Three of the four teams who made last year’s Western Conference semifinals are back in action this season, as the Warriors, Rockets and Jazz will be joined by the fresh-faced Pelicans. The talent will be off the charts in the second round of the playoffs, as Kevin Durant, James Harden, Anthony Davis and perhaps Stephen Curry, arguably four of the top five players in the world right now, will all be on display.
The Rockets and Warriors were expected to be here, and both teams faced only small speed bumps before advancing. The Pelicans are the surprise team of the playoffs.