The Shot Clock Pod - The Top Eight Most Interesting Western Conference Teams

13 Rules Aug 31 2025 === Jose: [00:00:00] All right, it's time to talk basketball. I'm Jose Salviati, Editor at thePeachBasket.net. He's Steve Purciello, a longtime educator, vice principal, high school basketball coach and athletic director. This is the shot clock pod, the best 24 minutes of NBA random pods online anywhere. That's right. If you missed our la our show last week we used to be the best 15 minutes that're the best 24 minutes we expanded our shot clock because we never once made the shot clock before, and this makes more sense, right? Players have 24 seconds to shoot. We have 24 minutes. To chat This podcast pardon me. This podcast was born outta the content in Steve's 13 rules random NBA Thoughts articles, which he publishes weekly. Steve and I have exactly 24 minutes to discuss what's on his mind around the NBA today. We'll discuss his latest 13 rules, random NBA thoughts article where he shares his thoughts on the eight most interesting teams in the Western Conference. We did seven. Eastern conference teams last [00:01:00] week. Apparently they're more interesting teams in the West Coast. Let's talk about it. Steve, you ready? We're ready. Let's do it. I'm gonna start the timer. All right, and we're off. Scene is how, we've got eight over seven. We're gonna have to give each one just a little less time than we did. If we wanna make the shot clock, let's see how things play out. We'll start. With what you listed as the eight most interesting team in the Western Conference. This is a team that could go either way, in my opinion. The Dallas Mavericks, you called out that if Kyrie comes back, they're dangerous. Stephen A. Smith recently said he could see them winning it all, which I think is a little ridiculous, but what makes the Mavs interesting? Steve: Kyrie Irving, first of all, if he comes back and he's healthy from what I've read he's not really rushing to come back. He's waiting till he is just right. But if he can play, it changes everything. And then the other interesting piece is Cooper [00:02:00] Flag. How good is he? And how good is his immediate impact? I think he'll be good, but the immediate impact, if it's there, all of a sudden you've got something. You also have Anthony Davis who we forgot 'cause he was hurt most of last year. Probably one of the best defensive big men in the game. So suddenly their defense is pretty good. Plus Davis won't have the strain of playing the five all the time. 'cause he's got lively and gafford with him. Yeah, they've got some players. They've got a bunch of good players. They're really, they're very dangerous. I could see them if they're healthy with Kyrie being a problem. Now, there's one other interesting thing that I'll bring up and I think of him as a jinx. They did go out and sign DeAngelo Russell, in case IRE doesn't come back figuring that, he, he can, but you know what? Everywhere DeAngelo goes, everybody's waving goodbye and saying, we're glad you're gone. Yeah, I don't know if that's a a [00:03:00] tremendous move or not. I think DeAngelo, for him to be fully effective, he needs a, a really good player around him that keeps him in line. I don't know if Dallas really has that leader that can do it. Clay Thompson. I don't know because he's coming to the end and he's not, the player he once was, so I don't know if that, but if, when he's, when he played with the Nets a couple years ago, he is an all star. He can shoot, he goes and stretches where he can't miss Yeah. When he's right. But he's one of those guys that never met, a shot he didn't like. So Yeah. There, there's a lot to it. But I think they're dangerous. I think they're really, they're a good team. Jose: Yeah, undeniable agree on every point. And it's wild to think this is the eighth most interesting team. There's a lot of interesting teams in the west. Let's jump to the next one. This is a team that, again, is on the tail end of their career at their peak as a franchise. The Golden State Warriors, a lot of things in [00:04:00] flux in San Francisco. What's going on? What makes them interesting? Steve: I refer them the Lakers and the Clippers as the Over Hill gangs. Over the Hill Speaker 3: gangs. Steve: They, yeah, they are interesting because when they did get Butler last year and everything was healthy. They did really well. And Draymond was predicting a title. Then Butler got hurt in the playoffs and everything fell out the window, so I look at them as good. I don't think they'll break. 