2 Western Conference threats to epic Spurs season are flying under the radar

The Western Conference has built a reputation for being more grueling than its counterpart, and the Spurs have battled through it for decades. After so many pieces have shifted this offseason, the East has been discussed as the potentially tougher circuit this upcoming season, but that doesn't mean the West won't be the gauntlet it always has been.

We know who some of the usual suspects will be with Oklahoma City, Denver, Houston, Minnesota, and LA lurking. But there are always a couple of surprises, and for the coming season, Portland and Utah look poised to make a little more noise than they're currently being given credit for.

For San Antonio—a team capable of setting franchise records—they'll need to remain vigilant if they want to turn in an all-time great campaign because it won't be easy.

The Trail Blazers are suddenly incredibly deep

Portland is going to be an interesting team to watch, firstly because of their coaching situation. They have a new owner who seems to love his money more than Scrooge McDuck. A cheap and unconventional search for Tiago Splitter's replacement led to former Timberwolves lead assistant Micah Nori's first head coaching gig.

Nori isn't walking into a poorly furnished home with a bare cupboard, though. Portland fought their way to the seventh seed, winning both of their Play-In games. SA may have eliminated them 4-1, but the pieces they've added will give them a significant boost, making them a pain to play against when you don't have much time to gameplan during the tight NBA schedule.

Starters: Ja Morant, Damian Lillard, Toumani Camara, Deni Avdija, Donovan Clingan
Bench: Jrue Holiday, Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, Vit Krejci, and Robert Williams III

With Lillard returning and Morant newly added, the Trail Blazers suddenly have enough ball handlers to fight back against the Spurs' suffocating defense. Loading up to stop one guy as they did with Avdija in the playoffs won't be possible anymore.

San Antonio will be the better team, no doubt, but Portland won't be a pushover. They're a real threat to take games off The Silver and Black during the regular season, and they aren't the only sneaky bunch out there.

The Jazz have star power and depth

Utah has built their roster in a completely different way from Portland, but they'll be just as formidable. Lauri Markkanen must remain healthy, but if he does, that's an All-Star right there. The Jazz have size, ball handling, athleticism, and shooters. Truth be told, I'm uncertain how reliable their defense will be, but they certainly have a couple of players who can get after it on that end.

This organization was one of the more egregious tankers over the past few seasons, but there's talent on that roster. They landed the second overall pick and drafted Darryn Peterson. The former Kansas guard has "unstoppable" written all over him. He'll still need time to reach his peak, but expect contributions from him immediately.

Starters: Keyonte George, Darryn Peterson, Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Jusuf Nurkic
Bench: Isaiah Collier, Jon Konchar, Ace Bailey, Brice Sensabaugh, Kyle Filipowski, and Jaxson Hayes

This team will space the floor with elite shooting, but they'll also do damage in the paint. Their height and length will make the latter easier for them than most. Markkanen at small forward will give them a favorable matchup on most nights. Against the Spurs, that's Devin Vassell's assignment, unless the Spurs decide to cross-match, which could lead to other issues.

Solving these teams won't be easy in the flow of the season. Games happen so frequently that it's hard to drill into a game plan. After winning 62 games, San Antonio will want to build on their success; to do that, they'll have to rely on good habits and unrelenting effort. That starts with taking every team seriously, especially those flying under the radar.

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