Taking The Over/Under On All NBA Western Conference Team Wins

Under - 20

The “kiddos” will be fun to watch this year, but that doesn’t mean it will translate into victories. This team is way too inexperienced and raw to make any real noise in a brutal Western Conference. I think this team will be lucky to hit 20 wins. Bet the under, and it isn’t really even close.

Under - 24

Much like the TWolves, this Jazz team could be exciting to watch at times, but they are probably two to three years away from being a competitive team. They undoubtedly have talent and could even keep a lot of games close, but their inexperience will prevail. Take the under.

Under - 29

The good news is that Kobe is back and appears to be healthy. The bad news is that much of the roster from last year is also back. This team is just not very good. They would be wise to insert Ed Davis and Julius Randle into the starting lineup as soon as possible to get them some experience. That is a frontcourt they can build around. Take the under with the Lakers.

Over - 31

DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay will both have monster seasons, but it won’t really mean much at the end of the day. The Kings may win one or two games over 30, but they won’t make any real legitimate noise. I actually like Collison and McLemore as a backcourt, and this team has some real pieces to build around. I’d take the over, but I’m not very confident in that.

Under - 42

I love the Pelicans and what they are building. Anthony Davis will be a legit MVP candidate this season. I like a Holiday and Gordon backcourt. I like Anderson coming off the bench. If this team was in the Eastern Conference, they would be a playoff team without a doubt. But they aren’t, and I think they make a jump, but only by a few games. I say take the under, but without much confidence.

Over - 47

I think some regression is probably in store for this Suns team. Losing Frye will hurt more than most people think. Thomas is a nice addition, but isn’t anything that will push them over the edge. They will again push for a playoff spot, but come up just short. That said, I still like the over for them.

Under - 48

I’m not very high on this Grizzlies team, as many people seem to be. I think they are old, and not in the San Antonio Spurs or Dallas Mavericks way, but in the Brooklyn Nets way. I don’t think Carter is a good fit, and he will regret leaving Dallas. They will probably push the 50-win mark, but fall short. I would stay away from this over/under.

Over - 49

This may be the biggest lock of any team in either conference. Bet the mortgage on the over. A team that was missing five of their best players for much of the season still won 36 games. I love this team to push the 50-win mark, and blow the projected 41.5 out of the water.

Under - 49

While much of the Western Conference was getting better, the Rockets were getting worse. Losing Parsons will hurt more than most people think. This team just can’t shoot the rock, and teams will be able to focus solely on Harden and Howard. That said, they push 50 wins on talent alone. I’d take the under, but I’d also stay away from this one.

Under - 50

Ouch. If I was posting this yesterday, I’d say the Thunder would be pushing the 60-win mark and I’d tell you to take the over. But, Kevin Durant’s injury changes everything. Westbrook probably does enough to keep them competitive during Durant’s two-month absence, but losing a player of that caliber for that long will cost them 10 wins.

Under - 51

I really like how the Warriors are built. They have a great combination of outside shooting and inside presence. They are a bit thin, but their starting talent is explosive enough to carry them. I think they are a 50-plus win team, but not by much. Like much of the Western Conference, I’d stay away from this over/under.

Over - 51

I like the Blazers to take another step forward this year. They made some quiet moves to shore up their bench and improve the veteran presence by adding Chris Kaman and Steve Blake. Lillard will continue to improve, and Aldridge may be a dark horse MVP candidate. Take the over.

Over - 54

I am super high on the Mavericks this year. This is an easy over for me. Adding Parsons was a monster move. I like what they did to bolster their bench by adding veteran players. I think the Mavericks could challenge for the 2nd seed this year. Take the over all day.

Push - 57

The Clippers won 57 games last season and I like them to eclipse that mark. I wouldn’t be shocked if they pushed 60 wins, but there’s probably enough competition in the west to keep them away from that mark. Only thing I don’t like about this squad is their depth. One injury to their frontcourt would really hurt them.

Over - 60

This one is about as big of a no-brainer as there is. The Spurs bring back every player from a championship team, and they are expected to lose more games than a year ago? It’s not going to happen. This team could rest its starters for the second half of the season and still win 56 games. Ok, maybe a bit hyperbolic, but the over is a lock nonetheless.