Wemby And The Spurs Are Coming For The #1 Spot In The West

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This is NBA Brain Food. The NBA blog written by the superfans that watch every night. This is the Western Conference edition. Catch up on the Eastern Conference here.

1) Oklahoma City Thunder (44-14, 1st in the West) via Nick C

- The Spurs are on a nine-game winning streak, sitting just 2.5 games behind OKC and owning the tiebreaker. Even with the Thunder winning its first two games out of the break, the margin for error is getting thinner by the day.

- OKC put out a key injury update right after the All-Star break and it wasn’t exactly encouraging: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdominal strain) and Ajay Mitchell (abdominal strain plus a left ankle sprain) will be re-evaluated in approximately a week, while Jalen Williams (right hamstring strain) will be re-evaluated in approximately two weeks. That update dropped Thursday, so realistically, OKC is looking at at least a couple more games without major pieces.

- Isaiah Joe has been phenomenal lately and has stepped up big in the absence. Since the trade deadline, Joe is averaging 18.5 points per game while shooting 56% from the field.

- Jared McCain has remained a key contributor as he settles into OKC’s system. Over his last four games, he’s averaging right around 14 points per game, and he led the Thunder in scoring in the first game back from the All-Star break vs Brooklyn with 21 points, a season high.

- Nikola Topić made his long-awaited NBA debut this past week after missing his rookie season with a torn ACL and battling testicular cancer. He’s still ramping back into game shape, but it’s been a meaningful development to get him on the floor and in the rotation.

2) San Antonio Spurs (41-16, 2nd in the West) via Rob G

- The San Antonio Spurs are hot, currently on a 9 game winning streak, their longest streak since the 2018-19 season.  Over the past couple weeks people were questioning their toughness and if they could play a physical type of basketball. It's safe to say they've shut some people up. They were 3-0 over the past week winning by an average of 18 points. After last night's game, Victor Wembanyama was asked about the teams performance, "I don't think that's a night where we learn the most things about ourselves, but it's definitely a night where we confirm progression and confirm potential as well. But that was a good test".

- Give it up to the role players last night vs the Detroit Pistons, Julian Champagne hit corner three after corner three going 5/8 from beyond the arc. Devin Vassell stepped up and led the team with 28 pts shooting 7/11 from three. Teams game plan to shut down Victor Wembanyama, but the spurs have so many guys who can score, over the last 3 games they have had three different scoring leaders. 

- They say defense wins championships, it helps to have the best defender in the world in Victor Wembanyama. He regained the blocks lead last night with 6 vs the Pistons, he challenges everything and doesn't let it affect his game play even after getting dunked on. He's averaging 2.8 blocks per, but affecting the way teams run offenses. You see it when he's off the court, teams will go right into the paint and shoot less threes. 

- The Spurs have three road games this week as the rodeo road trip continues. Look for them to make a run at the number one seed in the west while the thunder deal with injuries. They have a fairly easy schedule this week vs the Raptors, Nets, and the Knicks being the toughest matchup but they'll want pay back for their loss in the in-season championship.  

3) Houston Rockets (35-21, 3rd in the West) via Freddy V

- The Rockets blew out the Utah Jazz (125-105) at home to move to 2-1 post Allstar break. Jabari Smith Jr. had one of the best games of his career (31 PTS | 9 REB | 3 BLK | 6/11 3PT ) and Kevin Durant had a season high 12 assists. This was a big bounce back win after blowing an 18-point fourth quarter lead against the Knicks on Saturday night. 

- The Rockets have blown 11 fourth quarter leads this season, they have struggled to score in the clutch despite trading for Kevin Durant. The Rockets are 14-16 in "clutch" games this season, and rank in the bottom 10 in win percentage, field goal percentage, and free throw percentage in "clutch" time. They are still well positioned to be a top 5 seed in the Western Conference but need to fix their late game issues if they want to be a real contender and make a deep playoff run. 

- It's pretty evident that Jabari Smith has been locked in lately, especially from beyond the arc (10/19 in his last 2 games). Over Smith last 10 games he's averaged 18.6 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 55.0 FG%, 48.3 3PT%, he's really been playing some of the best basketball of his career not only offensively but defensively as well. 

- Jae’Sean Tate has a Grade 2 MCL Sprain, per Ime Udoka. Typical timeline is 4-6 weeks

4) Denver Nuggets (36-22, 4th in the West) via Grant M

- Another frustrating week for the Nuggets with two fourth-quarter collapses sandwiched around a 40-point blowout. The squad had some major struggles in the clutch this week, committing numerous costly turnovers and going minutes without scoring. Maybe it’s that Nikola Jokic isn’t quite 100% or that the different lineups have had trouble meshing but something is off with this team right now. 

