1. Denver Nuggets
Best player: Nikola Jokic
Two-time MVP, with a chance for a third. The best player is on the reigning and defending NBA champion. Reigning Finals MVP. Nikola Jokic is without a doubt the best player in the Western Conference playoffs.
For someone who seems to like his horses more than the game of basketball, Jokic is still pretty good. He averaged 26/12/9 and had 58/36/82 shooting splits. He finished second in the league with 68 double-doubles and second in the league in triple-doubles with 25.
Jokic also elevates his game to new heights in the postseason. Last year in his Finals MVP run, Jokic nearly averaged a triple double with 30 points, 13 rebounds, and nine assists per game while shooting 55 percent from the field and 46 percent from three-point range. He also had 18 double-doubles and 10 triple doubles. He was an unstoppable offensive force and will be again.
Denver is the king of the West and Jokic is the reason why. He is by far the best player in a stacked conference with many teams trying to dethrone him and the Nuggets. They better be up for the challenge because the best player in the NBA is gearing up to show the world that he is still the top dog.
The West is going to be absolute cinema with so many fun matchups and these eight elite players leading the way. They can really change the complexity of any series due to their talent.