Golden State Warriors: Ranking every Western Conference team

By Tony Pesta | Dec 14, 2020

OAKLAND, CA - MARCH 08: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors drives to the basket against Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets at ORACLE Arena on March 8, 2019 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /

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(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

8. Phoenix Suns

A triumphant run in the bubble completely reversed the narrative surrounding the Phoenix Suns. The culture is being overhauled and Chris Paul is set to take them to the next level as he has done with every team he ever joined.

The leadership qualities Paul brings should help lift this team of young stars to their max potential. For Devin Booker, things couldn’t be better. He finally has an elite playmaker next to him to help ease his responsibilities as a scorer.

Other players like Deandre Ayton, Mikal Bridges and Jae Crowder will provide more than enough depth to make the Suns a serious contender for the eight-seed.

7. Utah Jazz

The inside-out presence of Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Mitchell’s career trajectory is pointing straight to the sky while Gobert remains a top-tier defender due to his rim protection.

Last season, the Jazz won 44 games and will be even better with the return of Bojan Bogdanovic. His dual shot-creation and playmaking was heavily missed in the bubble and will provide the spark they needed.

However, the Jazz haven’t made many improvements over the offseason. In contrast, the other teams listed ahead of them have only gotten better. While we can expect the Jazz to be a tough team to beat, they are still on the outside looking in at the real contenders.

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