- According to coach David Adelman “We have the #1 offense in the league and the worst defense in the league.” The Nuggets have scored over 110 pts every game in February, including a league high 152 Saturday against the Blazers, but have allowed 115 pts or more in every game. Something has gotta change defensively.

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- This stretch has proven how important Aaron Gordon is to this team. While Gordon is a great offensive player, this team needs his defense if they want to have success in the playoffs. This team can win a championship if he’s healthy and in the lineup.

- A bright spot of late has been the play of Julian Strawther. He has started the last six games and had games of 19,19,18, and 16 pts. It feels like he has a solid spot in the rotation and will be factor moving forward, especially with the injuries. While he shoots a lot of 3’s he does have a nice floater in his bag too.

- This week the Nuggets have three straight nationally televised games as they take on the Celtics, Thunder and Wolves before a Monday game against the Jazz. 3-1 or better in that stretch feels good. 2-2 or worse and you’ll have to answer some tough questions.

5) LA Lakers (34-22, 5th in the West) via Andrew K

- This past weekend, the Lakers continue their horrendous stretch on momentous nights for the club. The great Pat Riley was celebrated and honored with a statue amongst the Laker greats. However, the Lakers lost in pathetic fashion to our only rival.

- Over on Lakers twitter, the more analytical accounts have been murmuring over the fact that LeBron has been a real weak point this year in the rotation. Shooting wise, LeBron from 3 this year is at 30.3% while last year LeBron shot 37.6%, a shocking drop off. And his handles have been atrocious; he is looking more and more human.

- In the last game against the club’s rival, Ayton just looked like he did not want to compete. Lots of standing around on the defensive end while giving up O-boards. Without a driven center, this team will go NOWHERE.

- Coach Redick has been a stickler with our younger players that have great defensive tendencies. It would be nice to have them play alongside Luka and Austin. Defensive players are key; Jordan Goodwin & Alex Caruso are two that we lost due to incompetence in our front office.

- This week the Lakers will match up with the Magic (Bane & Reaves time), a Suns team that just got run over by the injury bus, and the Warriors… who I expect will get Steph back to play against the Lakers.

6) Minnesota Timberwolves (35-23, 6th in the West) via Spencer C

- Chris Finch continues to prove his inability to make changes during the game. He rewards laziness when he should be punishing it. By benching players when they are having a bad game. We need to make a change at head coach if we want a chance to win a chip. I really hope I’m wrong, but what I’ve seen over the last month is hard to ignore. 

- Anthony Edwards had another 40 point night against the mavericks last week. His 8th time this year which is tied for the most with Luka in the league. 

- Timberwolves tend to shit the bed and fall down to their opponents level when playing teams we should beat. It’s been a battle for a while now and it hasn’t been fixed this year either. We show up for the big matchups that matter and then we try to coast in games we “should” win. 

- Julius Randles effort on the defensive end some games are absolutely abysmal and needs to be punished. 

- We are starting a 3 game road stretch this week ending with the Nuggets on Saturday. These are must win games. Especially against the Trailblazers tonight where we are favorites by 6.5. We have to come out hot and respect the opponent enough to not try and coast through a “easy” win. 

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7) Phoenix Suns (33-25, 7th in the West) via Connor F

- Jalen Green is BACK! After missing even more time with a hamstring injury and bruised tailbone, Green has started playing back to backs for the first time this season.

- Dillon Brooks unfortunately joins Devin Booker on the sidelines. Getting hand surgery after a broken hand in the Suns’ affair against the Magic at home.

- Phoenix scored a season-low 77 points at home versus the Trailblazers on Sunday.

- Versus the Magic on Saturday though, Jalen Green hit a miraculous game winning three from the corner, his first OT buzzer beater of his career. 

- Their upcoming schedule this week include the Celtics and the Lakers at home in PHX.

8) Golden State Warriors (30-27, 8th in in the West) via TJ

- While the Warriors' hopes of competing in the playoffs seem to slip every week Steph Curry is out, the players available continue to compete with everything they have. It feels like a small miracle every time they have pulled out a victory over a playoff team this last month. Maybe the Dubs were inspired by Team USA's Men's thrilling Gold Medal Hockey victory over Team Canada on Sunday morning because they came out hot that afternoon vs. the Nuggets, winning 128-117, despite Jokic's 35 points, 20 rebounds, and 12 assists. The Warriors made 21 of 52 threes and had a dominant 33-16 4th quarter, led by Brandon Podziemski's and Al Horford's hot shooting. 

