Western Conference Power Rankings: December 2024 Edition

The dust has settled from the beginning of the 2024-25 NBA SZN.

It’s time to check in with 30 thoughts for 30 teams, power ranks style with a twist.

The Western Conference is below. The East can be viewed here.

LET’S GET IT.

1. Oklahoma City Thunder (15-4)

No. 9 offense & No. 1 defense | No. 1 steals

No Chet has been a bummer, but OKC has kept pushing. J-Dub at Center? Yep. Thankfully Hartenstein is back, making his Thunder debut just in time. OKC is 4-0 with I-Hart.

SGA is taking more 3s but still shooting an excellent 57% on 2s, averaging close to 30 points a night.

2. Houston Rockets (14-6)

No. 12 offense & No. 2 defense | No. 1 rebs

The Rox strength is their depth and bench: The Stay Ready Crew stays ready.

The Terror Twins, Amen Thompson and Tari Eason, are the most entertaining bench tag team in the league as confirmed by Zach Lowe on Tweeter. Miss and love you, Zach!

3. Phoenix Suns (11-8)

No. 13 offense & No. 20 defense | No. 1 clutch win%

The Suns were 8-1, scorching hot to start — then KD went out with his calf strain and they instantly cratered to 1-6 over the next seven games.

But now KD is back and he doesn’t look like he missed a beat.

4. Golden State Warriors (12-7)

No. 16 offense & No. 4 defense | No. 2 rebs

The top-5 defense is a big surprise, but then you look closer at who the Warriors have beat.

And you see them lose 4 in a row…

Even so, the Warriors haven’t had depth like this in a long time. The return to a Strength in Numbers demeanor has worked wonders in the Bay so far. Losing Melton for the season is a blow, but at least they are more equipped to handle it. Lindy Waters, hello!

5. Denver Nuggets (10-7)

No. 6 offense & No. 16 defense | No. 1 fastbreak points

It’s certainly never been said before: Nikola Jokic has been absolutely absurd.

Averaging 30-13-11 after a month? Like…. WHAT.

However, the depth here is still a serious problem. Russ has been a positive and is actually shooting 37.5% from 3 right now, but will that last? The Nuggets need more consistency from Julian Strawther.

6. Memphis Grizzlies (13-7)

No. 4 offense & No. 6 defense | No. 1 ast & No. 1 blocks

As expected, the Grizz have a solid defense, but the offense is top-5 as well??

Stop us if you’ve heard this before… injury problems are an issue. Ja missed three weeks. Edey is out with an ankle. Smart has played half the games.

Somehow the Grizz keep finding a way. Why do we still have such a hard time believing it’s real?

7. Dallas Mavericks (12-8)

No. 5 offense & No. 7 defense | No. 4 points in the paint

No Luka, no Klay and no Gafford vs. the Knicks - no problem for the Naji Marshall experience.

Luka’s defense has looked bad bad. So bad we had to say it twice. Slow and unengaged. Hopefully the time off with the wrist injury will refresh his legs.

Honestly, it all comes down to P.J. Washington here. When PJW scores 10+ points, the Mavs are 8-1.

8. Los Angeles Lakers (11-8)

No. 7 offense & No. 23 defense | No. 1 free throws made

Dalton Knecht is the sharpshooter who was promised.

True to J.J.’s word, AD has started the season putting up legit MVP numbers. And LeBron? Just stacking up triple-doubles. (He’s about to turn FORTY.)

And yet, the defense is worrisome to say the least. Defensive help has been delayed as Jarred Vanderbilt will be re-evaluated in a couple of weeks.

9. Los Angeles Clippers (12-9)

No. 24 offense & No. 5 defense | No. 2 fewest opp 2nd chance pts

There is not a team whose preseason Over/Under prediction that we regret more.

Watching this Clippers team has been a pleasure, one of the great underrated surprises and joys of the first month of the season.

Harden IS the system. That’s not a joke. Neither is this defense that has had a shot in the arm with the arrival of Kris Dunn and Jeff Van Gundy. (Read that again.)

10. Sacramento Kings (9-11)

No. 10 offense & No. 14 defense | No. 1 fewest opp fast break pts

Where were you the night Keon Ellis turned into prime Ray Allen?

Ellis drilled NINE 3’s. Problem: the Kings lost that game to the Hawks, the same as they did when Fox scored a franchise-high 60 points vs. the T-Wolves. (The Kings would get revenge.)

DeRozan, Sabonis and Monk have all missed time, but is this team better with more Monk than DeRozan?

11. Minnesota Timberwolves (9-10)

No. 19 offense & No. 8 defense | No. 2 fewest opp 3PA

A rocky start with Randle and Divincenzo in Minny. Randle’s game-winning 3 against the Suns in a big comeback win was awesome but feels like ages ago. Not awesome: losing to the Blazers twice and Raptors. (Also a stretch of losing 7 of 9.) Ant has fallen in love with the 3-ball too much.

Chris Finch will probably figure it out and Dillingham is exciting. But the tension is high and the schedule is TOUGH.

12. San Antonio Spurs (10-9)

No. 20 offense & No. 13 defense | No. 1 ast%

Is there a more unguardable shot than Wemby pulling up from the logo in transition? No, no there is not.

Chris Paul has shown he still has some tread left and Castle is a great protege. It’s very nice to see a recent Keldon Johnson resurgence and Vassell back in the mix.

1st team All-Underrated: Julian Champagnie. — Get well soon, Pop!

13. Portland Trail Blazers (8-12)

No. 27 offense & No. 17 defense | No. 5 blocks

Contrary to the Clippers, there isn’t a team that we are more glad that we switched sides on for our preseason Over/Under prediction.

The Blazers have nice wins on the resume: Rockets, Clippers and T-Wolves (twice). Shaedon Sharpe has had some really good games since returning from injury.

Is Joe Cronin sweating yet? Offensive players sure are going up against Clingan’s 2.2 blocks per game. Cling Kong!

14. New Orleans Pelicans (4-16)

No. 29 offense & No. 29 defense | No. 8 second chance pts

All you need to know is the Pelicans recently played a game without: Zion, Ingram, Dejounte, McCollum, Herb Jones, Trey Murphy, Jordan Hawkins and Jose Alvarado. … Yep.

But big shoutout to Antonio Reeves (WHO HE!?) who dropped 34 points in that game vs. the Cavs! (Gotta be the most points a WHO HE!? player has ever dropped, right?)

15. Utah Jazz (4-15)

No. 26 offense & No. 28 defense | No. 3 free throws made

Danny Ainge is sleeping very well at night, dreaming of Cooper Flagg and Ace Bailey.

Even so, the Jazz have taken down the Mavs and Knicks, proving they are not going to just roll over every game.

But that sound that you can hear right now is the sound of a tank rolling down the stairs.

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