50 wins on a great year because there's gonna be a lot of nights on back to backs. Guys are sitting out. And of those three, the other things that are interesting is, Jonathan Minga, what are we doing? It's getting close, right? Gotta make some calls on this. And then are you getting Al Horford? They're waiting to see the money situation before they, they do these things and also Peyton, Gary, Peyton Jr. These are three guys they need, because if you look at the Warriors after those [00:05:00] three, they do have PKI and Moses Moody who are good. PKIs a lot better but role players. So what, like what exactly, you need some more depth. Quentin Post is a nice shooting, big who, he's at best average on a good day, he'll hit the three, but he does, gives away a lot on the other end, and they really have no size. And Horford, if they do get Horford he's their big. Again, he plays, he doesn't play back to backs and is he gonna play 30 minutes? I don't see that. So they still need big people, so there's a lot missing. But you know what? One thing I learned, you never downplay Jimmy Butler's value and Steph Kerry's value on any given night, they can go off. So they're dangerous and they're good, but I don't, they're old. Speaker 3: Yeah. Jose: And they're not done right. Here we are weeks [00:06:00] away from the start of, the preseason and they've still got balls in the air. It's silly. So we'll see how things settle in San Francisco. Let's shift our focus to the other team in the over the hill gang. This is the team. I covered and no pre the Los Angeles Clippers. A lot of off season moves a lot. For the Clippers, what do you see for them? What makes them interesting? Steve: I'll tell you what and they got four guys. They bought in, they bought Bradley Beal. Now if nothing else, he's gonna have something to prove. So if he can stay healthy, he can play. He could still shoot and he could still score. That's a good one. John Collins, they brought in very quietly. He had a pretty good year with Utah last year, and he's a nice player. He's a good player. He's a good four. That's overlooked quite often. But he does things right. He, when he was with Atlanta, he wanted to win first. He says the right things. I don't think he's as bad as people. They, he doesn't have a great deal of value in the league. They also bought Brooke Lopez. I don't know what exactly. They're gonna [00:07:00] do when they got zox. So I don't quite understand that. But Brooke Lopez might have something left and maybe he plays 15, 20 minutes a night. He can give you a good 20 every night and he can shoot the ball. So that's the thing. And then Chris Paul. Who probably is there to back up harden and give you 15 minutes a night and let things go. Now don't forget, you have James Harden and OTs. And the big factor in this whole thing. Because the Clippers could really, they can get into the finals and who knows, but it's called by Leonard Show, right? If he can stay healthy, look out. But again, he'll sit out back to backs. So I don't look to them as being high in the standings in the Western current meeting in the top two or three, but. When the playoffs come, if all's good and everybody's ready to go, you got a problem because these guys right. There's some, I didn't name some Nick Nicholas platoon. They've got some players that they go deep [00:08:00] and they can play. So they're really of the three over the Hill teams, I think they're the best of the three. Okay. And I think, they can play. Jose: Okay. Yeah. Again, no notes, man. I agree with all of that. I think the Clippers have first, ever since the Kauai era really began in Los Angeles, their goal was to survive the regular season, just to get into the playoffs healthy, and then roll the dice. And I don't think that changes this year. Steve: When you have a player like that who is one of the, when he's healthy, one of the five or 10 best in the league, if you have a player like that, you just wanna get to the playoffs and then hope he's okay. That's right. And don't forget, he's on the downside of his career. James Harden's. Not bad. They've got two, yeah, two former superstars. Still good players. Kauai's still good? Yeah, really good. If he can stay healthy. So that's exactly them, Jose: [00:09:00] that, that's been the mantra for the Clippers for the last five, six years. But let's move on to the last team in the over the hill gang. We'll stay in LA to discuss. The revamped Lakers, the Luca Don Lakers. What makes him interesting? I think there's a lot to talk about here. Go ahead. Steve: I think this summer was a soap opera with LeBron. I don't, I think LeBron's very intelligent man, and I think he's not stupid enough to cause a problem. But if he causes a problem, they're done. They're done. It is the first time in his life where he's not. Everything doesn't revolve around LeBron and how he handles it is gonna determine what the Lakers are gonna do. But the other factor here, I don't know if they have enough talent. To compete with the big boys in the league. Yeah. They did get the Andre Aton and you never know what you're gonna get outta him. Yeah. I don't think he compliments Luca real [00:10:00] well because Luca wants a big that can roll to the basket. And take the off and hurt you. I don't know if Aton wants the ball in the post. He's an old time player and he likes to shoot the ball after he gets it in the post. So I don't know if that compliments each other. And Speaker 3: Eaton Steve: is not really that shot blocker that they need. So I think what a team like the Lakers, they're close. So they go out and they're, they don't have money to spend, they, because of the cap, they go out and they just bring in talent and hope it fits. And that's where the Lakers are at this point. Speaker 3: Yeah. And Steve: I kinda look at them as a lower, maybe six and possibly a play in team. Speaker 3: Yeah. Steve: And I don't shot at the, I don't see them having a shot unless they bring in somebody who can help them of getting to the finals. Jose: Yeah. Yeah. [00:11:00] Agreed. I, I wish I could stand up for the for the local team, of course, but yeah, but I listen, things are messy, man. What is, things are messy. What's Steve: the attitude out there about the Jose: local? It like, like it always is. There's excitement. Everything's gonna work, our way. And listen, I, this is what I think is gonna happen with Los Angeles Lakers because. There's excitement around Luca. He's trimmed down, so they say, because we hear that every off season. But I do think they're gonna get off to a really good start. Excuse me. 