- Coach Kerr's ball/player movement system has helped put them in a position to succeed this season, no matter who has been on the floor. Over the past month, the team is 1st in assist % and assist-to-turnover ratio, and 6th in effective FG%. Without Jimmy Butler's paint presence on offense and steady playmaking, the team knows they must take care of the ball and shoot a lot of 3's if they want to compete on a nightly basis vs. more talented teams. In February, they are 1st in the league in 3-point attempts. Averaging 2 more 3s per game than the next-closest team (48.7/game). This has allowed them to tread water with a 3-4 record while they wait to see if Steph Curry will return this season from a sore runner's knee and if newly acquired center Kristaps Porzingis will be available due to ongoing illness-related issues. 

- Porzingis will not travel with the team on their short upcoming 2-game road trip vs. the Pelicans and Grizzlies in back-to-back games. The team called his latest absence "general illness", instead of the POTS illness he has dealt with over the past year. Whatever the case may be, his presence on the court has been inconsistent, and he has played only 17 minutes since being acquired at the trade deadline in a deal for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield. Draymond Green also sat out due to an ankle injury, but it is not considered serious, and he is expected to travel with the team on their upcoming road trip. Steph Curry received another MRI last week, and while it showed no structural damage, he has been ruled out for another 10 days until his next reevaluation. Swelling and pain management remain issues with his return to the court. He has missed 18 games so far this season, and the Warriors have just a 7-11 record in those games. Al Horford and De'Anthony Melton will also most likely miss the Pelicans game tonight, just as they have all season on back-to-backs. The Warriors have a 19-11 home record this season and an 11-16 road record.

9) Portland Trail Blazers (28-30, 9th in the West) via Casey G

- A weird 1-1 week for the Blazers as they get absolutely blown out in the worst way imaginable against the Nuggets and then beat a very shorthanded suns team. 

- Something is definitely wrong with Deni, as he tried to play against the Suns and went out again in the first quarter. Hopefully he takes time and gets fully healthy

- Donavan Clingan has improved so much this season, nothing showing more than his 23 and 13 game against the Suns on Sunday night

- The Blazers are 2.5 games back of the Warriors and have the leagues easiest schedule the rest of the way, so the 8 seed should be their goal to get to for the play in!

10) LA Clippers (27-30, 10th in the West) via Steven Cheah

- The Clipps are 1-2 out of the All-Star break with all three games being decided by three points or less.

- Kawhi Leonard is averaging over 30 points/game in those games.

- Benn Mathurin has been a scoring machine, averaging 28.3 points/game since the All-Star break. He's gotten to the line at least 7 times in all 3 games (11.3 FTAs/game average)

11) Memphis Grizzlies (21-35, 11th in the West) via Alex B

- The Grizzlies found a way to out tank the Sacramento Kings at home on Monday night with a 123-114 loss.

- A bright spot for Memphis post All-Star Break has been the emergence of Olivier-Maxence Prosper. OMax is averaging 17.6 points per game in his last five. I wouldn't be surprised to see his two-way contract converted to a standard contract.

- Scottie Pippen Jr. was fined $35,000 for his altercation with Myon Gardner in the closing minutes of the Heat game on Saturday night. 

- Grizzlies are a good team to fade on the betting market as they are essentially trying to lose games on purpose and have legitimately no size inside. Be looking to smash over rebound props for opposing big men. 

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12) Dallas Mavericks (20-36, 12th in the West) via J.D.

-The Mavericks are 1-1 since the All Star Break with a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves and win over the Indiana Pacers

-Kyrie Irving and The Mavs announced he will not return to play this season. This will mean he will have been outside of game action for almost 18 months at the start of next season. The goal is for him to be fully healthy and ready to compete at the highest level.

-Cooper Flagg has missed both games after the break and is uncertain for tonight's game against the Brooklyn Nets

-Two of the Mavs additions from the Anthony Davis trade have been standing out. Kris Middleton has been the leading scorer in the two games since the All Star Break, including a 25-7-7 performance against the Pacers. Marvin Bagley III has two straight double doubles averaging 13.5 pts and 12 rebs.

-The Mavs have upcoming games against the Nets (2/24), Kings (2/26), Grizzlies (2/27), and Thunder (3/1)

13) Utah Jazz (18-40, 13th in the West) via Collin T

- Injury report: sponsored by bubble wrap. The Jazz injury list continues to look like a CVS receipt. Jusuf Nurkić is officially done for the season, Vince Williams Jr.’s knee situation has people holding their breath, and overall the roster feels less “NBA rotation” and more “next-man-up experiment.” Just wait til spring allergies hit this team. 

