US media divides Western power teams into three levels: Rockets and Nuggets become challengers, and Chuanhu Yong is not qualified

Despite a series of injuries to the NBA's Eastern Conference competition in 2025-26 season, the Western Conference's pattern has taken a different look. There, many hopeful contestants must strive to catch up with the championship team, the Oklahoma City Thunder. The team won the championship with a record 84 wins last season and has a lineup that remains competitive, and is expected to defend its title again.

But, which competitors are most promising to catch up with Oklahoma City? Which teams with veterans are gathering hope to stay energetic enough to make it to the playoffs again! In order to provide a comprehensive overview and analyze the initial pattern of the Western Conference in 2025-26, ESPN has divided all teams eligible for the playoffs next season into three levels.

The Thunder are still the biggest favorite in championships

Apart from signing 2024 first-round pick Nikola Topic, the Thunder did not sign any new players through trades or free agents - but why do they need to do that? The defending champion already has the deepest rotation in the league. And they will likely get better in the 2025-26 season, as 31-year-old Alex Caruso and 30-year-old Kenridge Williams are the only two players over 27 years old, while Chet Holmgren played only 32 games last season due to injury.

wins 64 times in the regular season schedule, is the best difference in NBA history? Is it better than winning a title? Good head? Yes, it's not only possible but realistic. They tried to be the first defending champion team since the Durant era Warriors, which would break the longest winning streak without repeat winners, and the Thunder were in their own ranks. Best Score Difference

Level 2: Have the Strong Challenge Defending Champions

Houston Rockets

Rockets were a paper tiger in the 2024-25 season: they spared no effort to get the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, but they didn't have enough star power to cause damage in the playoffs, resulting in the first round being eliminated by the Golden State Warriors. But after getting Kevin Durant and signing Dorian Finney-Smith, with Amen Thompson, Tari Ethan and Reed Shepard taking on more important roles, the Rockets have a complete team with the necessary depth and star strength to threaten the Thunder.

Houston still doesn't have the top talent like the champion, but it also doesn't have any real weaknesses. Don't be surprised if the Rockets get the second seed again but also look more playoff preparations. The tiger looks real. The overall structure of the Denver Nuggets has remained the same for years: Nikola Jokic led by Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon supported. But there have been many changes in Denver recently: After adding Bruce Brown, Tim Hadavi and Jonas Valanciunas (if he doesn't return to Europe), they have a new coach, a new front office and a new capable bench. Cameron Johnson also replaced Michael Porter as a key shooter in the starting lineup after this offseason transfer.

If it weren't for a series of unexpected three-pointers by Lugent Dortmund, the Nuggets would have likely beaten the Thunder in the second round this spring. They are ready for another chance next season. The continued rise of the Minnesota Timberwolves

Anthony Edwards will be the main factor in determining whether Minnesota can return to the league finals for three consecutive seasons, ideally improving the past two trips by entering the Finals this time. But it also depends largely on the performance of the Timberwolves defender outside Edwards. With Nickel Alexander Walker heading to Atlanta, other Minnesota defenders rotated include Mike Conley (who will celebrate his 38th birthday before the start of the new season), Doant Divenzenzo and rising rookies Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr. The two played a total of 81 games in their rookie season, averaging only 8.8 points per game.

The third-level veteran strong team

Los Angeles Clippers

It can be said that the Clippers should be one level higher in this ranking. Kawhi Leonard played his first game of last season on January 4, and since then, the Clippers ranked second in the West with a net rating of 7.2 plus points. They even beat Denver in a seven-game losing streak, but the two-point loss and lack of excuses in Game 7 were destined to be the dormant contender.

The good news for the Clippers is that Brooke Lopez joins from Milwaukee as an underrated supplement, addressing the reserve center issue behind Ivica Zubac, while every key player in the 2024-25 season will return in the 2025-26 season, with the exception of Norman Powell, Los Angeles traded John Collins on Monday. The bad news is that Leonard and James Harden, along with role players Lopez, Nicholas Batum, Chris Dunn and Bogdan Pogdanovic, are all in their 30s, so there is reason to doubt whether the Clippers missed their chances last season.

Los Angeles Lakers

Any team with Luca Doncic or LeBron James, not to mention both, will automatically become a contender. But do the Lakers have a strong enough support lineup to compete? Here are some big and challenging questions: Can a lineup with Doncic, James and Austin Reeves maintain its advantage on the defensive end? Can new starting center Deandre Aiton, who has just been bought out, exert greater strength and reverse his decline over the years? Can Jack Laravia replace Finney Smith? Are there enough shooters on this list? ?

The Lakers' drama is expected to continue until they can answer these questions firmly. The Golden State Warriors were very inactive during the offseason, waiting for free agent Horford to make a decision, and Jonathan Kumingga’s restrictive free agent problem was resolved, on some kind of defensive. Currently, they are in a similar situation as at the end of last season: a very good team, especially under Jimmy Butler III, but not a dominant team. Depending on the rest of the offseason, they may advance — remember that if Stephen Curry wasn’t injured in Game 1 of the second round, they might have reached the league final last season — but they haven’t done anything to ensure a better ranking.

Dallas Mavericks

Cooper Flagge is not part of the veteran lineup, and the 18-year-old No. 1 draft represents the biggest reason for being excited about the Mavericks. But the team led by Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving (once he recovered from the ACL tear), as well as the team starting in the backcourt with Klay Thompson and D'Angelo Russell, are still eligible for the veteran title. The bigger question about the Mavericks is whether they have enough manufacturing power—whether Flag can handle the ball forward as a rookie, whether it will become hot, and most importantly, whether Irving will return at full speed or it will take another year to get back to speed.

Other teams Spurs, Kings, Pelicans, Jazz, Suns, Trail Blazers, and Grizzlies have no chance to enter the playoffs