'cause I, I like the core team and I think they're going to, they're gonna get off to a good start. And then what's gonna start to happen is we're gonna start to see some problems arise. I don't know what those are, but this is the m mo for this team. Maybe, you know the, we'll, they'll find a defensive weakness. Other teams will start to see what's going on and learn how to exploit it. And then they're gonna hit a rough spot and that's gonna be the teller, right? When that tough spot comes, what's gonna happen? Los Angeles with the Los Angeles Lakers. Steve: Something else you have wanted to add? And this is interesting. Everybody [00:12:00] knows LeBron James is probably the hardest working player in the league. Sure. He took up golf this summer. I wonder how hard the work is, but I wonder if he's slowed it down a little bit. Okay. Because he's seeing a retirement coming. He understands the situation. He makes too much money to be traded and what team's gonna take a risk for one year? I know they talk about, but why would Cleveland give up Darius Garland and something else to match the money? Some guy they're gonna get for one year. Cleveland wants a title, but I think that would be suicide. So it's really an interesting situation. Jose: Yeah, as always, that is just par for the course and la Land. Let's move to Denver. The Nuggets they also made some improvements and I think they looked better. You called it out. They, they got better in the off season. What makes the nuggets interesting? Steve: They bought it a bench for the first time with Bruce Brown Hardaway, [00:13:00] and and Jonas and probably the best thing about that, besides how Bruce Brown. If you forgot, he was there when they won the title right. And he was a key factor. Him and yoki play well together. What you also, the most important thing they did was bringing in Jonas Val Valentinos was now when you watch Denver play, what you'll see for Denver is they. They'll take yogi out and usually in the, in what the second quarter. And if they're getting beat up, they'll get him right back in. So he's playing a large amount of minutes. Hopefully Chu takes away that, those minutes. From him. And that's a key factor in this. They still have Jamal Murray, they still have Aaron Gordon, they have Christian bar brown who's gonna get better and he can shoot. Yeah. Yeah. Peyton Watson, they've got some players and with the bench, [00:14:00] like I said, they're dangerous. And I think if they have a good shot of getting to the finals in the in the conference. I don't think they're good enough to beat OKC, but again, you never know in this stuff. And I think there are team to be reckoned with is the best way to put it. Yeah. Yeah. And Yoki, anything can happen 'cause he's so good. He's the best, undoubtedly the best guy in the league. Jose: Yep. Yeah, no argument for me. And I think Denver's got a lot riding on it because his contract expires soon. They either have to resign him or he's gone. Steve: First of all, if they didn't resign him, that might be the dumbest thing that anybody can do besides trading Anthony Davis for Luca, or trading Luca for Anthony Davis because it would just be. Ridiculous. So I'm sure they're gonna re-up him as long as he wants to play. They'll keep him around. He's good. And you know what, he's got the kind of game that even as he [00:15:00] ages, I don't know if it'll have, he might, tiredness might be the only thing, but his game, he won't lose that. He'll be able to play because if you watch him go to the basket, it's in slow motion, but it. Jose: Yeah. Undeniable. Alright, interesting times ahead in Denver for sure. Let's move then to probably the team that made the biggest splash in the off season, and that's the Houston Rockets, they brought in Kevin Durant. Super interesting team. What do you see for the Rockets? Steve: Let me ask you, what do you think Durant got left? Jose: I we talked about a couple of really old players that are still doing really well. We talked about durant running May. James Harden, we talked about LeBron James. It looks like these guys. Collectively have turned a corner and understood that the off season matters and working out, taking care of your body, taking care of your health and what you eat matters. So I were you asking me what kds got? I got left. I think he's got a lot left. I think he's gonna be the player this year that he was last year with maybe [00:16:00] a small dip. He's thin, he's not carrying a lot of weight. I think he's going to be as good as he was last year. What do you think? Steve: Let me ask you the next question. Now I wanna hear you and I'll talk in, but can he handle being the number one guy or number two guy on the team? Jose: Kevin Durant? Steve: Yes. Now, yeah. Speaker 