Western Conference (NBA) and Related Topics

Los Angeles Lakers

American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles.

Minneapolis team co-owner Benjamin Berger

Hall of Famer George Mikan (#99) led the Lakers franchise to their first five NBA championships. He is described by the NBA's official website as the "first superstar" in league history.

Wilt Chamberlain played for Los Angeles for five seasons during the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was an integral part of their 1971–72 team that is considered one of the best in NBA history.

The Lakers acquired Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1975.

Magic Johnson along with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar led the "Showtime" Lakers to five NBA titles in the 1980s.

Los Angeles drafted James Worthy first overall in 1982. "Big Game James" recorded his only career triple double in the Lakers game seven victory over the Pistons in the 1988 NBA Finals.

Championship banners, Lakers retired jerseys, and honored Minneapolis Lakers banner hanging in the rafters of Crypto.com Arena in 2010

The Lakers at the White House following their 2001 NBA championship

The Lakers with President Barack Obama following their 2010 NBA championship

Frank Vogel, who coached the Lakers for three seasons

Jerry Buss owned the team from 1979 until his death in 2013.

Former head coach Phil Jackson led the team to five championships.

Lakers retired jerseys hanging inside the Crypto.com Arena in 2013

The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division.

San Antonio Spurs

American professional basketball team based in San Antonio.

The team's name derives from a spur, a metal tool designed to be worn on the heels of cowboy boots for the purpose of controlling a horse's movement and direction.

George Gervin served as a foundation piece for the Spurs for almost a decade between 1976 and 1985

The Alamodome, home to the Spurs from 1993 to 2002

The drafting of Tim Duncan in 1997 was a turning point in the history of the Spurs.

AT&T Center, the home of the Spurs, at night

Spanish League MVP Tiago Splitter was the Spurs' biggest addition in 2010.

Kawhi Leonard was acquired by the Spurs in 2011.

The 2014 NBA champions are received by President Barack Obama at the White House.

From 1999 to 2005, the Spurs and Lakers combined to win seven straight Western Conference titles.

The Spurs sported radially arched black-and-white letters on their uniforms during much of the 1980s.

The Coyote showing a sign to the crowd during a time-out at a Spurs game

The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division.

Golden State Warriors

American professional basketball team based in San Francisco.

Joe Fulks was the league's first scoring champion.

Wilt Chamberlain averaged 41.5 points per game and 25.1 rebounds per game during his five and a half seasons with the Warriors.

Nate Thurmond averaged over 20 points per game during five different seasons and over 20 rebounds per game during two seasons while with the Warriors.

Rick Barry (shown in 1976) was named the NBA Finals MVP in 1975.

Draymond Green was an All-NBA Second Team member in 2015–16.

The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division.

Houston Rockets

American professional basketball team based in Houston.

Elvin Hayes was selected first overall by the San Diego Rockets in the 1968 NBA Draft.

A ticket for Game 2 of the 1987 Western Conference Semifinals between the Rockets and the Seattle SuperSonics

Rudy Tomjanovich spent all his playing career with the Rockets, and after becoming the team's head coach in 1992 led Houston to two straight championships.

Yao Ming during his rookie season with the Rockets

Yao Ming carrying his home country's Five-star Red Flag at the 2008 Summer Olympics

James Harden arrived in Houston in 2012, and became a franchise player for the Rockets.

The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member team of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division.

Oklahoma City Thunder

American professional basketball team based in Oklahoma City.

Chesapeake Energy Arena (now Paycom Center) began hosting the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2008.

Oklahoma City defeated Minnesota on November 2, 2008 for their first win.

The Thunder selected Steven Adams as the 12th pick in the 2013 NBA Draft.

The Thunder compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division.

Seattle SuperSonics

American professional basketball team based in Seattle.

Tom Meschery, Bob Rule (SuperSonics) and Wilt Chamberlain (Philadelphia 76ers) in 1967

In 1980, the Seattle SuperSonics' total attendance exceeded that of all other sports or shows held in the Kingdome.

George Karl served as Seattle's head coach from 1992 to 1998.

Vin Baker was an NBA All-Star with the SuperSonics during the 1997–98 season.

Kevin Durant (pictured in 2014), who was drafted by the SuperSonics in 2007

Over most of the franchise's history, Seattle played its home games at KeyArena.

Squatch wearing the Sonics' home uniform in 2005

The SuperSonics competed in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member club of the league's Western Conference Pacific and Northwest divisions from 1967 until 2008.

Portland Trail Blazers

American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon.

Sidney Wicks, who played in four NBA All-Star Games while with the Trail Blazers, won the 1971–72 NBA Rookie of the Year Award after averaging 24.5 points per game and 11.5 rebounds per game.

In his first season as the Trail Blazers head coach, Jack Ramsay led the team to their first playoff berth and eventually the championship. Bill Walton was the NBA Finals MVP.

Clyde Drexler played in Portland from 1983 to 1995.

After being drafted by the Trail Blazers several years prior, Arvydas Sabonis made his NBA debut during the 1995–96 season.

Brandon Roy was chosen as the NBA Rookie of the Year after the 2006–07 season.

LaMarcus Aldridge played the first nine years of his pro career in Portland.

Damian Lillard is a six-time NBA All-Star (2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021) and was the unanimous choice for the NBA Rookie of the Year following the 2012–13 season.

CJ McCollum, drafted 10th overall in 2013, formed a formidable back-court duo with Lillard.

Microsoft co-founder and Vulcan Inc. chairman Paul Allen owned the Trail Blazers from 1988 until his death in 2018.

The team's headquarters and practice facility are in Tualatin, Oregon.

The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division.

Phoenix Suns

American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona.

In 1968, Jerry Colangelo became the Suns first general manager, at age 28

Paul Westphal led the Suns to their first-ever NBA Finals in 1976

Kevin Johnson was the Suns' point guard for 11 seasons

Charles Barkley won NBA MVP and led the Suns to the NBA Finals in 1993.

The Suns drafted Amare Stoudemire in 2002; he would become a six-time All Star

After Nash's return to Phoenix in 2004, they won 33 more games than they did the previous season.

A home game against the Sacramento Kings in the 2006–07 season

Shawn Marion, considered a key component of the "7 seconds or less" offense, was traded in 2008 after being drafted by the team in 1999

Alvin Gentry coached the Suns to a Western Conference Finals appearance in 2010.

They compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division.

Dallas Mavericks

American professional basketball team based in Dallas.

Mark Aguirre was traded to the Detroit Pistons in 1989.

Shawn Bradley spent nine seasons with Dallas and ranks second all time in blocked shots

Dirk Nowitzki was acquired by the Mavericks from the Milwaukee Bucks in 1998 and would become the face of the franchise in later years.

Mavericks began playing at the American Airlines Center in 2001.

Kidd drives to the basket during a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Jason Terry spent eight years with the Mavericks, playing both of the teams' NBA Finals.

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban holding the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy during the championship parade.

Monta Ellis (right) and Chandler Parsons (left) each spent two seasons with the Mavericks

Rick Carlisle, head coach from 2008 to 2021.

Dirk Nowitzki has been selected for the NBA All-Star team 14 times.

The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference Southwest Division.

Utah Jazz

American professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City.

Pete Maravich played for the Jazz from 1974 to 1980.

The Jazz compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference, Northwest Division.