NBA Early Season Thoughts: Southwest Division

I'm back with my NBA early season thoughts. Today we take a look at the loaded Southwest Division!

• Houston Rockets (16-4)- The Rockets have by far exceeded expectations this season. After the offseason they had where they lost Chandler Parsons and missed out on key free agents, there was a possible regression in store. The complete opposite has happened. The team instead has played the best basketball of the Howard-Harden era. As expected Harden continues to score at will and Howard scores well and grabs an absurd amount of boards. What has got this team to this point is the production around them. Guys like Patrick Beverley and Terrence Jones, among others have hiked up their production to give this team a solid core going forward. I see the Rockets continuing this hot play throughout the season, but it won't be easy with such a tough division around them.
• Memphis Grizzles (16-4)- Sitting atop the division tied with the Rockets is another surprise team, the Grizzles. Everyone knew this team would be good, but no one expected this record early on. The two-headed monster of Gasol and Randolph continues to stay healthy and when together is a deadly combo for the league. Add on to that the most underrated point guard in the league Mike Conley and you have a great recipe for success. One of the most hard-working teams on the defensive end, it is no surprise they have had this much success. I don't think Memphis will continue on this pace with the Spurs and Mavericks breathing down their necks, but they for sure are a playoff team.
• San Antonio Spurs (15-5)- In any other season, this record would be good enough for the Spurs to be atop this division, but this year seems to be different. The Spurs year in year out are serious contenders and this year is all the same. They continue to win with their everyone chip in brand of basketball, with five players averaging over ten points a game. Once again the most discipline team in basketball led by the best coach in basketball, I see no reason for this team to relinquish its spot at the top of the conference. See you guys in June!
• Dallas Mavericks (16-6)- This division continues to be filled with surprises and the Mavs fit that bill. Dirk Nowitski shows no signs of age as he continues to produce for this team, which has one of the best, if not the best, offences in basketball. The production from Monta Ellis and Chandler Parsons have been a big help as well for the Mavericks. Like Memphis, I see a bit of a regression in their future. I just don't see the defensive will power to stop good teams and that will hurt them in key games. I still expect them to be in the playoffs, but not as one of the top teams.
• New Orleans Pelicans (9-10)- Despite being the worst in this division by a long-shot, the Pelicans have nothing to be ashamed of. They unfortunately are in the toughest division in basketball and that has significantly hurt the young squads chances to succeed. The improvement is very apparent for this young team though. Anthony Davis continues to break out and show why he is the best big man in the sport. The pieces around him like Holliday, Gordon, and Evans, continue to produce at good levels. This team is going in the right direction and a few years from now they could be in that championship discussion, but as of right now they are a fringe playoff team at best in a really tough conference.