3: Yeah. He's proven it, right? He wasn't the number one in. He's also gotten older. Jose: Yeah. Speaker 3: Can he do that? Jose: Yeah. Okay. Seamless fit, right? I think he's gonna be great in Houston. I think the biggest problem anytime you play with a player like Kevin Durant or LeBron James is the other players are assimilating, right? And learning their place in in, in that system. That is James Harden. That is LeBron James. That is Kevin Durant. That's the bigger issue in my mind's eye. Steve: My thought and a couple things come to mind. First of all, IME Yoka is a defensive coach. [00:17:00] Yeah. How much defense does Kevin Durant have left? And hats happen to go over my, I believe if you need a basket, give him the ball and get out of his way. But that's gonna be interesting. Yoka is very intense and Yoka. Every game is world War ii, he's gotta win, right? Is he gonna overuse you? Durant I predict they're gonna be the number two seed because they will play every night hard. Where some of the other teams we talked about. Guys aren't gonna play back to backs and they're not gonna be there every night. This team will come out and play you and they can defend. And we forget about Thompson who's one of the best defenders in the league. What a great athlete. He's just gonna get better. We'll, Durant get in his way. That will an interesting thing. She goon who likes to play up high. Will Durant be able to deal [00:18:00] with that? You got Van. The other thing that I really, I believe Dylan Brooks is gone, and Dylan Brooks, if he's on your team, you love him. If he's not, you hate him because he's an agitator. He, he's just, but you know what? He's got the ability to make a shot. Big shot, and he's got a lot of shall we say, guts he played. And in his own crazy way, he's a leader. That's a big loss for you. And that's something that nobody's talking about, that they should, they did lose Jalen Green, who is on the precepts of being a star, but he can't do it every night. He can go out to 40 on a given night, so they lost that for Durant. It's very interesting. I think Houston will do well, like I said, in the regular season. I think they'll flame out in the playoffs. Okay. That's Jose: my take. Okay. Which is not unusual for a team just starting, to be a team. But yeah let's see how things play out at the end of the day. [00:19:00] Super interesting. Super interesting team. Super interesting conference. One last Steve: thing on that, and it's gonna be interesting. He may, Doka pulls no, he doesn't hide his feelings. What happens if he jumps onto Durant? Yeah, it's gonna be an interesting thing. Durant doesn't handle it. He's very thin skin and Yoka is, he's doesn't take anything, he right eats. That'll be an interesting situation. Jose: Yep. Nope. No doubt. No doubt. Let's move to the number two most interesting team in the Western Conference. I think probably one of the most interesting teams in the NBA, and that is the San Antonio Spurs. They've got a unicorn leading the way. They brought in they got a great draft pick. They brought in a guard. They signed a guard. A lot going on in San Antonio. What do you see for the Spurs? Steve: They're a team on the rise. I don't think they're there quite yet. In another year they will be. They did do a lot of interesting things. They picked up two, two [00:20:00] centers. Both of them are a little older. Blue Cort really was. Really good for Boston and, and he can play. That's a nice pickup. And then they got Kelly Olin, different type of player, more of an offensive player but two big guys, which tells me they're looking to play Weby as a four. And, and let those other guys get minutes. Weby applied a five too, but not completely. They've got a nice team. They got Dylan Harper, who really looked good in the summer league. I think he's gonna be a star. And naturally. Stefan Castle, who's great. And as he gets better as a shooter, look out. And then they spent a lot of money for d Aaron Fox, who's a good point guard. I don't know if he's worth the money he's getting, but he's a good point guard. He doesn't defend real well, but when you got Weby down there, Speaker 3: You don't have Steve: to be a great defender. They've got other guys, Harrison Barnes Sohan Kelvin Johnson, Devin Va Vasel, they've got a nice team. They're good. They're real good. I just think [00:21:00] in the natural ascension for most teams. They're at the point they didn't even make the playoffs last year. They're at the point that they're going to be dangerous, but not dangerous enough to win, to get out of the, to get into the finals. Yeah. Yeah, I think, fourth place, third place would be nice and there'll be a tough out in the playoffs and Right. Like you said, next year lookout. And also they have a relatively new coach. Yeah. Doesn't help. Jose: Exactly. That's a great point. And that's something that, that, that can't be overlooked, right? Because especially in the playoffs coaching matters we've got a couple of minutes left. Let's talk about the number one most interesting team in the Western Conference, the defending champs, the very young returning just about everybody. Oklahoma City Thunder, right? What do you see for the thunder in the new year? Do you see anybody beating them? I don't win healthy. No, there's