�re fire.

The Big Riser: New Orleans � 31-51.
The Pelicans were the division wooden spooner last year, 4 games behind the Rockets and 12 games outside of the playoffs, but the team got a hell of a lot better adding John Collins to the dynamic duo of Ja Morant and Donvon Mitchell and they brought in old faithful to man the middle in Brook Lopez with Terry Rozier, love him or hate him, dropping buckets and creating plays. They�re a nice blend of young and vet, and they in my book should really be pushing the .500 this season which instantly brings them into the conversation for a late playoff spot. They probably won�t mix it right up the top, and on overall talent if healthy they should struggle with the Spurs even, but they should be a fairly solid 3^rd pushing 2^nd.

Picking up where they left off: Memphis � 39-43.
The Grizz are better this year because their guys are simply better. JJJ, Brown, White, Herro, Anunoby, Anderson. And then you throw in inclusions like Derrick Favors and DeMarcus Cousins and the Grizz are going to go at least 1 better this year and be in the playoffs. Getting JJJ back ASAP will be a big key, but the roster is deep and full of guys who mesh and play roles together, and the addition of some like DMC is hard to put a ceiling on with who is around him. The Grizz could push as high as top 4 in the West if it all goes right, but playoffs should be a minimum.

Making up the numbers? Houston � 35-47.
The Rockets aren�t really just a �number filler� on the whole, but in this division they unfortunately have to be classed as the 5^th team despite boasting one of the elite players in Nikola Jokic and a team of guys who know their role that runs 8-10 deep. Josh Richardson, Davis Bertans, Norman Powell, and then Otto Porter, Jalen Brunson, Delon Wright and Royce O�Neale. They�re not household names, but they know how to play, they possess good size for their spots and they have complimenting skillsets to just about any team, legit. In the scheme of things, the Rockets would probably be hoping to at least eclipse last years wins but could really go either way. If it all gels and they can find enough buckets, the playoffs aren�t out of the question, or maybe it all falls in a heap.

 

Five best players:

1) Mavs � Kevin Durant. Shock horror. Who would have thought, ey? So he�s a year removed from his last game�and he�s never actually suited up for the NSL, but the man averaged 40+ in his last stint of action. We happen to be 2 games into the season now too, and he�s averaging 52 a game�yeah this isn�t a contest.

2) Mavs � Kristaps Porzingis. Controversial? Possibly. Illogical? No. Porzingis last year almost single handedly projected the Mavs into the playoffs on the back of averages of 28/12/3/2/2 which is the best line of any player in the division given KD has a donut line last year with injury. Kristaps cannot be overlooked or forgotten here now that KD is in town as he is legit.

3) Spurs � Karl-Anthony Towns. Towns was a monster and will be a monster again. His blend of speed and inside outside game, and the way 2k ignores his inability to defend makes him a formidable stud on a team loaded with talent.

4) Rockets � Nikola Jokic. Funny to think the 3^rd and 4^th guys here, who are so close in ranks were actually traded for each other last season. Towns definitely fits what the Spurs are doing far better, and Nikola definitely fits what the Rockets are doing. The nod for now still goes to Towns for the engine sake, but if 2k ever unlocks the real Jokic then look out.

5) Grizzlies � Jaylen Brown. Taking a little of a leap here overlooking the likes of Donvon Mitchell, Jimmy Butler, Kemba Walker and Ja Morant, but Brown is primed to step right up and into being Jimmy Butler and quite frankly, he�s going to be the most important man in the Grizzlies uniform this year and I think the numbers will reflect that.

 

Sleeper: He�s much maligned, and he passed around a couple of teams in the offseason, but Norman Powell looks like he could be primed for a break out on a team that needs someone to step up and say �give me the ball�. He bounced back last year in the NBA becoming a microwave scorer again and problem on defence, and his new 2k tendencies should reflect this re-emergence and he�ll have every opportunity in Houston.

 

Breakout star: John Collins last year in Boston was meant to have all the run he could handle and should have put up numbers, but he hovered still around the 11/11 mark which is solid as hell, but nothing like he was doing in the NBA. New team, more run and gun, less defensive attention and more space to work, surely John is the guy who busts out NSL style.

 

Best newcomer: Dare I say, KD? He is making his NSL debut? Maybe DMC, he�s just come across to the division. Or do I look at it literally in terms of the best rookie? Patrick Williams? 2way sensation Mason Jones? Tyrese Maxey? How about a combination of all of the above for all of the most obvious of reasons.

 

Prediction: This really is that tough of a division to predict. The only sure thing to me is that Dallas will win 55+ games behind their 2 stars and take the division. I think Memphis and SA are too close to call. They�ll both be in the 45-50 bracket I think and because of depth and less injury risk I�m going to give it to Memphis. New Orleans I think are +.500 this year, but can they get into the 45-50 bracket? 4^th sounds so harsh, but I expect a contending playoff birth. Houston unfortunately bring up the rear but as a 10^th-ish seed which is hardly a terrible year.

1: Dallas, 55+ wins
2: Memphis, 45+ wins
3: San Antonio, 45+ wins
4: New Orleans, 41+ wins
5: Houston, 35+ wins