How real are the Lakers, Spurs and the 10 teams slugging it out in the West?

The Western Conference is tough, a slugfest, a large predicament. None of that is new information. There was however a stat from last week that stopped me in my tracks. It was the moment where the West’s top-five teams were all on winning streaks of at least four games for the first time since conferences began.

All of the current top 10 teams in the West have won at least six of their last 10 games. All of the current top-five are on a winning streak. Six of the current top 10 teams have won their last game. The four teams that have lost? It’s because they had to play another top Western Conference team.

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According to the NBA, eight of the top 10 teams in offensive rating are in the West, six of the top 10 teams in defensive rating are in the West, and seven of the top 10 teams in net rating are in the West.

It is still early in the process of the regular season. These teams are still learning who they are on this journey. It is also very real that early success can lead to even more buy-in, which can sustain a team over the course of a season. How real are these early-season runs from the Western Conference? Let’s take a look at each team.

Los Angeles Lakers (11-2)

Yes, Luka Dončić is still on a preposterous run to start the season. Yes, Austin Reaves (who suffered a heel injury on Wednesday) is having a career. And, yes, the Lakers currently have the best offense in basketball. What could make this stick, though, is the belief this team has and the effort it’s given on defense.

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There is an activity the Lakers have brought to the defensive end of the floor. It’s not particularly new from what they’ve attempted to do in the past, but the execution appears more consistent throughout the roster. Switching on- and off-ball actions, working to contain drives and showing early help have been hallmarks of the Lakers’ defense.

Luka Dončić and the Lakers have reason to smile. (AP Photo/Justine Willard)

(AP Photo/Justine Willard)

Walker Kessler’s impact has been felt with his work to not just protect the rim, but to consistently rotate to get in position. There’s a reason he leads the league in…

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Author : Steve Jones

Publish date : 2026-11-13 17:14:00

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