- Lineups are officially in the “mad scientist” phase. With so many bodies missing, Will Hardy is basically running nightly auditions. Young guys are getting extended looks, roles are fluid, and the Jazz are clearly prioritizing development over vibes—or wins.

- The tank discourse refuses to die. Even this week, the $500K NBA fine for “competitive integrity” is still hanging over the team like a cloud. National media keeps clutching pearls about Utah while conveniently ignoring that half the league does the same thing every spring. Funny how that works.

- Losses piling up, but the long game is obvious. The Jazz keep dropping games as expected, but the message is loud and clear: short-term pain, long-term payoff. Fans may be watching losses now, but the front office is clearly watching lottery odds and future flexibility. its a weird vibe in Salt Lake, losing has become the new winning, and winning is as dreadful as a lose. The town celebrates when we lose.

- Utah is influencing the NBA conversation (again). Between injuries, tank accusations, and youth movement, the Jazz are a talking point league-wide—not because they’re good, but because they’re interesting. Utah continues to be the team everyone debates when arguing about what rebuilding “should” look like. Adam Silver and the gang are now making league changes to prevent what Utah (and most of the league, wink wink) is doing. but nothing will change unless you punish teams beyond the dollar. Draft picks need to be taken, punishments need to be bigger than just fines. At what point do we being talks of a "Relegation System"? I'm sure the Memphis Hustle or even Panathinaikos B.C. would love to take a shot at the title over the Utah Jazz right now. 

14) New Orleans Pelicans (16-42, 14th in the West) via Colby J

- New Orleans upset the 76ers 126-111 led by an unlikely quartet of Zion, Saddiq Bey, Jordan Poole, and DeAndre Jordan. It was just the 11th time the Pelicans have made over 15 3P’s in a game this season. Zion played in his 32nd straight game and had 21/6/8. 

- Pels guard Dejounte Murray announced he will play for the first time this season against Golden State tonight. Murray only played in 31 games in 2025 before tearing his Achilles and averaged 17/6/7 on 39/29/82 shooting splits. The former all-star had a rough first year with the squad but it will be exciting to see him back on the court as he attempts to rebuild his value. 

- Jordan Poole returned to the rotation in the last 2 games after earning 8 DNP’s in a row. Poole had 3 PTS in 25 minutes against the Bucks but had a nice outing against the 76ers with 23 PTS and 5 AST. It will be interesting to see how Borrego balances Murray, Fears, and Poole’s playing time for the rest of the season. Poole is guaranteed 32M next season and he needs to have a good end to the season. 

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- 18th year center DeAndre Jordan had 15 REB and 4 BLK in 35 mins in the win against Philly on Saturday. It was just DJ’s third game played this season, he’s been a great leader and mentor to Derik Queen this year. 

- Trey Murphy III has missed the last two games with a shoulder contusion. Murphy has been the Pelicans leading scorer this year and should be back soon. Yves Missi has also missed the last two games with a calf strain. 

- Two-way player Bryce McGowens was converted to a standard NBA contract at 3y/6M. McGowens has played 25 mins a game while averaging 10 PTS and shooting 50% from 3 in the last 5 games. McGowens has started 12 games already this year. 

- The Pelicans will take on the Warriors tonight before traveling to Utah to play two straight against the Jazz. 

15) Sacramento Kings (13-46, 15th in the West) via Ben M

- The Sacramento Kings have played only 3 games since the 2026 NBA All-Star going 1-2 with key stars sidelined.

- Russell Westbrook: Team leader post-break; exploded for 25 points (plus assists/rebounds) in the Memphis win to help snap the 16-game skid, providing energy, scoring, and playmaking as primary ball-handler.

- Precious Achiuwa: Strong frontcourt impact; posted a double-double of 22 points and 12 rebounds (efficient 10-15 FG) in the Memphis victory, continuing recent double-digit scoring trends.

- DeMar DeRozan: Consistent veteran scorer; delivered 19 points on efficient shooting (7-9 FG) in the Memphis win, adding facilitation and steady offense across the stretch.

- Daeqwon Plowden: Key spark off the bench/two-way role; scored 19 points (including clutch fourth-quarter buckets) in the Memphis breakthrough win, showing scoring bursts.

- Nique Clifford (rookie): All-around contribution in the Memphis win with 12 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 6 steals, highlighting development and defensive hustle in expanded minutes.

- Other notes: Limited standout production in the two blowout losses & focus on young/role players amid injuries, with the Memphis game providing the main positives in this tiny sample.