Year in and year out, the Southwest Division has been the toughest in the NBA.
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We, as fans at the beginning of every season, seem down on the San Antonio Spurs and, every single time, we’re proven wrong. It is as if we forget that the Spurs have won 50-plus games in every season for the past 15 years, and have failed to reach such a milestone only twice in the past 21 seasons.
However, it’s not only the Spurs who make this the toughest division in the NBA. The superstar-driven Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans, make it a nightmare for the rest of the league.
As a whole, during the 2013-14 season, even though the Pelicans lost 48 games, the Southwest Division had a combined record of 249 – 161. Historically, their record is even better as they average roughly 46.3 wins per-team since 2005-06 and have led the NBA in wins eight of the past nine years.
With a 6.4 game advantage over the rest of the NBA, the Southwest Division has been the most dominant/toughest division in the league for the better part of the last nine years. Not only that, teams’ Net Rating against said division was a league-combined -102.7, averaging -3.42 Net Rating per team.
Anyway, the league’s struggles didn’t seem to affect the Rockets as they logged a second-best in the NBA*, 11-5 record, against their division foes. Only San Antonio’s 12-4 mark within the division was better.
| Rk | Team | DAL | HOU | MEM | NOP | SAS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Houston Rockets | 2-2 | 2-2 | 3-1 | 4-0 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 10/20/2014.
Also, the Rockets had the fifth-best net rating against it at 3.4. It doesn’t seem much but they were one of the 10 teams around the NBA with a positive net rating against the Southwest Division.
However, as the Rockets battle to keep their Western Conference playoff spot for the 2014-15 season, let’s look at how, everyone inside the Southwest Division, took a step-forward and could threaten the Rockets’ goal:
SAN ANTONIO SPURS
The quintessential team in all of pro sports.
The Spurs have won five titles dating back to 1998-99 and have become the standard for anyone looking to build towards a long-lasting and successful franchise.
Whether it’s Kawhi Leonard, Patrick Mills, or even a “washed-up” Matt Bonner, everyone has a crucial role on their championship-caliber team and they seem to knock it out of the park every time.
The Spurs have been successful, to say the least, going against the grain during the better part of the current superteam-era. Coming out of a record-breaking Finals and bringing EVERYONE back, the Houston Rockets’ chances at going 4-0 against them seem low.
DALLAS MAVERICKS
German-superstar Dirk Nowitzki took a significant paycut so the Mavs could bring some help.
Pelican Debrief
The Mavs’ plan, according to Mark Cuban, is to try and replicate what the Spurs’ are doing by loading the teams’ depth, i. e. bench, and taking pressure off of Dirk who, even if we like it or not, at 36 years-old, is on the “downside” of his career.
The plan seemed to work as they reinforced their perimeter game by blatantly stealing rising-star Chandler Parsons from the Rockets. They also brought back 2011 Champion center Tyson Chandler back.
Parsons had 26, 21, 23, and 9 in each of the teams’ matchups and was key to the Rockets’ “success” against the Mavericks. His loss might give the edge back to the Mavs.
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES
An excruciating defensive matchup for every team in the league.
The Grizzlies continue to live up to their defensive expectations. Even though you might take a game or two against them, you’re bound to take a huge beating. In a small-ball dominated NBA, the Grizzlies continue to build up their traditional big-men defensive scheme, and pounding the rest of the league’s fast-paced offensive schemes.
At age 29, Trevor Ariza won’t be able to take a beating like Chandler Parsons could.
NEW ORLEANS PELICANS
After a season in which most of Anthony Davis‘ supporting cast missed a big chunk of the season, the Pellies are bound to make a huge comeback.
Although a playoff appearance is no sure thing in the Western Conference, Anthony Davis’ rise into superstardom, and a slight step back taken by any of the 2013-14 playoff teams, should help propel them into their desired spot.
All-around health for the Pelicans is what’ll make them grab a couple more games against the 2014-15 Houston Rockets.
Even though the Rockets didn’t seem to take a step back during theoffseason, the rest of their division, except for the perpetual Spurs, might’ve just gotten better enough to steal a couple of games from them.
Unfortunately for the Rockets, the Southwest Division is bound to stay this way for the foreseeable future.
In the competitive Western Conference, a couple of games might make or break your season, (just ask the Phoenix Suns) and with their James Harden and Dwight Howard experiment window on the downside, missing the playoffs is not an option for the Rockets.