Overview of the NBA Western Conference
The NBA Western Conference consists of 15 teams. These teams play one another during the regular season for a chance to make it to the playoffs and be crowned NBA champions. The Western Conference and Central Division operate under the same rules, but the Eastern Conference has a Central and Atlantic division set-up.
- The Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets are two of the most storied franchises in the NBA and are among the best teams in the Western Conference. They’re also two of the most competitive teams in playoff history, and they’ve battled each other many times over the years. - The Los Angeles Lakers have one of the most loyal fan bases in the world and have had many great players over the years. They’ve won 16 NBA championships, which is far and away the most of any NBA team.
- The Oklahoma City Thunder have been one of the best teams in the Western Conference for a few years now and are the defending Western Conference champions.
- The Portland Trail Blazers have one of the best players in the NBA today and several other great players over the years.
- The Sacramento Kings are one of the worst teams in the NBA and don’t have much hope of getting better anytime soon.
History of the Western Conference
The NBA Western Conference has been one of the most competitive sports conference sports since its inception. Every season, teams battle it out for a chance to make it to the playoffs, and there’s always a new set of contenders who stand out as top teams. The NBA has been around since 1946, and the Western Conference has been a league all its own since the 1950-51 season. The NBA has gone through several re-alignments over the years, and the current format of two conferences, two divisions each, and two wild card teams from each conference is only about a decade old. Some of the best and storied NBA franchises are in the Western Conference. There are also a few teams that are relatively new to the conference, but they’ve made themselves a part of the long and illustrious history of the NBA Western Conference. The Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, and Sacramento Kings are some of the newest teams in the conference, but they’ve already made their mark. The Warriors are one of the best teams in the NBA, the Rockets are always competitive, and the Kings have been a train wreck for many years now. The NBA Western Conference has been around for a long time, and it shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
Western Conference Championships
The NBA Western Conference has seen many teams compete in the playoffs over the years, but only a select few have made it to the NBA finals. The Golden State Warriors are one of those select few and have won three NBA championships since 2014. The Houston Rockets have made it to the finals once and lost to the Warriors in a close match-up. The Los Angeles Lakers have won a whopping 16 NBA championships, and they have made it to the finals nine times. The Oklahoma City Thunder have made it to the finals once and lost to the Warriors in a close match-up. The Portland Trail Blazers have made it to the finals twice but lost both times, once to the Lakers and once to the Rockets. The Sacramento Kings have never made it to the finals, but they have won one Western Conference championship.
Western Conference players of note
- Kevin Durant: One of the top scorers in NBA history, Durant has played his entire career with the Oklahoma City Thunder. He’s been a scoring machine who can also create points for his teammates.
- LeBron James: James is one of the best players in NBA history and has been a top star in the Eastern Conference for years. He chose to join the LA Lakers this season, so he’s now a member of the Western Conference.
- Stephen Curry: One of the top scorers and shooters in NBA history, Curry has played his entire career with the Golden State Warriors. He is one of the best point guards in the league and a two-time NBA MVP.
- Anthony Davis: Davis is one of the most talented players in the NBA today and has played his entire career with the New Orleans Pelicans. He’s been an All-Star, All-NBA player, and an All-Defensive team member.
- James Harden: Harden has been one of the best players in the NBA for years, and he’s now a top star in the Western Conference. He’s played his entire career with the Houston Rockets and is a two-time NBA MVP runner-up.
