NOW that most of the teams have already filled up their lineups in anticipation of a full 82-game NBA 2021-22 season, it’s time to take a look at the Western Conference.

If the Eastern Conference could be a two-way derby between defending champion Milwaukee Bucks and Brooklyn Nets, the battle for supremacy in the West remains wild as always.

Of course, the Los Angeles Lakers and their new “Big 3” of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook should be the team to beat in the West.

But there will be plenty of roadblocks.

If the NBA 2021-22 season started today, here are the top five teams to watch in the wild, wild West.

Western Conference

Los Angeles Lakers

At 36, James is regarded as the best player ever to step on the basketball court and there are enough numbers to prove his total domination since entering the league in 2003.

With four NBA championships and four NBA MVPs, James has played in 266 playoff games. That’s more playoff games than 15 NBA teams in the league.

With a healthy Davis and a hungry Westbrook, the Lakers are again the top favorites to not only win the West but the NBA title as well.
And why not?

With a great supporting cast that included All-Star Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard, James is expected to play with a lot of energy as he chases a fifth ring in his 18th season in the league.

Davis is eager to come back strong after a groin injury in the first round of their playoff series against the Phoenix Suns cut short his 2020-21 season, while Westbrook is looking for his first championship with his fourth team in 13 years.

It is hard to imagine a team with so much talent and so much experience can’t win it all.

Golden State Warriors

As long as Stephen Curry is playing, the Warriors will always be in the NBA conversation regardless if it’s late October or early April.

Curry, who was called as “the Michael Jordan of this generation” by NBA analyst Kenny Smith in terms of influence over the game, almost singlehandedly led the Warriors in the stacked up West last season.

So entertaining was Curry that he played in five of the 10 most viewed NBA games last season

The return of Curry’s :Splash Brother”, Klay Thompson, the emergence of Otto Porter Jr. and James Wiseman and the leadership of

Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala should help as well.

Phoenix Suns

With Chris Paul returning for another shot at the elusive NBA championship at age 36 and Devin Booker, Deandre Ayton and Mikal Bridges getting that playoff experience, the Suns should be ready.

Three notable additions are JaVale McGee and Elfrid Payton (from free agency) and Landry Shamet ( from Brookly).

After winning 51 games in a 72-game season and representing the West in the finals, the Suns can be dominant again.

Dallas Mavericks

The expectations for Dallas in the coming 2021-22 season are quite high and that’s mainly because of one man — Luka Doncic.

Doncic averaged 28.3 points, 8.7 rebounds and 8.7 assists over the last two seasons. The 22-year-old Serbian also nearly averaged a triple-double 8n the Tokyo Olympics.

But the performances of the supporting cast left a lot to be desired in back-to-back first-round playoff exits against the LA Clippers.

Kristaps Porzingis, the 7-3 Latvian superstar, should be able to deliver consistently now that the Mavs front office decided to stick with him.

Tim Hardaway Jr., Reggie Bullock and Maxi Kleber, should also flourish under new coach Jason Kidd.

Utah Jazz

Under coach Quin Snyder, the Jazz had the league’s best 52-20 record last season, but fell to the Clippers in six games in the conference semifinals.

The Jazz have added three dependable players this summer — Rud Gay and Hassan Whiteside (from free agency) and Eric Paschall (from Golden State) — to keep up with the other Western Conference super powers.

It will be interesting.

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