The San Antonio Spurs finished with one of the best records in NBA history last season when they recorded 67 wins but an early playoff exit following by Tim Duncan’s retirement has put a damper on the optimism surrounding the club heading in to the 2016-17 season. San Antonio should remain the class of the Southwest Division this season but there are plenty of unknowns heading in to a new year. How will they compete with Golden State? Is Dallas better? Can Houston rebound following a tumultuous season. Here is a look at the biggest burning question for each NBA Southwest Division team.
San Antonio Spurs – Will The Youth Infusion Help?
The move from Duncan to Pau Gasol should help the Spurs a little come playoff time as Duncan looked absolutely exhausted by the time the postseason rolled around a year ago. However, the real question is whether or not the youth infusion will help? San Antonio will turn to Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge as the leaders of this team while also opening the door for DejounteMurray and Jonathan Simmons to take on much bigger roles playing behind Tony Parker and Danny Green. The Spurs absolutely need their younger players to step up in order to have a shot at reaching the NBA Finals and it will be interesting to see if that happens this season.
Dallas Mavericks – Can The Mavericks Avoid Regression
This might not be an easy question to answer before we see the Mavericks in action but there are plenty of warning signs in place. Dallas surprised with 42 wins last season but even then they barely squeezed in to the playoffs as the sixth seed in the Western Conference. Reaching the postseason will be even more difficult in 2016-17, especially considering how much the Soputhwest Division and Western Conference has improved. Inking Harrison Barnes to a max contract and bringing back Dirk Nowitzki doesn’t necessarily make the Mavericks better so it could be tough to avoid regression this season.
Memphis Grizzlies – Can They Stay Healthy?
There is no doubt that Memphis has the talent to contend in the Southwest Division and the Western Conference. The question is whether this team can finally stay healthy enough to actually live up to expectations. Mike Conley is 29, Tony Allen is 35, Vince Carter is 39, Zach Randolph is 35 and Marc Gasol is 31. Age could be a strong indication that more of the same thing is on its way especially considering this team’s history. Chandler Parsons is a strong addition on paper but he is also 28-years-old and coming off right knee surgery so it could be more of the same issue when it comes to health. It’s always hard to handicap for injuries but this team doesn’t have as much depth as others in the conference and they’re one of the older rosters. Injuries could be a factor and it’s one that this team won’t be able to survive.
Houston Rockets – How Will Rockets Look Under D’Antoni?
Houston has one of the more talented rosters in the Western Conference with James Harden, Eric Gordon, Trevor Ariza and Montrezl Harrell providing an intriguing mix. The biggest question is how those players will fare in new head coach Mike D’Antoni’s system? The Rockets will rely heavily on the three-ball while looking to really push the pace but they might not be able to sustain their production over the full course of the season if D’Antoni wears them down. Houston should contend in the Southwest Division and for a playoff spot but ultimately, it will come down to D’Antoni’s ability to maximize the potential at his disposal.
New Orleans Pelicans – Is There Enough Talent Around Davis?
The biggest fear that basketball fans in New Orleans should have is whether or not the Pelicans will waste another year without enough talent surrounding Davis in his prime. Davis has struggled to stay healthy but even when he is in the lineup New Orleans hasn’t done a good enough job surrounding him with capable talent. The addition of rookie first-round pick Buddy Hield should help but the Pelicans didn’t do much else to address its guard issues. Is there enough talent around Davis to contend in the Southwest Division and the Western Conference this season?
