NBA: A look at what to expect from the Western Conference this season

After a busy off-season and trades galore, the NBA season is all set to kick off on October 23. The opening game of the NBA season sees the Toronto Raptors take on New Orleans Pelicans. The second game of the opening night of the NBA is somewhat of a West Coast blockbuster as the star-studded Lakers face off against Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and the fresh-faced L.A. Clippers at the Staples Center. Here's all you need to know about the teams in the Western Conference.

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Expectations on the Clippers

NBA fans across the world have picked the Los Angeles Clippers as the favorites to win the Western Conference this time around. The Clippers have added the likes of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George to a lineup that already made the playoffs last season, so the expectations on the Clippers are not without reason. However, the Clippers do not have a pure point guard. Lou Williams has expressed an interest in taking up the spot. The Clippers have, at their weakest position, Montrezl Harrell and Ivica Zubac to man the middle. However, they will have to pace themselves early in the season with Paul George still recovering from injury.

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Their neighbors, the Los Angeles Lakers, meanwhile, have gone on to build arguably one of the most fearsome teams in the NBA this season. The Lakers showed glimpses of their mettle in the preseason victories over the Warriors. In one game, the Lakers went on to score a mammoth 71 points in the first half against the Warriors. With Anthony Davis, LeBron James and Kyle Kuzma forming a devastating front three, the Lakers are well primed to set the Western Conference alight this season. 

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The Golden State Warriors, on the other hand, will have a lot resting on the shoulders of Steph Curry. With Kawhi Leonard and Paul George leading the Clippers, LeBron James and Anthony Davis heading the Lakers' fortunes, and Russell Westbrook and James Harden guiding the Houston Rockets, the Warriors are guaranteed to have a tough time this season. Moreover, for the first time in his career, Steph Curry will be asked to do something he hasn't done a lot - play the fourth quarter in games. Apart from the Rockets, the Warriors, the Lakers, and the Clippers, the teams from Portland, Utah and Denver will also be in the running, having quietly gone about their business in the offseason. 

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