NBA Western Conference preview 2023-24: Can anyone catch the Denver Nuggets?

The Nuggets were the best team in the Western Conference most of last season, and there’s little reason why that shouldn’t be the case again in 2023-24.

Sure, defending NBA champions usually get the benefit of the doubt. Sure, there hasn’t been a repeat NBA champion since the 2017-18 season. But barring some major injury, the Nuggets have a lot in their favor for a potential return to the Finals.

Start with Nikola Jokic. The two-time MVP center didn’t get a third last season but was named Finals MVP. He’s arguably the best player in the world. Despite how social media loves his laid-back approach to basketball, he’s got the killer instinct and a command of his all-around offensive brilliance. Few teams have an answer for him.

Second is the Nuggets’ collective youth. Jokic and Aaron Gordon are 28. Jamal Murray is 26. Michael Porter Jr. is 25. Murray could be in line for an All-Star/All-NBA-caliber season after returning from an ACL injury last season and showing no signs of struggle.

Third? A wide-open conference behind the Nuggets. Any argument you make for a team to challenge Denver can easily be refuted.

The Suns added Bradley Beal and will have a full season of Kevin Durant next to Devin Booker. Can Beal, one of the league’s best scorers, handle being a point guard? How many games will Durant play? He hasn’t played more than 55 since his Achilles injury four years ago. And even with all that scoring, who defends?

Golden State showed cracks last season as it has gotten older and less dominant. It added Chris Paul, who’s eager to win that elusive title, but that ages the team even more.

This could be the last run for the Stephen Curry-Klay Thompson-Draymond Green era, so there’s a sense of urgency.

The Clippers are unsure bets, given the health of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard. If both play, this team can compete with anyone in the West. But in four years together, neither has played more than 57 games in a season. The potential is always there, but will it ever be fulfilled with a second deep playoff run?

The Grizzlies went from precocious to troubling last season. With Ja Morant suspended for the first 25 games and Steven Adams out for the season, they’re a mystery, even after adding a veteran presence with Marcus Smart. To be contenders, Morant must mature off the court and the team must get past the scar tissue of last season’s first-round playoff exit.

The Lakers will be better after adding Gabe Vincent and Cam Reddish in free agency. They’ll need it because LeBron James is entering Year 21. He’s still great, but Father Time is closing in. Anthony Davis must stay healthy enough to carry this team, and that’s tricky, given his past injuries.

The Kings were last season’s surprise. The “Beam Team” gave Sacramento its first taste of the postseason since the 2005-06 season. They’re still not true contenders, but a second year under coach Mike Brown can build on the momentum a great fan base has yearned for.

If anything, there’s more intrigue with the possible play-in teams.

With so much young talent, the emergence of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the promise of Chet Holmgren, who missed his rookie season because of injury, this could be the year the Thunder break through.

Houston’s lack of discipline among its young core might change with the hiring of coach Ime Udoka and the addition of guard Fred VanVleet.

The Spurs will have everyone’s attention because of rookie Victor Wembanyama. The 7-4 No. 1 overall pick is must-see TV as one of the league’s most hyped prospects. His unique mix of height, length, defense and ballhandling is worth watching, along with how the 19-year-old Frenchman adjusts to the NBA game.

But with all that said, it’s difficult to see anyone dethroning the Nuggets. As long as Jokic is playing at a high level and Murray gets further removed from that ACL injury, the Nuggets have two elite players among a proven, playoff-tested starting lineup.

It will be fun to see which team ends up second-best in the West, especially if the Suns find a way to jell quickly. But the West title runs through Denver, and Jokic has all the motivation to build his resume as one of the all-time greats.

Add in coach Michael Malone and a built-in home advantage playing at altitude. Then go ahead and book the Nuggets for a third conference finals trip in five seasons.

By Evan Barnes

evan.barnes@newsday.comevan_b

Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.