It's rare to have three title contenders in one division, but that's what we have with the Northwest Division in the Western Conference. It's easy to talk about how special the defending champs were last season, but this division is full of talent. In fact, the three top teams in this division are all projected to finish in the Top 4 of the Western Conference this season while showcasing three legitimate MVP candidates. That's telling of how special all of these teams can be, so let's get started by talking about the defending champs!
Oklahoma City Thunder 
2024-25 Record: 68-14
2025-26 Projected Wins: 62.5
To say OKC was the best team in the NBA would be an understatement. Not only did they have a league-best 68-14 record, but they went on to win their first title in franchise history. It's rare to see a team rebuild in such a short amount of time, but that's just what this franchise did. They did it the right way too, riding their young core of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren. Gilgeous-Alexander had one of the best seasons in NBA history, winning MVP and Finals MVP while leading the league with 32.7 points per game. They were also the top-rated defense in the NBA, and many believe they had one of the greatest defenses in NBA history. All of those weapons are back for another run, and it'll be interesting to see if this team can turn a rebuild into a dynasty.
It's rare to have three title contenders in one division, but that's what we have with the Northwest Division in the Western Conference. It's easy to talk about how special the defending champs were last season, but this division is full of talent. In fact, the three top teams in this division are all projected to finish in the Top 4 of the Western Conference this season while showcasing three legitimate MVP candidates. That's telling of how special all of these teams can be, so let's get started by talking about the defending champs!
Oklahoma City Thunder
2024-25 Record: 68-14
2025-26 Projected Wins: 62.5
To say OKC was the best team in the NBA would be an understatement. Not only did they have a league-best 68-14 record, but they went on to win their first title in franchise history. It's rare to see a team rebuild in such a short amount of time, but that's just what this franchise did. They did it the right way too, riding their young core of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren. Gilgeous-Alexander had one of the best seasons in NBA history, winning MVP and Finals MVP while leading the league with 32.7 points per game. They were also the top-rated defense in the NBA, and many believe they had one of the greatest defenses in NBA history. All of those weapons are back for another run, and it'll be interesting to see if this team can turn a rebuild into a dynasty.
Prediction: Oklahoma City goes deep but struggles to repeat.
It's hard to argue with what OKC has put together, but it's going to be difficult to repeat in the Western Conference. Teams like the Nuggets, Rockets and Clippers continue to grow around them while the Thunder remain the same. That's nothing to complain about with the talent on this roster, but we've had seven new champions in seven straight seasons. That shows how hard it is to repeat with the parity in the league, and the projected win total shows that Vegas expects some negative regression as well.
Denver Nuggets 
2024-25 Record: 50-32
2025-26 Projected Wins: 54.5
Denver was the title holder just a few years ago, but they haven't been able to recapture that form since. What's interesting is that Denver was as dangerous as anyone last season, taking the eventual champs to seven games in the Western Conference Semi-Finals. That's no surprise after the season Nikola Jokic put together, averaging 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds and 10.2 assists per game. It's hard to believe he didn't win MVP with averages like those, but he'll have to settle for just three MVPs over the last five seasons. There's simply no one better in the NBA right now, and it's scary to think they finally built some depth around him in the offseason. He helped them finish fourth in the Western Conference last season and will make them legitimate contenders for the next decade.
Prediction: Denver makes the Western Conference Finals.
Denver fans have been waiting for management to make some moves, and they hit every one of them during the summer. Re-adding Bruce Brown was a nice start, but adding shooters around Jokic was the biggest development. They acquired Cameron Johnson and Tim Hardaway to establish some long-range shooting while adding Jonas Valanciunas to back up Joker. This is the deepest roster around Jokic, and it should help them return to the 2023 championship form we saw not long ago.
Minnesota Timberwolves 
2024-25 Record: 49-33
2025-26 Projected Wins: 49.5
Minnesota had a bizarre season, but it ended up being a solid one. Despite sitting around .500 for most of the year, they won 17 of their final 21 games to finish sixth in the Western Conference. That was just enough to avoid the Play-In Tournament, and they looked as dominant as anyone in the postseason. The Timberwolves only needed 10 games to get through the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors before meeting the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals. OKC took that series in five games, which marks back-to-back years for the T'Wolves bowing out in the Conference Finals. Some might look at that negatively, but getting there after the Karl-Anthony Towns trade is a great sign for the future. The biggest boon for the future is the presence of Anthony Edwards, who led the team with 27.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. He's only 24 years old and will carry this team as far as he can take them.
Prediction: Minnesota has a better regular season but worse postseason.
It's surprising to see that Minnesota flirted with 50 wins because they were 32-29 on March 1. A 17-4 run to close the year skyrocketed them up the standings, and they should have more consistency throughout the regular season. They were able to reach the Western Conference Finals for the second straight year, but they had a fortunate road against underwhelming teams like the Warriors and Lakers. It's unlikely they have that friendly of matchups this season due to the depth of the Western Conference.
Portland Trail Blazers 
2024-25 Record: 36-46
2025-26 Projected Wins: 33.5
The Blazers looked like they were going to be one of the worst teams in the NBA last season, but something changed in the second half. They went 23-18 over their final 41 games to end with a 36-46 record. What was really encouraging was to see young players like Deni Avdija, Shaedon Sharpe and Donovan Clingan take their games to another level. They're still waiting to see that progression from Scoot Henderson, but he should gain some knowledge after the Damian Lillard (Achilles) acquisition. The best Blazer of all time isn't expected to suit up this season, but getting him back on the roster shows just how high the ticker is pointing for this growing team.
Prediction: Portland flirts with a playoff spot.
Portland was one of the biggest surprises in the second half of last season, posting a 23-18 record over the final 41 games. That directly correlated with the insertion of Clingan into the starting lineup, and the addition of Jrue Holiday should add some stability as well. It'll also be interesting to see if Lillard is able to play any games near the end of the season or in the postseason, if they get there. Look for this team to be in the Play-In hunt, but it'll be difficult to get any further than that when evaluating the depth in the Western Conference.
Utah Jazz 
2024-25 Record: 17-65
2025-26 Projected Wins: 18.5
Utah has been in rebuild mode for a few years now, parting ways with Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert, Jordan Clarkson, Collin Sexton, and John Collins over recent years. Unfortunately, they appear to be at the rock bottom of that rebuild, posting a 17-65 record last season. That ended up being the worst record in the NBA, with Utah posting the worst defensive numbers in the league. If there's one thing to get excited about, it's some of the young pieces. Ace Bailey was their top pick in this year's draft, while Cody Williams looked like a different player at Summer League this season. They need to hit on some of these draft picks to correct the rebuild, with Keyonte George and Walker Kessler looking like the best young assets on this team. Lauri Markkanen is still this team's best player, but his trade seems inevitable with the way this team is trending.
Prediction: Utah has the worst record in the NBA.
This being the toughest division in the NBA will hurt Utah's chances, but this team looks much worse than it did last year. They parted ways with Sexton, Collins and Clarkson in the offseason while adding very little to fill those voids. There will be times when Utah goes a month straight as a heavy underdog, and the full-on tank could be in full effect in the second half of the season.
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