The Golden State Warriors turned what was supposed to be a bloodbath in the Western Conference into a one-horse race. Hijacking the narrative, Golden State completed a historical campaign to easily nab the top spot in the highly-competitive West.

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They’re just the 10th team in NBA history to win at least 67 games and they’ve done it in dominant fashion, featuring elite play at both ends of the floor.

Golden State finished first in the league in defensive rating at 98.2 and second in offensive rating at 109.7 – the number of points scored or allowed per 100 possessions.

Their offence is led by MVP favourite Stephen Curry, who had a monster season, even though he wasn’t near the top for league leaders in certain statistical categories.

Rather than quantity, Curry showcased his efficiency, which was a microcosm of the Warriors’ collective success. The West will go through Oracle Arena, where the Warriors tied the second-best single season home mark with a 39-2 record.

Everything seems to favour Golden State for hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy come June, but there’s one team who, due to their history, can’t be counted out.

The San Antonio Spurs hold the sixth seed, but they proved in the second half of the season that they’re right behind the Warriors, if not on the same level.

After capturing their fifth title last summer and avenging their painful Finals defeat from the year before, the Spurs appeared to lack motivation in the early stages this season.

But as they’ve done countless times before, San Antonio righted the ship and ended their campaign with 21 wins in their final 25 games.

The veteran trio of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili remain, but Kawhi Leonard has emerged as the new leader on the court.

The third-year forward has assumed greater responsibility on the offensive end, leading the Spurs in scoring, while still being a lockdown defender capable of shutting down the opposing team’s top scorer.

Another MVP candidate, James Harden, almost single-handedly pushed the Houston Rockets to the second seed in the West. The dynamic guard leads an offensive attack that takes advantage of 3-point shooting and getting to the free throw line.

Centre Dwight Howard missed a large chunk of the season to a knee injury, but his presence will be needed as both a rim protector and low-post scorer to alleviate the scoring load for Harden.

The Los Angeles Clippers, meanwhile, have seen their centre DeAndre Jordan grow into a Defensive Player of the Year candidate, adding to their nucleus of Chris Paul and Blake Griffin.

Jordan and Paul are two of the better defenders in the league at their position, but the rest of the Clippers’ defensive unit is suspect.

Their offence, however, is matched by few, but they drew the short straw and for finishing third in the standings and earn a firstround meeting with San Antonio.

The Memphis Grizzlies slipped as the season went along, but they’re hoping their play early in the year is more telling of their playoff chances.

A mid-season trade for swingman Jeff Green was supposed to be the missing piece, but the Grizzlies have since had a hard time finding their rhythm.

The West’s elite will have one less team to worry about with the Portland Trail Blazers’ title chances diminished after the Wesley Matthews injury.

The shooting guard was Portland’s top defensive player and vital to their offence with his outside shooting. Instead, the Trail Blazers will limp into the postseason and try to hold their own. 

Holding the seventh seed, the Dallas Mavericks are a long shot, but with their fluid offence, strong coaching and playoff experience, they’ll again be a tough out.

Finally, the New Orleans Pelicans fought to squeeze into the playoffs, but aside from more of Anthony Davis, they’ll have little to offer. Even if the West turns out predictably, entertainment will be at a high with the conference still loaded from top to bottom.