just no way they're that good. Steve: That's the biggest [00:22:00] thing. As long as they stay healthy. If, depending on what Mark Dagg wants to do, they could be a candidate for 70 wins, right? If he decides. You know what I mean? I'll rest these guys and back to backs and not go full throttle. They won't. That's how good they are. The interesting thing is, and they've got a new arena they're building, so there's gonna be money. But the interesting thing is if their owner is willing to spend in the future. This thing could go on for quite a while. And the MDA, obviously with that second Apron doesn't like one team being the best team for a while. So that's gonna be something that's interesting and it's gonna be interesting to see if their owner begins to spend the money. Hartenstein, I believe has an option at the end of the year. He makes what, 17, 18 million. That's money that's going to add on. To what they're [00:23:00] doing. If they are willing to spend, I don't see them, losing, they just gave Holmgren a bundle of money. And Williams and Shay. They make a of money. So it's really really interesting how good. And then their bench, Caruso of course Cason Wallace and those guys, they can all play. Yeah. I, Joe a great shooter. And they're young. They're dangerous. Yeah, that's a thing. A word, but, wow. But yeah, that's my take. Jose: Yeah, no. And again, agree on every point, man. Oklahoma City Thunder. And I'll tell you something, what's cool about them too, they're fun to watch. I think they play an entertaining style of basketball. They which isn't always the case for every team that wins it, but they're a fun team to watch. They seem to enjoy playing the game, enjoy playing with each other, and there's no weakness there. There's like literally no weakness. Yeah, I would, I think they're the odds. All favorite. Steve: I forgot Lou Dot, who's probably one of the best defensive wings in the game. Jose: You called him out more than once. Yeah. Steve: Yeah. So it's just, [00:24:00] they've got everything. They've got everything. Stay healthy and they win. And I'll ask you this question, think back and the champions of the last five, 10 years Has ever a team, the champion, come back the next year, be as big a favorite to win it again as this team? Jose: Yeah, no, I can't think of it. And I'll add to that, right? When was the last time a champion came back with virtually the same team? The core? Not just the core five, right? But the bench, right? Generally, you're losing pieces, but the thunder didn't lose a thing. And overwhelming favorite, no, I can't think of a last time that happened. Steve: Boston came back with the same team last year. What injuries and, and things quite up. And that happens, it's a tough thing. And they don't have the depth that OKC has or didn't have depth. Now they have no, Jose: but yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I think it's undeniable. It's it's the thunders NBA and we're all just watching. Yeah. But the thing that, again and we hate to admit it, but [00:25:00] it's true, right? Health is going to change everything. We're hoping for healthy teams all the way across the board if that happens. These are the eight most interesting in the West. You heard the buzzer go off our one week making the shot clock not violating the shot clock. We had a one week streak. It's over, but that's okay. We like to talk and sometimes we go a little along. But you might've heard the shot clock go off. Our time is up. Make sure to read Steve's entire 13 rules. Write a thoughts article. We'll link it below to get more of his thoughts on each of these eight teams. And join us next week. And now next week's gonna be a little interesting. Next week, we are excited to talk Spurs basketball with the Spurs bros. That's right. We're gonna talk about one of the most interesting teams in the Western Conference. With one of the most interesting Spurs podcast groups out there, Steve and I will ask the Spurs bros about their off season moves and their chances in the coming 20 25, 26 NBA season. We're excited for that [00:26:00] conversation. Hope you join us. Make sure to, ~uh, uh,~ add us across all socials so you don't miss a thing. And of course, please like, subscribe, comment. Share our show with anybody and everybody. It means a lot, and we appreciate every single one. Make sure to join us next week again when we discuss the San Antonio Spurs and their exciting new season ahead. We'll talk next week. Thanks for joining. [00:27:00] Jose: Next week, we are excited to talk Spurs basketball with the Spurs bros. That's right. We're gonna talk about one of the most interesting teams in the Western Conference. [00:28:00] With one of the most interesting Spurs podcast groups out there, Steve and I will ask the Spurs bros about their off season moves and their chances in the coming 20 25, 26 NBA season. We're excited for that conversation. Hope you join us. Make sure to, ~uh, uh,~ add us across all socials so you don't miss a thing. And of course, please like, subscribe, comment. Share our show with anybody and everybody. It means a lot, and we appreciate every single one. Make sure to join us next week again when we discuss the San Antonio Spurs and their exciting new season ahead. We'll talk next week. Thanks for joining.