The Southwest Division produced four playoff teams last season, including the eventual champions, the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs’ championship squad is still intact and as deep as ever, but their noisy neighbors from Dallas – the team that almost ended their title dreams last season – have stocked up on more weapons in the summer and look set to challenge the champs in the division. Read on for our complete preview of this very deep and competitive division.
The Spurs’ playoff nemesis, LeBron James, finds himself back in a new division this year. Find out how his new and improved Cavaliers will fare in our Central Division preview.
[sc:NBAArticles ]NBA Southwest Division Preview for 2014/15 NBA Basketball Season
Overview
[sc:NBA240banner ]The Spurs comfortably won the Southwest Division last season by eight games over the Houston Rockets, while the Memphis Grizzlies and Dallas Mavericks claimed the seventh and eighth seed in the West, respectively. The injury-riddled New Orleans Pelicans finished last.
While the Spurs and Grizzlies remained relatively unchanged with regard to their rosters for this season, the Mavs and Rockets had some major shakeups to their lineups after a host of big trades and free agent signings. And with a certain big man leading the way in New Orleans, the Southwest Division is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in the NBA.
Key Rivalry – Dallas Mavericks vs. Houston Rockets
The already tense relationship between the Dallas Mavericks and the Houston Rockets took yet another turn toward animosity this summer when the Mavs signed away swingman Chandler Parsons from their Texas neighbors. Parsons had a few parting shots for his former home city, while Mavs owner Mark Cuban and Rockets GM Daryl Morey also joined in the mini war of words, further fueling the fire to their rivalry.
Parsons’ exit may have more far-reaching consequences in the standings, as the retooled Mavs will be coming for the Rockets’ place behind the Spurs in the division. Parsons joins Dirk Nowitzki and Monta Ellis to form a very talented trio on offense. And while Houston managed to find a canny replacement in veteran Trevor Ariza, they will also need to find replacements for Jeremy Lin and Omer Asik, whom they traded away in a failed attempt at luring a third superstar.
Parsons and Rockets center Dwight Howard remain close friends, but there will be no love lost between him and his other former teammates when they face off in what are sure to be four hard-fought games this season.
Key Player – Anthony Davis, New Orleans Hornets
Even at the tender age of 21, New Orleans Pelicans big man Anthony Davis could very well be one of the top-five best players in the NBA. The young phenom ranked 3rd in the entire league in Player Efficiency Rating at just 20 years old last season and much more is expected of him as he enters his third year in the league.
Davis will finally receive some much-needed reinforcements in the form of point guard Jrue Holiday and forward Ryan Anderson, who are both back healthy after suffering season-ending injuries last year. Davis should also spend more time at power forward after the Pelicans acquired center Omer Asik from the Houston Rockets.
New Orleans finished a disappointing 34-48 last season, but Davis’ continued growth and improvement this year will be the major driving force in the Pelicans’ playoff bid this season.
Favorite – San Antonio Spurs
Even with a very competitive division from top to bottom, the defending champion San Antonio Spurs are still big -170 favorites to defend their Southwest Division crown this season. The Spurs kept their title-winning team intact during the offseason in their bid for a first ever NBA championship defense.
Veterans Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili will be well-rested after being excused from international duty in the FIBA World Cup, and head coach Gregg Popovich will be keen to keep his stars fresh for another extended postseason run.
Big things are also expected of NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard to take a much larger role in the team’s offense as 38-year old Tim Duncan gets closer to his inevitable retirement. But while Leonard makes that transition, the Spurs still possess their incredible strength in depth, which should help ease the pressure on the budding star.
Sleeper – Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks last won their division back in 2009-2010, but a busy offseason has them lurking as the big sleeper in the Southwest. Aside from the previously mentioned big-money signing of Parsons, the Mavs also brought back Tyson Chandler, the defensive anchor of their 2011 championship-winning team, as well as veterans Richard Jefferson, Jameer Nelson and Raymond Felton.
Parsons will be a very solid third option on offense behind the ageless Dirk Nowitzki and Monta Ellis. Meanwhile, the return of Chandler to man the paint will be a significant upgrade over last year’s center combination of Samuel Dalembert and DeJuan Blair.
The Mavs took the eventual champion Spurs to seven games in the first round of last year’s playoffs, yet more proof of Rick Carlisle’s incredible coaching chops. With a vastly improved lineup to work with this season, Carlisle’s Mavs are +525 to win the stacked Southwest Division.
Writer’s Prediction
The Spurs once again come away with the division crown, followed by the Mavs, Grizzlies and Rockets (in that order), who also make the postseason. However, the Pelicans fall short of a playoff berth.
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