1. San Antonio Every year I assume the Spurs can't keep going without old age finally interfering and every year I'm dead wrong. So until Father Time makes his inevitable stand against the champs …
2. Dallas Dirk isn't getting any younger, but give Rick Carlisle — maybe the second-best coach in both Texas and the NBA — Tyson Chandler back and Chandler Parsons/ others as well and the Mavs might have one more magical year left.
3. L.A. Clippers It's finally time for the Clippers to put up or….well, you know what in the playoffs. Those 56-win seasons are nice but Steve Ballmer has two billion reasons to want more.
4. Golden State Steve Kerr hasn't coached a game yet for a team that will lead the league in scoring. But already he is inviting everyone to "call me an idiot" for his decision to bring Andre Iguodala off the bench behind Harrison Barnes.
5. Oklahoma City The Thunder gets knocked down at least a couple of notches because of Kevin Durant's fractured foot, which will keep its superstar sidelined until at least December if OKC is lucky.
6. New Orleans Anthony Davis' ascent to superstardom already is, barring injury, a given. But don't overlook the Pelicans' acquisition of defender Omer Asik or the return to good health of shooter Ryan Anderson and guard Jrue Holiday.
7. Portland If the NBA ever adopts 44- minute games, the Trail Blazers might be favorites. Their starting five is almost as good as it comes, but that bench is a different matter.
8. Houston GM Daryl Morey outthought himself last summer and ended up losing Parsons, Asik and Jeremy Lin. Swapping Trevor Ariza for Parsons helps, but the team needs even more from stars James Harden and Dwight Howard.
9. Memphis Dave Joerger is back in Memphis — not back home in Minnesota — with a Grizzlies team that's big and brawny with frontcourt bookends Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph. But it still lacks a dynamic wing player.
10. Denver Deep and talented, the Nuggets get Danilo Gallinari and others back healthy. They'll need that and Kenneth Faried's continued progression toward stardom just to keep pace in the West.
11. Phoenix The NBA's surprise team is one no longer, so the bet here is that Goran Dragic-Eric Bledsoe sequel keeps them farther from the playoffs than the near-miss a year ago.
12. Timberwolves Reports of their return to 20-victory seasons have been greatly exaggerated. But nothing short of a 50-win season probably gets a West playoff spot.
13. Sacramento All that stands between DeMarcus Cousins and superstardom is, well, himself. With such talent as Cousins and Rudy Gay, you'd think the Kings are poised for a leap. You'd think …
14. Utah The Jazz has traveled the other road from the Timberwolves' in their rebuilding, going strictly down the patience path. The timeline accelerates if Gordon Hayward plays like he's worth that max contract.
15. L.A. Lakers Steve Nash is done, Kobe Bryant is back and the Lakers are an afterthought in Los Angeles and also-rans in the NBA after such long relevance. How the mighty have …
