Analyzing the 2023 NBA Western Conference Standings and Playoff Picture
As I sit down to analyze the 2023 NBA Western Conference standings, I can't help but marvel at how dramatically different this season has been compared to previous years. Having followed the NBA religiously for over two decades, I've developed a keen eye for spotting patterns and understanding what truly separates contenders from pretenders. This season's Western Conference race has been particularly fascinating, with unexpected teams rising to prominence while traditional powerhouses faced unexpected challenges. The standings tell a story of strategic evolution, where team composition and player roles have shifted in ways we haven't seen before.
The Denver Nuggets established themselves as the team to beat early in the season, finishing with a remarkable 53-29 record that secured them the top seed. What impressed me most about their campaign wasn't just Nikola Jokić's MVP-caliber performance, but how perfectly each player understood their role within the system. Watching them reminded me of a point made about team dynamics that resonates deeply with my own observations - while players may have the greenlight to shoot, it won't be as many attempts as they might have taken on less talented teams. This philosophy perfectly describes why Denver succeeded where others failed. They had multiple players who could have been primary options elsewhere but embraced reduced scoring roles for the greater good of the team. Memphis surprised everyone by grabbing the second seed with 51 wins, though their playoff inexperience eventually showed. Sacramento's return to relevance after 16 years was the feel-good story of the season, with their 48-34 record demonstrating how quickly a franchise can turn things around with the right personnel decisions.
What struck me about the middle of the Western Conference pack was the sheer competitiveness. Phoenix, despite dealing with injuries to their stars, managed 45 wins and the fourth seed. The Clippers, with 44 wins, showed flashes of brilliance but also demonstrated why having multiple stars doesn't automatically guarantee success. Golden State's 44-win season felt underwhelming by their standards, though their ability to turn it on when necessary kept them in the sixth spot. The Lakers' 43-39 record and seventh-place finish highlighted how the play-in tournament has changed team approaches late in the season - something I believe has made the regular season more compelling than ever before.
The battle for the final play-in spots was particularly intense this year. Minnesota edged out New Orleans for the eighth seed despite both finishing with 42-40 records, while Oklahoma City surprised many by grabbing the tenth spot with a 40-42 record. What fascinated me about these teams was how they managed their rotations and offensive systems. The Thunder's approach especially stood out to me - they had several players who clearly had permission to shoot when open, but unlike some previous seasons where certain players took excessive attempts on weaker teams, their shot distribution felt more purposeful and system-driven. This careful balance between individual freedom and team structure often separates the teams that barely make the playoffs from those who watch from home.
Dallas' collapse from playoff contender to 11th place with a 38-44 record was one of the season's biggest surprises, and frankly, I saw it coming after their trade deadline moves disrupted their defensive identity. Utah's 37-45 record felt about right for a rebuilding team, while Portland's 33-49 finish signaled a clear need for roster reconstruction. San Antonio's 22-60 record was expected during their rebuild, though having Victor Wembanyama waiting in the wings certainly softens the blow. Houston's 22-60 season continued their struggle to find direction post-Harden era.
Looking at the playoff picture that emerged, I noticed something crucial about team construction that often gets overlooked. The most successful Western Conference teams this season weren't necessarily the ones with the most individual talent, but rather those where players understood their roles within a system. This brings me back to that insightful observation about shot distribution - while players may have permission to shoot, the number of attempts naturally decreases on deeper teams. We saw this play out dramatically with several players who joined contenders mid-season or through free agency. Their scoring averages typically dropped, not because they became worse players, but because they were now part of ensembles where offensive responsibilities were more distributed.
The first round matchups provided compelling evidence of this philosophy in action. Denver's sweep of Minnesota demonstrated how a cohesive system with clearly defined roles can dismantle a team relying heavily on individual talent. Phoenix's hard-fought six-game series against the Clippers showed how teams still figuring out their pecking order can struggle against established hierarchies. Sacramento's seven-game thriller against Golden State was a masterclass in team basketball versus superstar reliance, while the Lakers' elimination of Memphis in six games highlighted how playoff experience often trumps regular season success.
What I find particularly interesting as we look ahead to next season is how this understanding of role acceptance will shape team construction. Having spoken with several basketball operations people over the years, I'm convinced that front offices are increasingly valuing players who understand situational shot selection over pure volume scorers. The Western Conference's competitive balance this season wasn't accidental - it reflected a league-wide trend toward more systematic basketball where every player understands not just that they can shoot, but when they should shoot. This nuanced understanding of offensive roles, combined with defensive versatility, has become the new currency in team building.
As the conference finals approach, I'm bullish on Denver's chances to come out of the West, primarily because they've mastered this balance between individual talent and systematic play better than anyone. Their players move the ball with purpose, take shots within the flow of the offense, and understand that statistical sacrifices often lead to team success. Having watched countless teams try to assemble superteams only to fail because of role confusion, I believe Denver's model is the blueprint others will follow. The 2023 Western Conference standings didn't just tell us who was good this season - they hinted at where the NBA is heading in the years to come, and I for one am excited to see how teams adapt to this new reality.
We are shifting fundamentally from historically being a take, make and dispose organisation to an avoid, reduce, reuse, and recycle organisation whilst regenerating to reduce our environmental impact. We see significant potential in this space for our operations and for our industry, not only to reduce waste and improve resource use efficiency, but to transform our view of the finite resources in our care.
Looking to the Future
By 2022, we will establish a pilot for circularity at our Goonoo feedlot that builds on our current initiatives in water, manure and local sourcing. We will extend these initiatives to reach our full circularity potential at Goonoo feedlot and then draw on this pilot to light a pathway to integrating circularity across our supply chain.
The quality of our product and ongoing health of our business is intrinsically linked to healthy and functioning ecosystems. We recognise our potential to play our part in reversing the decline in biodiversity, building soil health and protecting key ecosystems in our care. This theme extends on the core initiatives and practices already embedded in our business including our sustainable stocking strategy and our long-standing best practice Rangelands Management program, to a more a holistic approach to our landscape.
We are the custodians of a significant natural asset that extends across 6.4 million hectares in some of the most remote parts of Australia. Building a strong foundation of condition assessment will be fundamental to mapping out a successful pathway to improving the health of the landscape and to drive growth in the value of our Natural Capital.
Our Commitment
We will work with Accounting for Nature to develop a scientifically robust and certifiable framework to measure and report on the condition of natural capital, including biodiversity, across AACo’s assets by 2023. We will apply that framework to baseline priority assets by 2024.
Looking to the Future
By 2030 we will improve landscape and soil health by increasing the percentage of our estate achieving greater than 50% persistent groundcover with regional targets of:
– Savannah and Tropics – 90% of land achieving >50% cover
– Sub-tropics – 80% of land achieving >50% perennial cover
– Grasslands – 80% of land achieving >50% cover
– Desert country – 60% of land achieving >50% cover
